Santa Cruz Island Wilderness First Responder
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Overview:
Santa Cruz Island is famous for its beautiful waters, flowering meadows, and incredible hiking. We offer two options for courses here, one where participants camp on the island, and the other where we use The UC Reserve Field Station as our operating location. The WFR is 70 + hours of training while we explore the backcountry of Santa Cruz Island in a location few can visit: The Nature Conservancy Property on the west side of the island.
Santa Cruz is a unique island with an incredible history, varied flora and fauna, and a rugged interior with mountains, ocean views, secluded beaches and endemic species found here and nowhere else on earth.
Twice the size of Manhattan, Santa Cruz Island is split into two sections: 24% owned by the National Park Service and 76% owned privately by The Nature Conservancy. When our home for the WFR course is the UC Reserve Field Station, there are dorm rooms, bathrooms with showers, a full kitchen and indoor learning space. This base will allow us freedom to explore the island while learning WFR skills that will last a lifetime.
Challenge:
Additional Information:
Getting to Santa Cruz Island: The closest public airport to Ventura is in Santa Barbara [SBA] but this has a limited number of flights. It is best to consider flying in to either Burbank [BUR] a 1-hour drive; or Los Angeles [LAX] a 1.5 hour drive. You will need to rent a car or hire transportation to Ventura.
Accommodations: Prior to heading to the island, you will need to secure accommodations. This can be found either in Ventura city or Ventura Harbor. There are a number of national hotel chains and local hotels in Ventura. Please contact us for more information.
Park Entry: There is no fee to enter Channel Islands National Park or Santa Cruz Island.
Passports: Not required for this adventure.
What’s Included:
A certified and highly experienced 4Points Instructor
Island Packers Ferry to Santa Cruz Island and back to Ventura
Permits, meals and accommodations for the duration of your time on the island
What’s not included:
Personal equipment—backpack, sleeping bag, rescue and WFR equipment
Transportation to Ventura; accommodations in Ventura for the night prior or the night after the course
WFR Price: $1,615.00 per person.
WFR is valid for 3 years. CPR for 2 years.
Group Size: Minimum of 8 participants. Maximum of 30 participants.
Participant requirements: Clients need to be physically capable of completing the backcountry WFR curriculum including long challenging hikes with steep uphill sections. Must be able to carry a litter with a patient as part of a team. Minimum age is 16.
Example of Our Itinerary:
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Class topics: CPR, rescue, medicolegal issues.
This adventure begins when you meet your instructor at the Island Packers boat ramp in Ventura Harbor. The ferry ride takes about 1 hour to Scorpion Anchorage and another 30 minutes from Scorpion to Prisoners Harbor. A shuttle ride from the harbor to the location takes about 30 more minutes. After a quick tour and exploration of the area, we’ll settle in and begin our initial class program.
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Class topics: Patient assessment, vital signs, critical care and backcountry survival.
Today we’ll begin with class and then take time to explore around the field station area. We will take a short hike to the Field Station to learn about the island history and ongoing environmental projects, while getting our first views of the central valley.
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Class topics: Traumatic injuries: Sprains, strains, fractures; spinal and head injuries; cardiothoracic trauma.
Our 3rd day has us up and out early to explore more of the island; today we’ll eat a quick breakfast and hike across the island to Coches Prietos, one of the most beautiful and remote beaches on the entire island. This is the perfect location to spend a day of remote study and practicing our skills.
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Class topics: Skill acquisition; environmental emergencies [heat/cold, allergic reaction, lightning, drowning].
Today we’ll stay closer to home base and practice our skills, go over new topics, and take time during the afternoon to hike to the Eucalyptus Grove and check out La Cascada waterfall. This is a ‘down day’ meant to rest, recuperate from our long hike and spend time learning skills.
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Class topics: Bleeding control; wound care and infections; shock.
Today we’ll spend the morning in class going over new topics; the afternoon will find us taking a beautiful trip to Valley Anchorage, and incredible beach reached via hike and a rope ladder down to the beach access. We’ll explore the beach and tide pools while we practice our patient assessment skills.
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Class topics: Changing LOC: Poisonings, seizures; medical emergencies.
This is a big day out as we explore Pelican Bay. This amazing bay is reached from a gorgeous and challenging hike, where we can see a huge variety of island geography. We’ll have time to snorkel and swim in Prisoner’s Harbor and Pelican Bay while completing the coursework portion of the class.
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The final course day will be our skills exam and written certification test, which we will complete on the island prior to cleaning up our gear and preparing to head back to the mainland from our island paradise.
