In 1968, a Brigham Young University professor named Larry Dean Olsen, author of Outdoor Survival Skills, founded a program to take failing college students into the wilderness for 30 days.
He traveled with them through challenges in the deep wilderness of southern Utah to give them the opportunity to build resilience, mental toughness, and adaptability.
Doug streamlined and built the program in the university context, then in 1977 took it out from under the umbrella of BYU and incorporated it as an independent business in the small town of Boulder, Utah.
He hired instructors who appreciated the history and legacy of indigenous people and who could teach the skills of so-called “primitive” cultures to modern outdoor enthusiasts.
With topics ranging from ethnobotany to primitive pottery to stone tools, students had the opportunity to explore the world of these skills and the connection to human history they provide in greater depth, without the challenge of extreme hiking.
Under Jeff’s leadership, many systems were put in place that ensured smooth field operations, staff development, and consistent delivery of the BOSS curriculum.
The nonprofit organization hit the ground running, with a board of directors initially made up of BOSS staff members Perry Tancredi, Jessica Ewing, Michael Denisoff, Charlie Detar, and Steve Dessinger.
The BOSS philosophy includes teaching skills in context, using simple, durable technology, and building mental toughness and resilience through powerful experiences in the wilderness.