Cory Loomis
Columbus, GA
bhs-stu@cbus.mindspring

Adventure Adviser: You're in luck. BOSS is still open for business, dividing time between its offices in Boulder, Utah, and Boulder, Colorado. If you're in the market for an intense 27-day field course in southern Utah's deserts and mountains, a five-day mammal tracking workshop, or any one of their dozens of other courses, BOSS is outfit to call.

As one of the most well-regarded survival schools out there, BOSS builds its courses around the premise that as long as a wilderness experience--be it a seemingly endless 20-mile desert trek with no lunch in sight or grazing on wild onions and skinny frogs--isn't life-threatening, it'll make you stronger. It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that a BOSS outing is no walk in the park. First thing to know: Leave your tent, sleeping bag, and any other cushy camping equipment at home. Before being shipped out on their standard survival course, you're stripped of everything but a knife, jacket, and an enamel cup. If this sounds at all appealing to you, call them at 303-444-9779 for a catalog and application; courses run from early June through late August.