|
ADIRONDACK WOODSMEN'S SCHOOL
Powered by  . Outfitted by  .
- "A summer school that might have pleased Paul Bunyan" according to the New York Times
- "At a school for lumberjacks, boys become woodsmen" is the headline in Seven Days, Vermont's Independent Voice
- YouTube Video of Coach Brett McLeod at the Standing Block Chop
The Adirondack Woodsmen's School at Paul Smith's
College offers you the opportunity to discover
traditional skills of the north woods. Not only will
you learn to build a fire without matches, and make
your own canoe, but you'll also master the skills of the
competitive lumberjack- all while earning college credit!
Receive personalized instruction from professionals
who will help you to build proficiency in the discipline
of your choice- you may focus on speed chopping,
axe-throwing, birling (log rolling in the water), sawing- or any combination that you choose. You'll also learn
the secrets to making an axe truly razor sharp and how
to keep your chain saw in prime running order.
Get Credit!
Earn six college credits in just three weeks. Learn the history of the Adirondack
woodsman as you become an
active part of the Adirondack
landscape. Just what was it like
to be a frontiersman in the late 19th century? You'll
learn the answer to this and many other questions
through a series of campfire lectures examining the
historical roots of these Adirondack pioneers. To cap
things off, your week of training will conclude with a
competition that will crown the "Bull of the Woods"
and award a custom-made racing axe!
See you in the Adirondacks...
 Session One
Beginner
Sunday, July 7 - Saturday, July 13
Session one will introduce participants to
traditional Adirondack Woodsman skills. This
will include expert instruction in competitive
events such as speed chopping and sawing, as
well as some of the finer points of camp life.
- Learn the history of the
Adirondack Woodsmen
- Build a fire in any weather (without matches)
- Learn to keep your Stihl® chain saw
in prime running order
- Master the art of crosscut sawing
- Learn to swing a racing axe with precision
- Axe throwing
- Log rolling in Lower St. Regis Lake
- Lead an overnight war canoe expedition
 |
Session Two
Intermediate/Advanced
Sunday, July 14 - Saturday, July 20
Session two is designed for intermediate students who wish to hone their lumberjack prowess, as well as develop new skills. To enter session two, you must have successfully completed session one, or have at least two years of collegiate lumberjacking experience.
- Spend an afternoon training with
a Stihl® Timbersports® Pro
- Build a canoe from scratch
- Learn advanced techniques to fell trees
with a cross cut saw and axe
- Learn to skid logs using low-impact draft horses
- Master your campfire cooking skills
- Develop your orienteering skills
and participate in a "bushwhack"
- Learn the secret to creating
a truly razor sharp axe
- Compete in a real lumberjack competition
|
Camp Life
You'll experience authentic camp life as you settle into your
new home on the shore of Lower St. Regis Lake. The daytime headquarters for the school is the famed Paul Smith's Forestry Club Cabin. The cabin includes a lumberjack sports practice arena as well as an indoor training facility for rainy days. When not sleeping under the stars, students will stay in a lakeside residence hall. All meals will be provided either in the college dining hall or prepared over a campfire in the field. Leisure time will also be provided for hiking, swimming and simply relaxing in the Adirondack Mountains.
Register for the Woodsmen's School
On-Line Registration Form
Emergency Medical Release and Liability Waiver Form
Frequently Asked Questions
|
