WBC Home Registration Schedule Course Information Course Files Location Procedures Policy FAQ Gear WBCDiff
WBC Navigation WBC Logo

Course Schedule - FAQ
  1. How often do you offer the Wilderness Basics Course (WBC) course?
     This course is offered once a year, starting in January for 10 weeks.
  2. Where is the course held?
    It is held at the Scottish Rite Center in Mission Valley on Camino Del Rio So., which is the frontage road running south of Highway 8 near Highway. 163. The building lies between Mission Center Road and Texas Street. There is also a course held in Escondido at the San Pasqual High School. The north county course runs separately from the San Diego WBC and you will need to call them to get more information on their course.
  3. What time does the class start?
    The course always starts at 7:00 PM every Tuesday night and last until 9:30 PM. On several of those Tuesday, nights the WBC sponsors additional activities for students at 6:30PM. These include such things as the WBC Swap Meet, Community Night, Discussions with the WBC Leaders, Club Sections and videos on numerous topics. You may arrive early if you would like, the doors open at 6:30 PM. We would also recommend that you come early the first night of class.
  4. Can you pre-register?
    Yes you can. You can fill out the attached registration form on this WEB site and hit send. You will need to also print a hard copy of the Waiver Form and mail that form only along with your check for $135 to WBC Registration, P.O. Box 720381, San Diego, CA 92172-0381. If you would prefer not to send your information over the WEB, you can also print out the Registration Form, along with the Waiver Form and mail both of them along with the check for $150 to the address listed above.
  5. Can I use my credit card to pay?
    No unfortunately we are not set up to take credit cards. We can accept check, money orders or cashier's checks. If you need to pay by cash, you will need to wait to sign up on the first night of class. Registration is on a first come basis and after the first 300 students have paid, then registration will be closed and a waiting list will be made available. Normally we have space available the first night of class but we cannot guarantee it.
  6. Can minors register for this class?
    No the San Diego Wilderness Basics Course does not accept anyone under the age of 18 years old. However, the North County Wilderness Basics Course does accept 14 years old and older students and you should call them to get more information.
  7. Can I pay less than $135 for the class?
    No, we are a non-profit organization run by volunteers. (No one on the staff gets paid.) Your registration fee covers our basic expenses and there are no waivers of fees.
  8. What if I do not complete the course the first year; will I still graduate?
    No you will not graduate. All classes and outings must be completed for you to receive a graduation certificate. If you do not complete the course the first year you are encouraged to come back the following year and sign up for the trips and classes that you missed at no extra cost*. If after the second year you have still not completed the required outings and classes, you will need to pay an additional $135 and re-register for the course the following year as a new student and basically start over. Returning students must still register for the class. *Online registration is free for returning students. First night, walk-in, and paper-form returning students must pay $15.
  9. How many outings are there?
    There is one-day hike up Cowles Mountain the first Saturday after registration, followed by a Car Camp Weekend Outing, a Land Navigation Backpack Weekend Outing, a Mountain-Desert Backpack Weekend Outing and a Snow Camp Weekend Outing.
  10. Will the $135 registration fee cover all these outings?
    The $135 covers your participation in all of the outings except Snow Camp. For Snow Camp we bus the entire class up to the Mammoth Lakes area where each student will learn how to camp in the snow and how to cross country ski or snow shoe with a backpack. The fee for this outing is approximately $135.
  11. Who provides the gear?
    Each student provides their own gear including their own tent, clothing, stove, backpack and sleeping bag. Each student will also provide his or her own food. We strong encourage all students who do not own their own gear to either borrow or rent their equipment. It is better to wait to purchase until after the course so you will have a greater knowledge of what types of equipment you will need. We also encourage students to share stoves, tents and carpool to cut expenses. However, each student is required to wear hiking boots on each outing.
  12. Can friends or family members join you on the outings?
    No. Only registered students, staff members and WBC leaders are allowed to participate on outings. No one else will be allowed to participate.
  13. Does the WBC insure each student?
    No student or leader is insured through WBC. Each student needs to provide his or her own medical insurance. If a student is injured on any outing or in the classroom, his or her own medical insurance and/or medical provider needs to be contacted at the student's cost. If a student is hurt on an outing and the leader feels the student must be evacuated or rescued, then the student is responsible for these charges also.
  14. How long has the WBC been in existence?
    The WBC started over 40 years ago in cooperation with the City of San Diego. Eventually they separated from the city and have been running as a community service ever since.
  15. Are there additional costs?
    Each student should plan on spending $135 for the class and approximately $135 for the Snow Camp outing. On top of this, each student should also budget money for gear rentals, gas to the outings, and any miscellaneous costs including food, fuel, special clothing (if they are not able to borrow from friends). Depending on how much gear each student has and how much they still need to acquire, the amount spent could vary dramatically from student to student. A lot of the students are able to find "camping" clothing at the Thrift stores and sometimes also usable gear, which helps cut the cost dramatically. The WBC also sponsors a swap meet before one of the regularly scheduled classes, where used gear can be purchased. When a student registers for the WBC class they are also given discount cards provided by the local merchants. In the past the following merchants have offered discounts to the WBC students: REI, A-16, Sports Chalet and Sportmart.
  16. Where can I find the dates for the outings so I can enter them into my calendar?
    Go to the Home Page of this WBC web site and hit the tab entitled "Course Schedule".
  17. When do I receive my graduation certificate?
    After the last night of class, when each student turns in their written test and their completed signed off outings card, then all the information is entered into the WBC data base and graduation certificates are generated. These are given to the students at our annual reunion held in April at the Foster Lodge, which is located in our local mountains near the town of Mt. Laguna. During this weekend guest speakers will be attending and hikes will be organized to explore the local area. The WBC sponsors this weekend event at no cost to the students, however if any student brings family members or friends there is an additional charge of $5 for each additional person. If any student is unable to attend the reunion, then their WBC graduation certificate will be mailed to them after the reunion.
  18. How many students are on each trip?
    Before each outing each student is given a handout listing each leader and information about his or her trip. Usually the WBC offers approximately 22 different trips to choose from. Each student is encouraged to talk to the leaders before class and decide which trip would best suite their ability and interest. Once a trip has 12 students signed up for it, it becomes full and the student will then need to sign up for their second or third choice trip. The trips are arranged from very easy to extremely difficult, so picking the correct trip is very important. For snow camp the students will also be choosing between having a snowshoe trip or a cross-country ski trip. Each trip will have two leaders on it and sometimes there will be an additional third leader.
  19. What types of information is taught at the WBC?
    The WBC offers a wide range of information, which is taught by an array of guest speakers. Theses speakers use either slides, props or power point presentations to explain their subject matter. These subjects include such things as first aid, foods, wilderness ethics, flora, weather, staying warm, packing a backpack, encounters with animals, land navigation and comparisons of different types of gear are compared, to name a few.
  20. Are there "make-up" trips if I miss one of the scheduled trips?
    Yes, "make-up" trips are offered in April at the end of the WBC class, if there are WBC Leaders available to lead them. Sign ups for these trips will be held before the last night of class. If you miss the first car camp outing you may substitute a backpack trip for that outing if you so choose. These "make-up" trips are offered on a first come basis. If the "make-up" trip does not fill up with qualified WBC students and the leader authorizes it, other WBC students may sign up for this trip even though they do not need this trip to graduate from WBC. There are no "make-up" trips for snow camp.
  21. How many times may I graduate from WBC?
    You may attend and graduate from WBC any two times within the past 7 years.

Home | Registration | Course Schedule | Course Information | Course Files