Meet Robert Silas

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

Hi Robert, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
First, let’s clarify that what I offer to the community is a Service, not necessarily a Business. I have had a deep interest in primitive cultures from a very young age. This interest drove me to train and experience many of the skills that are necessary to wilderness survival, and has blossomed more recently into enjoying more of the culinary experiences available with wild foods. I was experimenting with primitive shelters and friction fire before the first TV series on the subject was ever available to the mass public. Nowadays, it’s common for people to talk about Survivor Man, Naked and Afraid, Alone, etc., yet they have no outlet to get them off the couch and into the wild. I decided to offer my time to those interested in learning more about their natural surroundings so they can at least have a safe place to start.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Sure. As I stated before, I offer my time as a Service to the community. I get so excited watching people learn new skills or identify new plants. I had to learn the hard way through trial and error. I’ve experienced many freezing nights in poorly designed shelters, have spent hours trying to make a fire with no modern materials, and tasted many unpalatable plants. With this experience, I am able to offer a much better learning experience to those who have an interest in the outdoors and survival, but don’t know where to start. Being able to get people off the couch and into the woods, out of the theoretical and into the practical, is something I feel I do well. I’m also not the stereotypical “survival” guy that only wears camouflage and has a terrific beard. I honestly can’t grow a beard lol. I live in two worlds very easily. A typical survival adventure usually starts at my favorite local brunch place in Travelers Rest with crepes and a latte. It’s kind of a posh way to start a survival experience, one might say. Each hike is loaded with plant knowledge and skills. If it’s an overnight adventure, most of the discussion and learning is focused on body heat retention and moderation, as this is the most critical aspect to prevent hypothermia-related concerns. In short, my aim is to offer a safe way for those with an interest in these subjects to get outside and not be forever bound to the TV or internet for their adventure experiences.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First, we would plan a great backpacking trip and I’d likely choose Panthertown Valley near Cashiers, NC. The day would start at Tandem Creperie and we’d hit the trailhead around noon, spending the next few days slowly observing the area with no rush. Back in town, we’d visit Conestee Preserve for a short day hike, and make a lunch stop at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Sabroso. Practicing urban survival, we’d head downtown for an evening of great burgers at Windy City, then follow up with ice cream near Falls Park at Spill the Beans.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This is great, and so important to recognize those who aided my own personal journey. For starters, my wife Diep has been exceptionally amenable to all of my strange hobbies for the past 24 years, but as far as mentorship and recognition, I owe a huge shoutout to my original wilderness survival buddy, Andrew Herrington. Andrew is the owner of Big Pig Outdoors in the Great Smoky Mountains, and also the Team Leader and original founder of BUSAR, an all-hazards backcountry search and rescue organization that supports the GSMNP and surrounding areas. Wherever I had an interest, he had experience. Wherever I had experience, he was an expert.

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