SPRING 2010
- Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants - Saturday, March 20, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Lost Dutchman State Park, north of Apache Junction - $78
Just a few spots left! - Wilderness Survival - Thursday-Sunday, March 25-28, Reevis Mountain School - $238
- Nature Retreat at Reevis Mountain School - Friday-Sunday, April 9-11, Reevis Mountain School - $178
- Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants - Saturday, April 17, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Catalina State Park, Tucson - $85
- Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants - Friday-Sunday, April 23-25, Reevis Mountain School - $178
- Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants - Saturday, May 1, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Catalina State Park, Tucson - $85
- Homestead Living - Thursday-Sunday, May 13-16, Reevis Mountain School - $238
- Stone Masonry - Monday-Saturday, June 7-12, Reevis Mountain School - $143
Please see below for class/event descriptions and registration information.
Classes and Events
Oriental AcupressureClass held at Reevis Mountain School A doctor may not be available when you need one - now you can learn to take care of yourself! Oriental Acupressure is a simple and profoundly effective healing art founded on the understanding of the human body as animated by life force energy that constantly flows through meridians in and around the body. Most illness is caused by a restriction in the free flow of life force. Oriental Acupressure is an art designed to reestablish that free flow and return us to our natural state of being: painless, joyous, and loving. You will learn the philosophy of Oriental Acupressure, the meridians and pulse points, diagnosis through reading the pulses, techniques of touch healing, and first aid with OA. Includes Bigfoot's Book of Ancient Natural Remedies, which provides treatment flows and a diagram of the pulse points. Three days. 
Homestead LivingClass held at Reevis Mountain School New class! Learn how we live on RMS's off-the-grid homestead in the Superstition Wilderness. We will cover the farm's solar power and water systems; how we stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer; how we garden and care for our orchard; care and processing of livestock; the role of hunting and fishing; how we dress for comfort and protection; how we manage waste and garbage; nutrition and cooking, including use of a solar oven; maintenance and repair of buildings, systems, equipment, and tools; selection and use of tools; and self-care and healing modalities, as well as attitudes that are important for survival and happiness in the wilderness--or anywhere. Three days. Wilderness SurvivalClass held at Reevis Mountain School This is a comprehensive desert skills course. Experience life on a working homestead in the mountains of the Superstition Wilderness while acquiring wilderness skills and nature awareness in a desert environment. Skills covered: bow and drill fire making; knife sharpening; all-natural emergency first aid including wilderness healing of venomous bites and stings; rope and string made of natural fibers; and so much more. Meet new friends, eat home-grown food, enjoy evening campfires - a unique, life-enriching experience. Maximum 14 students. Three days. For this class, shuttle pickup first day is at 3 p.m. Stone MasonryClass held at Reevis Mountain School Hands-on experience in the art and skill of stone wall construction: selecting native stones, mixing concrete, placing stones, esthetic and structural considerations, choice of tools and materials. Bring work gloves and work clothes. Help build something that will virtually last forever and never need paint. Five days. For this class, shuttle pickup first day is at 10 a.m. |
Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful PlantsClasses held at Lost Dutchman State Park, Catalina State Park (Tucson), and Reevis Mountain School Our Sonoran desert plants, bushes, and trees harbor many secret treasures, from healthy nourishment to remedies for illness, injury, and venomous bites and stings. We make it easy and fun to learn - and, of course, you'll get Bigfoot himself answering your questions, and his fascinating stories of healing and survival. You will receive a personal plant study book that contains information on more than 150 medicinal and edible wild plants (a $20 value!) plus room to add actual samples that are gathered during the day. Bigfoot's handcrafted herbal remedies will be available after the class. 
Nature Retreat at Reevis Mountain SchoolEnjoy two full days and nights in RMS's magical wilderness sanctuary - a place of inspiration and peace, a space to experience inner tranquility. Includes lodging in a cabin or yurpee (as available); a one-hour herb walk and one-hour natural healing lesson with Peter Bigfoot; healthful and hearty organic meals from our garden; informal nutritional counseling; and ample time for relaxation or hiking in nature's beauty. Option for meditation class with Peter Bigfoot: Learn and practice several meditation techniques on your journey to finding inner peace and a tranquil mind. Learn to manifest what you want to have and what you want to become. Peter Bigfoot has been practicing meditation for over thirty-five years and will share his experience with you. Herbal Pharmacology (not offered in Spring 2010)Class held at Reevis Mountain School Peter Bigfoot has been making herbal remedies for over twenty-five years. In this class he teaches how to gather, dry, process, and store herbs; methods of preparation (tea, decoction, fomentation, poultice, salve, tincture, and more), and the properties of medicinal and culinary herbs. Two days. Celebrate Thanksgiving at ReevisYou're invited to join us for Thanksgiving dinner and a day in RMS's magical wilderness sanctuary. We'll serve turkey raised here, side dishes from our organic garden, homemade whole-grain bread, and fresh pies. Relax in our beautiful valley or hike through the surrounding mountains, then gather for the meal at 2 p.m. Overnight option for camping ($10), cabin ($35), or yurpy ($20) includes breakfast. Complimentary shuttle from Roosevelt (leaves 10 a.m.). |
Class Information
Classes held at Reevis Mountain School include: meals (arrival night meals are a potluck party - bring a healthful, natural dish to share!), class supplies, hot showers, and campsite. Camping is free, or stay in a shared yurpee ($10 per night) or a single cabin ($25 per night) or double cabin ($50 per night). Yurpees and cabins have beds and pillows; bring your own sheets and blankets or sleeping bag.
Complimentary shuttle service from Roosevelt, 10 miles one way - or caravan in your own 4X4. Shuttle pickup is at 4 p.m., first day of class (note exceptions in class listings above), at M&S Marine, Hwy. 188, Roosevelt (between milepost 233 and 234).
Registration
Early Registration: 10% discount if you register with full payment 30 days prior to class date.
To Register: Click on the link below to register online. Or, snail mail your name, phone number, postal and email address, and a 50% deposit to the address below.
When you register, please indicate whether you will need shuttle service from Roosevelt and/or wish to rent a yurpee or cabin instead of camping. The full balance is due prior to class.
Mail registrations to: RMS 7448 S. J-B Ranch Rd., Roosevelt, AZ 85545
Staff and Instructors
Peter Bigfoot's path of herbal wisdom began in the New Jersey woods in 1948. Discovering a sassafras root with its vibrant scent of old-fashioned root beer was quite tantalizing to a seven year old boy! Peter is perhaps best known for his much-publicized 1975 trek across the Sonoran Desert. Walking 85 miles in 15 days, he took along no food or water, relying strictly on what could be found and foraged along the way. Grueling heat and the constant threat of dehydration were a true test of his wilderness survival wisdom. This transformational experience inspired Peter to found Reevis Mountain School of Self-Reliance within Arizona's Superstition Wilderness. There is no other school like it in the world! Here, students experience Peter's uniquely loving blend of spiritual awareness, botanical knowledge, natural healing techniques and outdoor survival skills.
Patricia Sanders, Peter's wife, manages the business office, fills your orders, responds to the many emails and takes care of numerous other daily tasks. She grew up in Georgia and has lived in Arizona for nine years. She has bachelor's degrees in English literature and math from ASU in Tempe and an MFA in creative writing from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC.
Please note ...
Visits and lodging are by confirmed appointment or reservation only. Please e-mail for availability.
Accommodation
Available accommodations include a large creekside campsite, two single-bed cabins, two double cabins (queen or double bed), and several dorm-style yurpees. All structures have off-the-floor beds, some carpeting, small furniture and a heat source. Register early to get your pick. Please bring your own bed linens or sleeping bag.
What to Bring
For one-day classes, please bring a quart-size water bottle, hat for protection from the sun, sunglasses, and a picnic lunch. Bigfoot's herbal remedies will be available for purchase, so please bring cash or your checkbook if you are interested. Please wear long pants and shoes that cover your feet, as we may be walking through brush.
For classes at Reevis Mountain School, please bring:
Water bottle
Flashlight or headlamp
Sunglasses
Hat for protection from the sun
Bath towel
Day pack
Personal articles
A desire for sharing and rejuvenation
What to leave at home
Drugs, alcohol, firearms, smoking materials, electronic equipment, pets, junk food, and sour attitudes.
What to expect
Small class sizes, rustic but comfortable surroundings, fellow students who wish to acquire self-reliance skills in a mutually supportive setting. Instruction is highly personalized.
Meals
Meals are home-made, and clean-up after meals is often shared by students and staff. We serve two full, hearty meals each day, consisting largely of produce from the Reevis garden and orchard, along with meats raised at Reevis or hunted in the wild. All foods are organic, whenever possible.
Facilities
On the RMS grounds you will find a community house (including a full kitchen, library, healing room, and "the porch" - a large screened-in room suitable for meetings and classes of up to 20); a stone solar-heated shower house; greenhouse; solar power house; organic vegetable garden; orchard; vineyard; and several poultry sheds and coops. Lodgings include a large creekside campsite, two single cabins, two double cabins, a teepee, and seven yurpees (yurt + teepee combination) of various sizes. We receive irrigation water from two springs, a well, and the perennial creek that runs through the farm. Reevis's drinking water is gravity-fed spring water filtered through silver-impregnated charcoal.
Services
Meditation lessons, nutritional counseling, jin shin touch healing treatments, and Reconnective Healing facilitations may be available to visitors and students.
Location
RMS is located within the Tonto National Forest, at the edge of the Superstition Wilderness. Nearby, hikers will find Indian ruins and beautiful desert scenery. Attractions in the area include cliff dwellings at the Tonto National Monument, and Theodore Roosevelt Lake and Dam. Our nearest neighbor is a cattle ranch six miles away, and the nearest conveniences are in Roosevelt, 10 miles away. Globe/Miami, about 35 miles (1 hour travel time) away, offers groceries, a hospital, a movie theater, a library, and a coffee shop offering free wifi.
Staff
Peter Bigfoot and Patricia Sanders
Getting Here
RMS is a two- to three-hour drive by car from Phoenix. Road conditions to the RMS sanctuary are quite variable and subject to change with the weather. Flooding is common after heavy rains. Typically, the access road is bladed once per year, courtesy of the Forest Service. Please check with us to find out road conditions if you wish to drive your own vehicle in. Four wheel drive is usually recommended, but, on occasion, two wheel drive with extra ground clearance, weight in the rear of the vehicle, and steady nerves will do. Please email us for driving directions. Shuttle service is available for a fee by prior arrangement.