ADIRONDACK WOODSMEN'S SCHOOL

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"A summer school that might have pleased Paul Bunyan" according to the New York Times

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 8 - Saturday, July 14
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 Sunday, July 15 - Saturday, July 21 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

Session Three Advanced Sunday, July 22 - Saturday, July 28 Session three was developed for students who wish to pursue competitive lumberjack sports and advanced outdoor skills. To enter session three, you must have successfully completed sessions one and two, or have at least three years of collegiate lumberjacking experience. Learn the art of springboard chopping Learn to operate the Paul Smith's College sawmill Learn advanced chopping tips from a STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Pro Master the art of chainsaw carving (bring home your own carving) Learn to build and run a log boom Earn your New York State Hunter Safety Certification while mastering rifle and shotgun skills

Register for the Woodsmen's School

Emergency Medical Release and Liability Waiver Form

Frequently Asked Questions