Donny Dust is a wilderness self-reliance educator, primitive skills specialist, and U.S. Marine Corps veteran known for bringing ancient technologies to life with modern clarity and grit. As the founder of Paleo Tracks Survival in Colorado, Donny has spent years teaching students how to thrive with less—building shelter, making fire, crafting tools, and reading the landscape the way our ancestors did. His work centers on practical competence and deep respect for traditional skills, proving that “primitive” isn’t a lack of ability—it’s a higher level of understanding.

Donny’s expertise gained national attention through television, including History Channel’s Alone, where his time in the Arctic tested every ounce of preparation and resilience, as well as USA Network’s Mud, Sweat & Beards, where he puts ingenuity and wilderness problem-solving on full display. Beyond the screen, he teaches hands-on courses and one-on-one instruction, consults for TV and film, and creates specialty tools inspired by ancient design—bridging the gap between stone-age function and real-world reliability.

At the heart of Donny’s teaching is a passion for self-reliance that goes beyond gear lists and quick fixes. He emphasizes systems over shortcuts—how to think through scarcity, work with natural materials, and build skills that remain dependable when conditions turn harsh. Whether shaping stone, carving wood, or demonstrating the fundamentals of shelter and fire, Donny reminds students that the most powerful tool in the wilderness is knowledge—earned through practice, curiosity, and the willingness to live closer to the truth of the land.

Donny’s legacy is the revival of timeless capability. He challenges people to step outside convenience and rediscover the confidence that comes from doing things the hard way—on purpose. Through instruction, storytelling, and field-tested experience, he continues to inspire others to reconnect with their primal roots, cultivate resilience, and carry forward the skills that kept humanity alive long before modern comfort existed.