Jack Mountain Bushcraft & Guide Service, based in Wolfeboro Falls, New Hampshire -- known for providing the most comprehensive traditional wilderness living and travel courses available -- has just announced its partnership with Western State College of Gunnison, Colorado, offering college credit for participants of Jack Mountain's Earth Skills Semester, Summer and Winter Programs.

Through the agreement, students will receive 12 credits for the 10-week semester program and 5 credits for the three week winter program.

"While some of our past semester students have received college credit for their studies, this new partnership will greatly simplify the process. I'm excited about it," said Tim Smith, founder and owner of Jack Mountain. "It makes our programs available to a wider audience, specifically to those students who are interested in bushcraft and traditional outdoor skills but would end up taking a semester course through one of the large, national outfits because they offered college credit. The playing field has been leveled."

This fall will mark the tenth semester program Jack Mountain has run since its founding in 1999.

"When we started our semester program there was no template to go by - we were creating the genre of course as we went. This will take that one step further by making it easy for our students to get credit for their studies."

In addition to providing credit for Jack Mountain's students, Smith sees this as an opportunity to blaze the trail for other traditional outdoor skills programs to set up college credit options. "People are looking for this type of experiential, visceral connection with the land. There will be other programs. Hopefully we're able to help other programs by opening doors and paving the way."