Mountain Scout Survival School: Be Prepared to Handle Everything from Wilderness Survival to Urban Emergencies

Hobel’s Native American heritage has greatly influenced him. What most people view as ‘‘survival skills’’ are simply ancestral skills in his eyes. Samira Bouaou

When disaster strikes, Shane Hobel is the guy you want by your side—or better yet, the guy you want to have taught you how to deal with it.

A former stuntman, bouncer, and motorcycle instructor, Hobel has carved out an interesting route to running Mountain Scout Survival School in upstate New York. Two influences have shaped him since an early age: nature and martial arts. His reverence for nature was instilled by his family and Native American heritage, as well as many elders along the way. He also holds a fifth-degree black belt in traditional Okinawan karate.