Wilderness First Responder

The Mazama approach to first aid is anchored in a few key principles: 

• Nationally recognized standards – To ensure we’re providing the best possible training, we teach to peer-reviewed curriculum standards whenever possible. To facilitate this we partner with Base Medical to license their material for our WFA and WFR courses, and our CPR instruction comes from the American Heart Association (AHA)
• Highly qualified instructors – Our instructor pool includes EMTs, guides, doctors, nurses, and search and rescue volunteers. All of our instructors go through a training and evaluation process to get certified by third-party organizations (Base Medical, AHA). 
• Tailored scenarios – We construct our first aid scenarios to mirror real-life Mazamas activities as much as possible to ensure we practice like we play.
• Continuous improvement – We take feedback (both positive and constructive) for our courses very seriously and review all comments in detail in order to continuously tweak our teaching approach. Additionally, we work with Base Medical to ensure our curriculum evolves and stays up to date with the wilderness medicine community more broadly.

Most WFR courses (even hybrid ones) typically require you to dedicate five or more consecutive days to attend, and you often need to travel and make lodging arrangements in addition to the cost of the course. We recognize this isn’t possible for everyone, so we wanted to offer a WFR course that meets people where they’re at as much as possible while taking advantage of the great facilities the Mazamas and our surrounding landscape have to offer across two consecutive weekends.

The course features:

• Nationally recognized certification
• Local venues minimizing travel costs
• Extensive hands-on practice
• Realistic wilderness scenarios
• Comprehensive online learning platform

Unlike traditional classroom-based courses, our WFR program immerses students in realistic mountain scenarios. Training spans from the Mazama Mountaineering Center to the challenging terrain of White River Canyon, providing authentic wilderness medicine experience where it matters most.

Hybrid Format Designed for Working Professionals

• 28 hours of self-paced online learning (4-5 weeks)
• Weekend 1: Three days at MMC (Friday-Sunday)
• Weekend 2: Two days at Mazama Lodge with overnight stay and catered meals

Experience Enhanced Scenario Training
WFR scenarios go beyond basic first aid, featuring complex, extended-duration simulations that mirror real backcountry emergencies. Students manage challenging medical situations while considering environmental factors, evacuation decisions, and resource limitations.

Learn from Expert Instructors
Our nationally certified instructors bring extensive mountaineering experience alongside their medical expertise.