Our Courses
Join us at Cedar Creek Ranch to take part in a Wilderness First Responder Training - Comprehensive backcountry medical training for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts across the world!
Wilderness First Responder
5 day Certification
2026 Dates
June 1st-June 5th
Through online learning, in person instruction, and scenario based practice, students will learn the skills required to achieve the status as a Wilderness First Responder over the course of 5 days, not including online learning to be completed prior to the course.
$950 per person ($300 to enroll)
Room & board included
Wilderness First Responder
3 Day Recertification
2026 Dates
June 3rd-June 5th
Previous Wilderness First Responder students may elect to renew their active certification through this condensed Wilderness First Responder refresher course.
$650 per person ($300 to enroll)
Lunch Included
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
Course Overview
As opposed to the standard 8 day format, this 5 day Wilderness First Responder. Training requires that students must first complete reading and homework before the classroom/field portion of the course begins. This offers students with busy schedules flexibility in working through coursework on the front end at their leisure, as well as shortening the classroom/field portion of training. For complete curriculum details, please see the Wilderness Medical Associates Website.
$950 per person ($300 to enroll)
Room & board included
Experience
The WFR course is an intense course with full, exciting, and interesting days. In order to be adequately prepared for this course, students must first complete pre-course reading, study guide, and exam to prepare for the accelerated pace of this 5-Day format. Students should plan for approximately 25 hours of pre course work to prepare them for the in person training. As mentioned above, the course is active and intense, and for that reason students should arrive well rested and prepared to focus completely on the material. In order to pass the course, students must attend each day for the entirety of the course.
Wilderness First Responder is a level of medical certification that carries substantial responsibility. To fully prepare our students, we use realistic simulations and mock emergencies requiring patient examination and treatment employing simulated wounds and blood. While we recognize this can be uncomfortable for some people, it is important practice in a manner that is as close as possible to real life emergency situations. We bring life to these situations in order to most accurately develop the confidence and competence that you would expect of a medical professional.
Course Tuition Includes
• Online course materials, in person course materials, in person instruction and training
• Bunk-style accommodations (or vehicle camping/tent camping)
• Nutritional homemade meals. We can accommodate most, but not all, dietary preferences and needs.
Course Venue
Cedar Creek Ranch is a community learning center owned by Coulee Connections LLC. This location is used during the school year as an experiential learning center for youth. The area covers 23 acres and includes educational buildings, ranch animals (chickens, goats, alpacas, aquarium fish, toads, snakes, and more!), a swimming pool, team learning areas, and a fully furnished home with bunk beds. The Cedar Creek ranch can host up to 40 adults in bunk beds and cots spread through various buildings on the campus. The Cedar Creek Ranch sits in Wisconsin’s Coulee Region 30 miles North East of La Crosse, offering a wonderful wilderness context in which to practice wilderness first response.
Students will have access to restrooms, showers, and climate controlled sleeping spaces starting the night before the course begins.
Enrollment
$300 deposit required to register. You may register online or send a deposit check for $300 to our mailing address (see footer below). Full payment is due 45 days before the course start date. You must enroll no less than 10 days prior to the course’s start date.
Enrollment is first-come, first served. As soon as we receive your course deposit or full payment, we will confirm your enrollment, send course details and request your student information.
2026 Course Dates June 1st - June 5th
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
Open Recertification
Course Overview -
The WFR open recertification course is open to those students who have previously graduated from a wilderness first responder class and still hold a current, valid WFR certification. This course is specifically designed for students who would like to maintain their certification and can do so at an accelerated pace as opposed to repeating the WFR course in its entirety. Similar to our standard WFR course, this course requires pre course preparation in order to be successful in the recertification course. Attendance alone does not guarantee recertification.
Students who complete this course will receive the same certifications as WFR students: Wilderness Medical Associates’ Wilderness First Responder, Anaphylaxis, and BLS/Healthcare Provider-level CPR certifications. WMA WEMT graduates with a current EMT-B or Paramedic certificate may also recertify the wilderness portion of their WEMT with this course. For complete curriculum details, please see the Wilderness Medical Associates website.
$650 per person ($300 deposit to enroll)
Room & board included
Experience-
In our format, the 3 day WFR recertification is added onto the last 3 days of the standard WFR certification course, as the recertification covers all the same skills and topics covered in the standard WFR course. Before arriving at the course, students will complete pre-course reading, study guide, and exam to prepare for the course experience (estimated 8 hours prep time). The in person portion for recertification is a 24-hours over 3 days. The course is active and intense, and for that reason students should arrive well rested and prepared to focus completely on the material. In order to pass the course, students must attend each day for the entirety of the course.
Wilderness First Responder is a level of medical certification that carries substantial responsibility. To fully prepare our students, we use realistic simulations and mock emergencies requiring patient examination and treatment employing simulated wounds and blood. While we recognize this can be uncomfortable for some people, it is important practice in a manner that is as close as possible to real life emergency situations. We bring life to these situations in order to most accurately develop the confidence and competence that you would expect of a medical professional.
Course Tuition Includes
• Online course materials, in person course materials, in person instruction and training
• Bunk-style accommodations (or vehicle camping/tent camping)
• Nutritional homemade meals. We can accommodate most, but not all, dietary preferences and needs.
Course Venue
Cedar Creek Ranch is a community learning center owned by Coulee Connections LLC. This location is used during the school year as an experiential learning center for youth. The area covers 23 acres and includes educational buildings, ranch animals (chickens, goats, alpacas, aquarium fish, toads, snakes, and more!), a swimming pool, team learning areas, and a fully furnished home with bunk beds. The Cedar Creek ranch can host up to 40 adults in bunk beds and cost spread through various buildings on the campus. The Cedar Creek Ranch sits in Wisconsin’s Coulee Region 30 miles North East of La Crosse, offering a wonderful wilderness context in which to practice wilderness first response.
Students will have access to restrooms, showers, and climate controlled sleeping spaces starting the night before the course begins.
Enrollment
$300 deposit required to register. You may register online (see below) or send a deposit check for $300 to our mailing address (see footer below). Full payment is due 45 days before the course start date. You must enroll no less than 10 days prior to the course’s start date.
Enrollment is first-come, first served. As soon as we receive your course deposit or full payment, we will confirm your enrollment, send course details and request your student information.
2026 Course Dates June 3rd - June 5th
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the daily schedule?
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Breakfast is served daily at 7:00am. Class begins at 8:00am sharp! Each day of instruction is a combination of lectures, simulations, and field practice. Lunch is scheduled at 12:00pm each day, but may change slightly to accommodate the course schedule. Each day the course wraps up between 5:00pm and 6:00pm, and dinner is served thereafter. Dinner is not served on the final day of the course, and the day typically ends by 4:00pm. Plan to spend time each evening looking over course material, studying, and completing coursework.
Age Requirement?
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Students must be 16 years of age or older to hold a WFR certification. Students completing the accelerated 5 day WFR course must be 18 years of age or older.
How long does a certification last?
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A WFR certification lasts for 3 years from the final day of the course.
Do I have to stay on campus?
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No. If you choose to stay elsewhere, there is a $100 discount for the 5 day WFR course, and $50 discount for the 3 day recertification. That said, we highly encourage students to stay on campus. We find that there is great value in being present after hours to study in groups, share questions and thoughts about the training, and enjoy Cedar Creek Ranch!
What’s the cancellation policy in case I can't make it?
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These courses are special, limited-enrollment offerings and are non-refundable and non-reschedulable once students have paid their course deposits unless another student is willing to take their spot in class. This includes cancellations due to disrupted travel plans, injury, or illness. We recommend purchasing trip insurance to protect your tuition investment.
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*If we must cancel your course due to low enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances, you may opt to transfer your enrollment to another session or receive a refund of your course fees.
What should I bring with me?
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Outdoor clothing suitable for the weather. We recommend bringing only clothing that can get dirty.
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Quality footwear - this is a very active training and while closed toed shoes are not required, we strongly recommend them. Sandals and croc type shoes are not advised.
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Personal care items (toiletries, towel, medications, etc.)
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Notebook and writing utensils
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Camp chair/Lawn Chair
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Sleeping bag/pillow (basic bedding provided)
What meals are provided?
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Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily. Dinner is not provided the night before the course or the final day of the course.
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Food will be prepared for everyone regardless of whether or not you are staying on campus, but please state your intentions in registration so we most accurately assess the number of mouths we should prepare to feed!
Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
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Cedar Creek Ranch can accommodate some, but not all dietary restrictions. Please detail your needs in registration, and a staff from Cedar Creek Ranch will reach out to you to inquire further.
Is there cell service or wifi available at Cedar Creek Ranch?
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Cell service can be spotty at Cedar Creek Ranch depending on your cell provider. Wifi is available on the campus.
Can I camp at Cedar Creek Ranch instead of staying in the bunkhouse?
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Car camping or tent camping are both acceptable at Cedar Creek Ranch. We have designated areas for tents on our campus.
When will I have access to the pre-course materials?
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Eight weeks before your course begins, we’ll send you an email with a link to enroll in Moodle and access your course materials. Waiting until the 8-week mark allows WMA to make updates to Moodle, so you can work with the most recent iteration.
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If you enroll later than 8 weeks prior to the start of the course, you will have access to materials as soon as you complete registration.
I’m having trouble with the moodle platform. How can I get assistance?
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Check out WMA’s Moodle How-To and make sure you’ve completed each step properly. If you're still experiencing issues, reach out to us. If we can’t help, we will put you in touch with WMA who run the Moodle platform and they can help!
I have a question about something that was not addressed here.
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Please feel free to reach out to us at Cedar Creek Ranch with any additional questions, concerns, or challenges as they relate to our WFR or WFR Recertification courses, and we will help you however we can!
Get in Touch
Coulee Connections LLC
99 Milwaukee St
La Crosse WI, 54603
Andy McNab
Program Coordinator
