Meet Neal Ritter | Primitive Skills Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Neal Ritter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Neal, how do you think about risk?
My motto is often : “Leap, then look”. I have always chosen adventure first, looking for my own path to follow. Over the years, that has led to amazing experiences, and also required some tough lessons as well. I usually make decisions that guide me towards the creative outcome. This started out right in the beginning when we decided to start the Laughing Coyote Project 15 years ago. We started our first group with five students. It took us years before we were financially stable, but that first leap started this journey.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Unlike many people, I had no skills in my field when I started teaching. My wife and I deeply believed in the power of getting kids in nature, so that is what we did. In response to their questions, and their desire to learn skills, we began to travel and study. It took several years before I stumbled upon the world of primitive skills, and then I dove in head first. I can make fire by rubbing sticks together, tan deer skins, and identify deer mouse tracks. Our unique flair, however, comes from a blend of humor, irreverence, extreme focus, and high-octane games of Capture the Flag. We can focus deep on the skills of our ancestors, reveling in the connection it provides to our roots, each other and the landscape, then go full bore in wild, leaping, shrieking shenanigans, playing and singing in the fullest expression of exuberance.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love natural areas. We have a few of our favorite spots in the mountains, to go foraging for wild foods. Our favorite are porcini during mushroom season, and finding wild thimbleberries and serviceberries. Up near Nederland and over in Steamboat are some of our key zones.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My partner in crime, my wife Gelsomina, has been my companion in this journey. This incredible, wild, full life has been a co-creation. We had two early mentors and supporters, Claudia and John. They provided the space and believed in this dream from the beginning. Without them, Laughing Coyote Project would still just be a beautiful idea.

Website: www.laughingcoyoteproject.org

Instagram: @laughingcoyoteproject, @firewillowfarm

Youtube: @laughingcoyoteproject