Wilderness First Aid
The highest WFA standards in the industry
In-Person and Online Wilderness First Aid
Base Medical’s Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses are designed to equip outdoor enthusiasts with the skills and confidence to handle medical emergencies in remote environments. Through a blend of hands-on practice and scenario-based learning, WFA participants learn to recognize, assess, and respond to common backcountry injuries and illnesses when help may be hours—or days—away.
Perfect for recreational hikers, campers, and trip leaders, the course emphasizes practical skills, clear decision-making, and resourceful problem-solving. Taught by seasoned instructors with deep experience in both medicine and wilderness settings, Base Medical’s WFA courses focus on real-life application, ensuring students leave ready to act when it counts. Topics also include how to communicate with search and rescue (SAR) teams and manage emergencies before professional help arrives.
Part One: 8 Hours Online Learning
Take the online lessons at your own pace.
Just be sure to complete the lessons before you attend the practical training.
Part Two: Practical Training
Both the in-person and remote practical training are one day in length (8 hours) and include scenarios and skill practice.
Wilderness First Aid Courses for
Private Groups and Organizations
Request a Custom Course
Base Medical is proud to work with outdoor professionals to develop customized Wilderness First Responder courses and Recertification. We work with non-profits, guiding companies, land management agencies, and adventure groups to lead personalized courses with relevant content.
Become an Education Center
We empower organizations with the capability to deliver standardized, affordable, and even profitable wilderness medicine training. Learn more about becoming an instructor or education provider to provide independent, in-house training.
WFA now available in American Sign Language!
Yes! Base Medical, CorpsTHAT, and Rocky Mountain Youth have come together to spearhead the first wilderness first aid course for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. While the program is still in its infancy stages, we are happy to offer it to the community and collect feedback to improve the program. The WFA course is taught by a deaf Base Medical Certified Instructor.
Upcoming In-Person WFA Courses
April 21, 2025
Abiquiu, NM
In-person WFA. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT - $150
This course is offered independently by Ghost Ranch as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by Ghost Ranch upon enrollment.
May 31, 2025
Portland, OR
In-person WFA. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT - $260 for Public, $200 for Members
This course is offered independently by the Mazamas as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by the Mazamas upon enrollment.
June 1, 2025
Portland, OR
In-person WFA. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT - $260 for Public, $200 for Members
This course is offered independently by the Mazamas as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by the Mazamas upon enrollment.
June 2, 2025
Stanta Fe, NM
In-person WFA. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm PT - $225
This course is offered in conjunction with the Institute of Applied Ecology. Further details will be shared by the Instructor upon enrollment.
June 21, 2025
Baltimore, MD
In-person WFA. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT
This is a Sign Language course offered independently by CorpsTHAT as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by CorpsTHAT upon enrollment.
August 11, 2025
Stanta Fe, NM
In-person WFA. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm PT - $225
This course is offered in conjunction with the Institute for Applied Ecology. Further details will be shared by the Instructor upon enrollment.
November 12, 2025
Abiquiu, NM
In-person WFA. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT - $150
This course is offered independently by Ghost Ranch as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by Ghost Ranch upon enrollment.
Upcoming Remote WFA Courses
Base Medical’s Remote WFR Recertification combines thorough online, self-paced learning with two days of practical training via Zoom. The practical includes hands-on skills practice and scenarios and unique learning approaches to give students an active, engaging, and in-depth opportunity to learn Wilderness First Aid.
WFR certifications last two years. Students have a one year grace period where certifications are honored to recertify. Base Medical accepts certifications from other training organizations.
April 26, 2025
Remote WFA
Remote WFA
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $175 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
May 24, 2025
Remote SAR WFA
Remote SAR WFA - Join other SAR responders from around the nation!
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $99 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - This course is specifically tailored for Search and Rescue professionals. A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
June 21, 2025
Remote WFA
Remote WFA
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $175 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
July 19, 2025
Remote SAR WFA
Remote SAR WFA - Join other SAR responders from around the nation!
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $99 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - This course is specifically tailored for Search and Rescue professionals. A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
August 30, 2025
Remote WFA
Remote WFA
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $175 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
September 27, 2025
Remote SAR WFA
Remote SAR WFA - Join other SAR responders from around the nation!
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $99 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - This course is specifically tailored for Search and Rescue professionals. A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
October 25, 2025
Remote WFA
Remote WFA
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $175 -non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
November 22, 2025
Remote SAR WFA
Remote SAR WFA - Join other SAR responders from around the nation!
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $99 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - This course is specifically tailored for Search and Rescue professionals. A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
December 20, 2025
Remote WFA
Remote WFA
8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT - $175 - non-refundable
Live-Virtual Course via Zoom - A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies.
Outdoor Non-profits, Guide Groups, and SAR Teams
We provide affordable training opportunities for groups big and small, including in-person and remote training. 
What Our Students Say
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"This course was so worth it. I feel much better about leading kids into the wilderness having just done the online course."
Casey I.
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“I really appreciate the ability to obtain recertification of my WFA online, since to do so in-person was not possible. I felt the course outline and instruction presentation was well done, very methodical, comprehensive, and relevant to the realities of outdoor recreation. Thanks again! “
-Sheeba N.
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"This course gave me much more detail than previous WFA trainings. I appreciated the video accompaniments to the text, as hearing the material reinforced what was written. I do wish temperatures and measurements were given in non-metric terms, or both metric and non-metric terms. The supplemental materials were helpful."
-Sandra R.