BTE believes that backcountry medicine and rescue should be taught outside, so we have taken the classroom outside. We use a hybrid approach with some of our courses and students complete the online portion at their convenience before the scheduled course dates. This allows us to get directly into training when students arrive, stay out of the classroom, and provide a true outdoor experience. We have a beautiful location on the Deschutes National Forest, just outside of Bend Oregon, where students will camp and spend the duration of the course, this is part of the amazing experience. Our courses have been meticulously designed to provide the most current medical and rescue techniques available and are taught by medical and rescue professionals.

Some of our courses are longer than most traditional backcountry medical and rescue courses. Longer courses give students more hands on training and more repetitions on skills, which better prepares you for a backcountry emergency. Since we are based out of Bend Oregon, a little extra time training and camping in the Cascade Mountains is nothing to complain about... And for those who have a specific location or date, we can accommodate custom classes.

 advanced Wilderness life support ($2750)

This is for Advanced Practitioners who are serious about austere medicine! 8 Days of intense, hands-on Advanced austere environment training. Airways, altitude and environmental emergencies, pt. packaging, hypothermia, advanced navigation, helicopter safety, Ultra sound in austere environments, IV therapy, M.A.R.C.H., basic rope systems, backcountry survival and  Incident command systems are some of the topics covered. You will be learning and performing these skills continually, in all weather conditions at various hours of the day. AWLS is approved for 20.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits through the Wilderness Medical Society. The AWLS program is also approved by  ACEP, AAFP and AAPA.
We recommend you have a IS-100 certification (free two hour course online through FEMA)
To register please follow the instructions on our contact page. 

wilderness first responder ($2500)

Our Wilderness First Responder program far exceeds all other programs available. We have the perfect mix of medical, basic rescue training and survival for leaders in backcountry locations including outdoor educators, guides, military, professional search and rescue personnel, researchers, and those involved in disaster relief. The curriculum is extensive and demanding; it will challenge students' decision making skills and physical fitness. This course includes the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical problems, begin basic rescue operations, understand and implement navigation in a rescue operation, deal with aircraft during a rescue, and be proficient in multiple roles during a backcountry medical or rescue situation. This includes isolated and extreme environments for an extended period of time. This course is primarily taught in the backcountry and is extremely challenging. Be prepared for one nighttime operation.

Prerequisite: ICS-100 certification is required. This is a free two hour course online with FEMA.

Certifications earned with this course:
Wilderness First Responder
Advanced Bleeding Control (M.A.R.C.H.)
Bloodborne Pathogens
​CPR/AED and High Performance CPR
​Emergency Oxygen use
Administration of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors
To register please follow the instructions on our contact page. Once we have your information we will send you an invoice for the course and an information packet.

Advanced practitioner chile

​We will be posting more information soon...

Rope rescue
($650 Ops or Tech, and $1250 for both)
​June 14th-18th (OPS/Technician)

We are working with Crux Rescue to bring you the best rope rescue courses available... and we do it at Smith Rock! These dynamic courses will prepare you to be at the operations or technician level of rope rescue. Students will learn knots, anchor systems, belaying, ascending and descending ropes, mechanical advantage, patient packaging, and litter attending. This course will also teach how to safely navigate low-angle, over the bank rescue situations, and how to assist rescuers in high-angle environments.

Swift water rescue ($430)
​June 9th-11th

A must-take course for those working in or around moving water. Crux Rescue is working with us again to provide the best operations, technician, and advanced level swift water rescue courses. We will be camping on the McKenzine and Santiam Rivers for this EPOCH course. These courses teach the rescuer hazard recognition, shore and boat rescue techniques, hydrology, self-rescue, and rescue techniques for others. These courses meet NFPA standards outlined in NFPA 1670/1006.