Even the most optimistic of optimists knows that natural disasters happen. Whether it's due to extreme weather or fire-breathing lizards, all the amenities of modern civilization could quickly crumble, leaving humans to rely on their wit, grit, and determination to survive. Like a grown-up version of the boys and girls scouts, Mountain Scout Survival School instills students with the skills to endure and prepare for the worst of scenarios without succumbing to disaster-movie panic.

The school is led by founder Shane "White Feather" Hobel, who has nature in his nature. Connected to the earth though his Native American heritage, Hobel's outdoor expertise has earned raves from the New York Times and has been chronicled on the National Geographic Channel's Doomsday Preppers. During his courses—held in Central Park—Shane teaches his students outdoor practicality, including building ropes, hunting and foraging, and surviving the predators of the wild, such as traveling salesmen. For more personalized preparation, Shane journeys to his clients' homes and offices to devise evacuation plans, which may include forging an escape rope out of the pages of a Dilbert desk calendar.