NOLS 2015 Summer Catalog

THE LEADER IN WILDERNESS EDUCATION

2COMMUNICATION NETWORKING WILDERNESS

MEDICINE SKILLSCERTIFICATION

COURSE FEATURESAT NOLS COOKING SHORTER COURSESORGANIZATIONLEADERSHIPACADEMIC CREDIT CULTURE PROFESSIONAL

MARKETABILITYLIGHTER PACK

OPTIONS

COURSE TYPES OVERVIEW

Extended backcountry expeditionsNo organization offers expeditions that are longer or more remote than NOLS. Earn transferable leadership skills and outdoor expertise on a month-long expedition in the wilderness. A NOLS diploma will make you stand out in any crowd of applicants, and your NOLS education will give you a head start in college or your career.

Designed for 14- and 15-year-old students NOLS Adventure courses are designed for 14- and 15-year-old students. For two weeks to a month, you’ll be learning and having fun with students your own age, building relationships that will last a lifetime. Like all NOLS courses, Adventure courses are real wilderness expeditions taught by professional outdoor educators.

Where the outdoor semester was born The oldest and largest provider of outdoor semesters, NOLS offers the best options for your gap year or off-campus semester needs. Our semesters are divided into sections, which run from two weeks to a month and are as varied as your interests. You’ll graduate with a range of valuable outdoor and leadership skills, as well as cultural insight, and the NOLS diploma will give you a head start in professional marketability.

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JEN SALL

JArEd STEiNmAN

ZENO WickS

2COMMUNICATION NETWORKING WILDERNESS

MEDICINE SKILLSCERTIFICATION

COURSE FEATURESAT NOLS COOKING SHORTER COURSESORGANIZATIONLEADERSHIPACADEMIC CREDIT CULTURE PROFESSIONAL

MARKETABILITYLIGHTER PACK

OPTIONS

Advance your career in outdoor education recognizing our role as the teacher of teachers, NOLS offered our first course specifi-cally for outdoor educators more than three decades ago, and the school is still the worldwide leader in this field. You’ll learn from the best educators in the industry alongside motivated professionals like yourself to build your resumé and professional marketability. Graduate level credit and certification opportunities are available.

Designed for students 23 years old and over You’re in the prime of your life, and these courses are designed to meet your needs. NOLS does all the planning so you can enjoy the expedition and gain new skills without the work up front. Short course offerings fit your busy schedule, and lighter pack weight options are available. return to the frontcountry with improved leadership skills, new contacts from all over the world, and a refreshed sense of direction.

pg. 39

JArEd STEiNmAN

BrAd chriSTENSEN

NOLS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational institution, operates under permit and in partnership with the USdA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state organizations, and international land management agencies. See a complete list of our operating areas online at: www.nols.edu/operatingareas. cover Photo: Elliot Johnston, Alaska.

pg. 47

Custom courses for schools, agencies, corporations, and other groups

We offer innovative, customized NOLS courses for organizations, focusing on any aspect of the NOLS core curriculum—leadership, technical skills, risk management, or environ-mental studies. Add your organization to a client list that includes NASA, the U.S. Naval Academy, Google, the Wharton School, the Archer School for Girls, and many others. Learn more at www.nols.edu/nolspro.

crAiG mUdErLAk

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NOLS: LEADING THE WAY

JUDGMENT & DECISION-MAKING

Demonstrate situationally appropriate decision making and use your experience to develop good judgment.

VISION & ACTIONSee the possibility in any situation

and find creative ways to move your team toward it. Take initiative

and motivate others.

TOLERANCE FOR ADVERSITY & UNCERTAINTY

Learn to endure–even enjoy–hard work and challenge, and adapt to changes and

challenges with focus and a sense of humor.

SELF-AWARENESSKnow your strengths and

weaknesses, your leadership style, and how you influence

or affect others.

EXPEDITION BEHAVIORBe a strong team member by keeping yourself and others

motivated and exercising good conflict resolution.

COMMUNICATIONBe a clear communicator, an

understanding and invested listener,and give and receive

feedback well.

COMPETENCEPossess and use knowledge, skills, and technical ability, as

well as organization and management.

With NOLS, you can UNPLUG and begin a new ADVENTURE.

Our MISSION is to be the LEADING source and teacher of WILDERNESS SKILLS and LEADERSHIP that serve people and the environment.

NOLS’ mission is fueled by the belief that POSITIVE, ETHICAL LEADERS CHANGE THE WORLD.

On your path to changing the world, you can

TRAVEL the planet with NOLS, immersing yourself

in awe-inspiring WILDERNESS and

diverse CULTURES.

Develop sound judgment and decision-making, situational awareness, RISK MANAGE-MENT, and FIRST AID skills.

Our curriculum is delivered by the most EXPERIENCED, well-rounded, and HIGHLY TRAINED instructional staff in outdoor education.

The average ratio of students to world-class instructors is 5:1 on expedition courses, providing you with the PERSONAL INSTRUCTION you need to be successful.

NOLS is centrally administered with staffing, admission, and CURRICULUM development done at NOLS Headquarters in Lander, Wyoming, while NOLS staff on the ground locally provide intimate knowledge of the area and CULTURE. You can count on NOLS to provide a reliably HIGH-QUALITY experience wherever in the world you pursue your course.

When you graduate, you’ll have the experience and background necessary to LEAD OTHERS competently and responsibly in the backcountry.

No matter your path, you’ll carry the NOLS DIPLOMA, the recognized certification awarded to outstanding

leaders and outdoors people and admired by employers, coaches, and teachers.

We welcomed more than 20,000 students from 49 states and 45 countries into the NOLS community just last year. We're excited to welcome our grads when they return for more courses, alumni trips, or

CAREERS in OUTDOOR EDUCATION.

A NOLS education cements leadership, interpersonal, and LIFE SKILLS that TRANSFER to school, career, and relationships for the rest of your life.

START HERE...

LEADERSHIP • • SKILLS ADVENTURE • FUN

Living in nature teaches responsibility.

5

Learning should be fun.

People thrivewhen challenged.

Positive, ethical leaders change

the world.

Leadership can be learned.

At NOLS, we believe that LEADERSHIP can be learned. Your NOLS instructors facilitate the development of key leadership skills with experience and feedback as you progress through the NOLS leadership curriculum. We give you the tools to be a leader that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life.

Learn leadership, technical OUTDOOR SKILLS, and ENVIRON-MENTAL STUDIES through NOLS' unrivaled curriculum informed by 50 years of development and dedicated research.

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JOIN NOLS. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu

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NOLS: LEADING THE WAY

JUDGMENT & DECISION-MAKING

Demonstrate situationally appropriate decision making and use your experience to develop good judgment.

VISION & ACTIONSee the possibility in any situation

and find creative ways to move your team toward it. Take initiative

and motivate others.

TOLERANCE FOR ADVERSITY & UNCERTAINTY

Learn to endure–even enjoy–hard work and challenge, and adapt to changes and

challenges with focus and a sense of humor.

SELF-AWARENESSKnow your strengths and

weaknesses, your leadership style, and how you influence

or affect others.

EXPEDITION BEHAVIORBe a strong team member by keeping yourself and others

motivated and exercising good conflict resolution.

COMMUNICATIONBe a clear communicator, an

understanding and invested listener,and give and receive

feedback well.

COMPETENCEPossess and use knowledge, skills, and technical ability, as

well as organization and management.

With NOLS, you can UNPLUG and begin a new ADVENTURE.

Our MISSION is to be the LEADING source and teacher of WILDERNESS SKILLS and LEADERSHIP that serve people and the environment.

NOLS’ mission is fueled by the belief that POSITIVE, ETHICAL LEADERS CHANGE THE WORLD.

On your path to changing the world, you can

TRAVEL the planet with NOLS, immersing yourself

in awe-inspiring WILDERNESS and

diverse CULTURES.

Develop sound judgment and decision-making, situational awareness, RISK MANAGE-MENT, and FIRST AID skills.

Our curriculum is delivered by the most EXPERIENCED, well-rounded, and HIGHLY TRAINED instructional staff in outdoor education.

The average ratio of students to world-class instructors is 5:1 on expedition courses, providing you with the PERSONAL INSTRUCTION you need to be successful.

NOLS is centrally administered with staffing, admission, and CURRICULUM development done at NOLS Headquarters in Lander, Wyoming, while NOLS staff on the ground locally provide intimate knowledge of the area and CULTURE. You can count on NOLS to provide a reliably HIGH-QUALITY experience wherever in the world you pursue your course.

When you graduate, you’ll have the experience and background necessary to LEAD OTHERS competently and responsibly in the backcountry.

No matter your path, you’ll carry the NOLS DIPLOMA, the recognized certification awarded to outstanding

leaders and outdoors people and admired by employers, coaches, and teachers.

We welcomed more than 20,000 students from 49 states and 45 countries into the NOLS community just last year. We're excited to welcome our grads when they return for more courses, alumni trips, or

CAREERS in OUTDOOR EDUCATION.

A NOLS education cements leadership, interpersonal, and LIFE SKILLS that TRANSFER to school, career, and relationships for the rest of your life.

START HERE...

LEADERSHIP • • SKILLS ADVENTURE • FUN

Living in nature teaches responsibility.

5

Learning should be fun.

People thrivewhen challenged.

Positive, ethical leaders change

the world.

Leadership can be learned.

At NOLS, we believe that LEADERSHIP can be learned. Your NOLS instructors facilitate the development of key leadership skills with experience and feedback as you progress through the NOLS leadership curriculum. We give you the tools to be a leader that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life.

Learn leadership, technical OUTDOOR SKILLS, and ENVIRON-MENTAL STUDIES through NOLS' unrivaled curriculum informed by 50 years of development and dedicated research.

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5

At NOLS, we believe positive, ethical leaders change the world. For 50 years now, a NOLS education has been an unrivaled means of equipping leaders to have a powerful impact. my NOLS course changed my life in my last semes-ter of college. The experience shifted my views on educa-tion and the world. it set the course for a life dedicated to nonprofits, education, youth, leadership, and wilderness. i returned to NOLS in this capacity because it is the best

place for me to pursue my passions. i also believe it is the best place for students of all ages to find their callings, learn potent leadership skills, and see the world and all its wonders from a new perspective. With a NOLS diploma, students set forth with direction, interpersonal and self leadership skills, and confidence that will translate to success in future pursuits. my daughter just started her junior year at middlebury college. She has two NOLS courses under her belt, and as a result she has thrived living on her own and in traditional educational settings since graduating from high school. NOLS attracts motivated students who are interested in learning leadership and in stepping out of their comfort zones and growing. A NOLS course is an incredible educational opportunity to foster those leadership skills. We cultivate leadership and technical skills alike as our students graduate from followers to increasing levels of leadership throughout the course. As our world-class instructors place more responsibility on students, the students develop leader-ship organically, which is then cemented by daily reflection, analysis, and class-es. By the end of each course, NOLS students are in charge of everything from setting routes to supervising mock medical emergency responses and managing group dynamics. There’s no knowing where those skills will take them. i am continually impressed by all that our grads accomplish, but i am never surprised.

NOLS LEADERS CHANGE THE WORLD

BEN FOx

ESTEBAN BArrErA

rAiNBOW WEiNSTOck

John Gans, NOLS Executive Director

NOLS is committed to building a diverse community that is inclusive of people from all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status.

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We know your child has an overwhelming number of options for summer activities and that a NOLS course can be a significant time commitment. We also know that a summer NOLS course will exceed both your expectations and your child’s. NOLS IS EDUCATIONAL. NOLS is a school, not a travel company or a summer camp, and we are well equipped to prepare students for higher education or amplify their current educational pursuits. All NOLS courses are approved for academic credit in sub-jects ranging from biology to cultural studies and medical certifications. A NOLS diploma is a credential colleges and employers value. NOLS IS PHYSICAL. A NOLS course will not only set your child up to stand out in a pile of college or job applications, it will also set him or her up for success on the playing field. in addition to leadership skills that will elevate your kid on a team, the physical training of carrying one’s whole life in a backpack up mountains or in a kayak along an ocean shore will condition your child for a life of healthy recreation. NOLS BROADENS HORIZONS. Your child will get to know a part of the world on

an intimate level, gaining invaluable cultural, historical, and environmental understand-ing. Your child will travel and learn with a group of diverse strangers, learn to get along and work with them, and come to share deep friendships with them. Furthermore, your child will get to know him or herself better. many students find their calling during their NOLS experience, be it marine biology, business management, or something in between. NOLS TEACHES LIFE SKILLS. From efficiency in camp and organization in your pack to self care and communication, living in the backcountry carries many metaphors for life. NOLS IS ACCESSIBLE. Financial aid is available to all students. Each year, NOLS provides $1.5 million in scholarships, and even more support is available through Ameri-corps and federal financial aid. You or your child can fill out the application with our easy online platform or on the phone with a knowledgeable admission officer. NOLS is an incredible summer opportunity for your student. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions about the summer break that will change your child’s life.

A MESSAGE FOR PARENTS

BEccA PArkiNSON


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Designed for 14- and 15-year-old students

Summer

NOLS Adventure courses are designed specifically for 14- and 15-year-old students. For two weeks to a month, you’ll be with students your own age, building relationships that will last a lifetime. You’ll also build new skills, from backcountry cooking to leadership, which you will use for the rest of your life. NOLS Adventure courses are entirely field-based; you’ll only be looking through a windshield on the first and last day of your course.

The same outstanding, highly trained professional outdoor educators that lead every NOLS course teach Adventure courses, and pack weights are even lower. You will graduate from student to active leader over the course of your education with NOLS, and you will leave a competent, confident leader equipped to excel throughout high school and beyond.

JeN SALL

APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu


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ApArNA rAJAgOpAL-DurbiN

beN FOx 8Nick crOSS

MeriweTher hArDie

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Adirondack Backpacking AdventureDesigned for young teens with a sense of adventure, this course takes you to the premier wilderness destination of the northeastern United States. Sparkling lakes, tannin-colored ponds, and rivers large and small punctuate this landscape. You will challenge yourself, gain trust and support from your coursemates, and develop new leader-ship skills that will transfer to your everyday life. in short, you will work hard, have fun, and bring home unforgettable stories and memories for a lifetime.

• 14 days • Optional high school credit: 0.5 unit • 14 + 15 only • $3,425

Adirondack Backpacking and Canoeing AdventureThis 21-day course is designed to take young teens on an inspiring adventure. Traveling by canoe and foot allows you to experience the full essence of this expansive wilderness. You will paddle through the pristine canoe wilderness of the Adirondacks; explore lakes, ponds, and rivers; fish for trout; and wake to the call of loons. in this idyllic wilderness, you will learn paddling strokes, rescue techniques, and portaging methods. You’ll link together a network of recreational waterways that will lead you to the high peaks region where you will discover high alpine zones on rocky summits and overcome chal-lenges alongside friends.

• 21 days • Optional high school credit: 1 unit • 14 + 15 only • $4,600

phiLip brANcA

rick bieTerMAN

Nick STOrM

Nick crOSS

Idaho Backpacking AdventureThe mountains of northern Idaho are unlike any classroom you’ve ever experienced with their fresh air and fresh opportunities. You’ll develop skills—backpacking, cooking, camping, and naviga-tion with a map—and you’ll also learn things like how to turn challenging situations into opportunities, how to get along with your group, and how to be a leader even when you’re following.

• 14 days • Optional high school credit: 0.5 unit • 14 + 15 only • $3,425 • This course is also offered in a female- only format.

Salmon Backpacking and Rafting AdventureThis course is an opportunity to traverse a little-known section of the Rocky Mountains near the Idaho-Montana border and raft the Main Salmon River, all in one action-packed month. You’ll learn how to make decisions, develop confidence, and work through challenges with your coursemates (we call this expedition behavior). Overall, you’ll work hard, have fun, and return home with leadership skills to last a lifetime.


Salmon River AdventureThis two-week course will explore the Main Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. You will navigate the Salmon’s whitewater in paddle rafts, oar rigs, and kayaks, learning strokes, commands, guiding basics, and advanced maneuvering, as well as leadership skills like communica-tion and self-awareness. The course will coincide with low water, making it ideal for new boaters.

• 14 days • Optional high school credit: 1.5 units • 14 + 15 only • $3,500

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Pacific Northwest Backpacking AdventureLearn backcountry skills while exploring the Pacific Northwest’s lush old-growth rain forests and high alpine meadows below stunning snow capped peaks. This adventure will challenge you physically while building your leadership abili-ties. For two weeks you will backpack through the wilderness, exploring the natural world while learning fundamental outdoor skills. You’ll return home having made lifelong friends along with leadership skills to help you succeed at school or whatever else you put your mind to.


Wyoming Backpacking AdventureGain independence and take responsibility for yourself and others while having fun, learning about the outdoors, rock climbing, fly-fishing, exploring the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, and achieving goals you never thought possible. graduate with the skills to enjoy outdoor activities on your own and the leadership qualities to succeed in the classroom, on the playing field, or anywhere you want to excel.

• 21 or 30 days • Optional high school credit: up to 1.5 units • 14 + 15 only • $4,220 (21 days) or $5,480 (30 days)

beNJAMiN LeSTer

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i left my first NOLS course, a wyoming backpacking Adventure, knowing the month-long expedition would alter my life, but the reach of that month far surpassed what i imagined. Years after, i find myself revisiting those vivid memories: in math class, i drift back to the triumphant elation at the top of cloud peak after conquering an impossibly narrow and snow-draped saddle between thousand-foot drops. On hard hikes, i float back to the grueling mountains, reaching high into blue and black skies, that i successfully dragged myself over. The memories i hoard from those 30 days helped me through the most trying times of the past years. So i’ve decided to go back for triple the experience in a new hemisphere. My education since my NOLS course seems to flop uselessly around in dried-up classrooms. Though i might as well have a master’s degree in bubble filling, i constantly feel a huge void grow in my education as semesters pass. My wild, beautiful, and crazy adventurous side shrivels, imprisoned in cinder blocks. by my junior year of high school, i knew that i could no longer disregard this gap. i desperately began to search for a way to fill in a hole left by standardized education. i realized once again that NOLS offers me what no one else can: a way to reach that freedom while presenting a pertinent and tangible education, a way to jump into my passion of travel and outdoors in a way i could never do alone. My NOLS Spring Semester in india will nurture my wanderlust by not just enabling me to lose myself in another country but also giving me the skills to explore and travel independently for the rest of my life. NOLS provides an escape from the closed mind of public education into an unending world of possibilities, an escape that i desperately need. Despite the daunting amount on my plate–the task of graduating early from high school and considering my frighteningly blank future–i could not be more excited to take on this opportunity. This india expedition will burst with countless challenges, copious growth, and unforgettable memories. it is an opportunity of a lifetime that will shape my life. The trip will uncover the path to find my calling and write my future. i cannot wait to be folded into the himalayas and let them teach me lessons i will never forget and surely come to live by.

kYLe DubA

I realized once again that NOLS offers me what no one else can.

LJ DAWSON / Wyoming Backpacking Adventure ‘12

ThOughTS FrOM The FieLD

Uncovering the Path to My Calling

JAreD STeiNMAN

igNAziO grez

JAreD STeiNMAN

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Extended backcountry expeditions

Summer

No organization offers expeditions that are longer or more remote than NOLS. gain leader-ship skills such as resilience, judgment, self-awareness, peer leadership, and more that will lead to your success in college, in extra-curricular pursuits, and in your career. A NOLS diploma is the leadership credential employers value, and academic credit is available on all NOLS courses. identifying and mitigating risk—skills transferable to all aspects of your life—are

important parts of any NOLS education. You’ll also gain the confidence of being prepared to assess and manage an emergency as you develop wilderness medicine skills that are both essential in the backcountry and invaluable in the frontcountry. Develop all these skills and more in some of the most awe-inspiring locations in the world, and carry them with you for success down the road. No classroom will rival the world’s most pristine and untrammeled wilderness.

JAreD STeiNMAN

LiNDSAY NOhL


beN FOx cASS cOLMAN

beNJAMiN LeSTer

TrAcY bAYNeS, STep

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Alaska BackpackingThis is a wilderness expedition in every sense: daylight at midnight, tracks of the seasonal caribou migration, and land that stretches into alpine tundra plains with a backdrop of rugged and heavily eroded mountains. You’ll become a seasoned wilderness traveler and leader, learning how to read a map, navigate off trail, stay warm and dry, and scan the horizon for wildlife.

• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 16 (16- and 17-year-old only option available) • $4,550

TrAcY bAYNeS, STep

MichAeL hOSkeN

TrAcY bAYNeS, STep

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Alaska Backpacking and Sea KayakingThis course will give you a chance to learn two wilderness travel skills. While kayaking, you’ll follow a route in Prince William Sound, learning how to handle your boat in differ-ent wind and tide conditions and keep a positive attitude after a long day of paddling. The mountains of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the Talkeetnas, the Kenai, or the Chugach will be your home for the backpacking section. The vistas are wide, the mountains rugged, and the lessons lifelong.

• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 16 • $5,330

Southeast Alaska Sea KayakingThere’s no better way to take in Alaska’s dramatic coastline than by gliding along the water. Your launch-ing point is in the heart of Alaska’s inside passage, a remote archipelago of forest and ocean. You’ll learn to plan routes and navigate them using nautical charts, as well as hone technical skills such as paddling and open-water crossings. You may be rewarded by catching salmon or seeing the humpback and orca whales that abound in the area.

• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 16 (16- and 17-year-old only option available) • $4,465

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ANDrew riLeY

MArTiN ArTeAgA

Brooks Range Backpacking and RiverThe Brooks Range is one of the wildest mountain ranges in North America. Stretching across the tundra north of the Arctic circle, this region is defined by wide river bottoms, steep mountain slopes, and expansive tundra. bush planes fly you to where you’ll spend 10 days on foot, moving across the tundra and up braided river channels. Then swap out backpacks for folding canoes for a three-week trip down the Noatak river out to the chukchi Sea and a native fishing village.


Alaska PackraftingPackrafting is at the forefront of Alaskan exploration, and NOLS is right there with it. This land- and water-based expedition uses packrafts—single-person inflatable rafts—to open up some of the world’s most remote country that would otherwise be inac-cessible to overland travel. with this equipment and the help of experienced instructor teams, you will navigate the rivers of the eastern Alaska range and the Talkeetna Mountains that would be obstacles on a traditional backpacking expedition.



STéphANe Terrier

STéphANe Terrier

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Alaska MountaineeringAlaska is a chain of rugged mountain ranges and spectacular glaciers converging to make a mountaineer’s dreamscape. within this region you’ll explore the coastal chugach, the interior Alaska range, or the vast wrangell-St. elias. The route for each course is season dependent: early season expeditions mostly stay above snow line to access terrain via snowfields, and later expeditions complete technical ice routes on glacier. both are ideal training for living and traveling responsibly and efficiently in challenging mountain terrain.


Denali Mountaineering (alumni only) Denali is the tallest peak in North America and the site for this course. This expedition is designed for qualified NOLS graduates and entails a summit attempt via the Muldrow glacier route on the north side of the mountain. Denali offers extremely challeng-ing glacier travel and some of the most extreme weather in the world, so this course is one of the most demanding NOLS offers, both physically and mentally.

• 34 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 18 (NOLS alumni only) • $8,400

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Waddington Range MountaineeringThis demanding expedition travels deep into British Columbia’s wild Coast Mountains for a month-long experience in glacier, snow, ice, and rock mountaineering skills. The waddington range contains some of the largest and most remote glaciers in North America, making this an excellent classroom to learn alpine mountaineering in an international setting. The waddington area boasts some of the highest peaks on the coast, and you will attempt at least one summit as you traverse these spectacular mountains. Due to the remoteness of these mountains, courses either fly in or out via bush plane.


North Cascades Mountaineeringwashington’s North cascade mountains, often referred to as the American Alps, encom-pass some of America’s most spectacular scenery—jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascad-ing waterfalls, and more glaciers than any other location in the Lower 48. Many of the world’s top mountaineers use this area as their training ground; the reasonable access combined with challenging mountain classrooms continue to make this range one of the premier places in the world to learn to be a mountaineer. Your time in the North cascades will whet your appetite for adventure and prepare you for future mountain expeditions.



rOberT hAkiM

Pacific Northwest BackpackingThe pacific Northwest is a richly diverse wilderness classroom that boasts rugged old-growth forests and jagged peaks as well as expansive, pine-forested plateaus. with winter snows still lingering at higher elevations in the west, early summer courses begin east of the North cascade crest in the drier climate of the pasayten wilderness, a range with almost 150 peaks over 7,500 feet in elevation. As snow melts from the high country, later season courses attempt a traverse of Olympic National park, known for steep terrain and lush vegetation. regardless of location, this course develops outdoor and leadership skills to enable you to be a self-sufficient backcoun-try traveler with all the skills to travel competently on your own multi-day backpacking adventures, both on and off trail.


Pacific Northwest Mountaineering and SailingThis challenging expedition begins in british columbia’s spectacular coast Mountains and transitions to the remote northern waters of georgia Strait and Desolation Sound. You’ll enter the deep canadian wilderness via boat shuttle on chilko Lake, b.c., delivering you to the eastern reaches of the homathko icefield. There, you will learn to navigate without trails. Once you ascend to the alpine, your classroom will offer opportunities to hone glacier mountain-eering skills. A traverse of these spectacular mountains brings you to where glaciers, rainforest, and ocean collide. You’ll board two 36-foot keelboats at the head of bute inlet and sail back to the southern end of Vancouver island. At expedition end, you will have the skills to explore mountain and ocean environments around the globe.

• 38 days • Optional academic credit: up to 8 hours • Minimum age: 17• $6,570

Pacific Northwest Sea Kayaking and Sailing explore the full beauty of the pacific Northwest on this all-ocean coastal exploration. First, you will sea kayak the remote waters of Vancouver Island’s outer coast and then sail aboard a 36-foot keelboat to explore the northern waters of Georgia Strait and Desolation Sound. while sea kayaking, you will learn technical paddling and kayak handling skills, weather analysis, interpretation of tides and currents, and coastal Leave No Trace camping techniques. while sailing, your curriculum will include boat handling under sail and power, chart reading, coastal navigation, and sea-manship. You’re sure to grow your sea legs on this course!

• 31 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 17• $5,580

beN FOx

beN FOx

TeSSA Mcgee

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JOSh beckNer

JeFF wOhLkYLe DubA

Rock ClimbingThis backcountry climbing expedition is a com-prehensive immersion into the sport of traditional (trad) rock climbing amidst Wyoming’s famous sheer granite walls and towering spires. Your in-structors will emphasize skills such as movement on rock, rope systems, anchors, rappelling and belaying, protection placement, risk management, and lead-climbing philoso-phy. You’ll develop a foundation in wilderness ethics away from frontcountry crags.

• 21 or 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 16 (16- and 17-year-old only option available) • $4,625 (21 days) or $5,590 (30 days)

Wilderness HorsepackingThere’s nothing quite like seeing the wilderness on horseback. we’ll take you from the NOLS-owned-and-operated Three peaks ranch into the wilderness of wyoming and immerse you in the basics of western horse-packing skills—care and feeding, horse behavior and herd dynamics, tack, saddling, and riding—and other unique experiences of packing and traveling with horses.

• 21 days • Optional academic credit: up to 4 hours• Minimum age: 16 • $5,480

Wind River MountaineeringThe rugged, glacier-carved Wind River Range is famous for mountaineering expeditions that have a perfect blend of glacier travel, snow ascents, and rock climbing. You’ll learn fundamental mountaineering skills such as belaying, rappelling, and anchor construction. At the same time, you’ll master the camping, hiking, and leadership skills necessary to thrive in the mountain environment and beyond.


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Absaroka BackpackingYellowstone National park’s wild eastern border is wyoming’s Absaroka range, a vast wilderness region with broad river valleys, glacier-carved cliffs, towering conifers, and alpine plateaus. You will hone your fly-fishing cast, ford high mountain rivers, practice navigation, and learn how to camp and travel in bear country. For students craving remote, rugged land filled with wildlife, this is your course.


Wind River WildernessThis is the original NOLS course and the most popular expedition we offer. For 30 days, you’ll explore the wind river Mountains, a wilderness range renowned for its pristine lakes and rugged mountain beauty. You and your coursemates will take turns baking pizzas over a camp stove, catching cutthroat trout for dinner, and being “leader of the day” as you hike from camp to camp.

• 30 days • Optional academic credit: 6 hours • Minimum age: 17 (16- and 17-year-old only option available) • $4,485 or $4,895 (16 and 17 only)

JAreD STeiNMAN

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Despite adverse circumstances growing up, i remained proactive as a young person, and a few days after i turned 16, i took a flight to wyoming to go on a wind river wilderness course. Summer Search, one of NOLS’ gateway partners, helped shepherd me to NOLS and what were ultimately the happiest moments of my life. it was incredibly beautiful. i was with a great group of people, and everything felt so simple. it was very easy to be present and in the moment. After my course, i felt that i could do anything because i had accomplished and learned so much in the wilderness. From there, i went on to pursue a number of career paths, including investment banking and entrepreneurial endeavors. Although my day-to-day life didn’t have the physical stress of a mountain climbing trip, the challenges often felt as overwhelming. i have had ample opportunity to test the lessons of team building, decision-making, and staying calm and centered in the midst of chaos in the financial and business realms. Most importantly, there is a level of confidence and self-respect that i achieved at NOLS that has lasted through the years. Most recently, i founded urban compass, an online marketplace for renting and buying apartments in New York. in my current role as ceO of urban compass, i have spent a great deal of time thinking about hiring and retaining the best leaders who will help grow the company. i learned so much about leadership through NOLS and credit my multifaceted understanding of leadership to my experience with NOLS. As i build the team for this venture, it has become increasingly important to understand the ways an individual can contribute to an organization and to remember the unique value each has in making urban compass great. The value i contribute to our real estate platform stems in many ways from lessons i learned and skills i developed in the mountains of wyoming.

kYLe DubA

There is a level of confidence and self-respect that I achieved at NOLS that has lasted through the years.

ROBERT REFFKIN / Wind River Wilderness ‘95

ThOughTS FrOM The FieLD

Multifaceted Understanding of Leadership

beNJAMiN FOx

ApArNA rAJAgOpAL-DurbiN

brAD chriSTeNSeN

Rock and RiverLearn two skills in two very different wilderness environments: the stunning crags of Wyoming and the whitewater of Utah’s Green River. The climbing section of this course explores granite, limestone, and sandstone as the mediums to learn movement, knots, rope handling, belaying, anchors, protection placement, traditional and sport climbing systems, rappelling, and risk management. The river component will give you the chance to row an oar rig, captain a paddle raft, steer a whitewater kayak, and learn what it takes to organize and lead your own river trips.

• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 16

• $6,135

Salmon Backpacking and RaftingClimb peaks and fish for trout as you learn backcountry travel skills in the rugged Lemhi Mountains, then navigate the Salmon River’s whitewater in paddle rafts and oar rigs. You will learn strokes, commands, guiding basics, and advanced maneuvering. both the mountains and river are steeped in American frontier history — you will meet current pioneers living off the land as you float the Salmon corridor. This course will prepare and inspire you for future exploration in the wilderness..• 28 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 16

• $5,920

Whitewater River ExpeditionTravel 125 miles through the breathtaking canyons of utah and colorado’s wild green river. This course offers a thorough introduction to travel skills while you learn to kayak, captain a paddle raft, and row an oar rig. You will begin in calm water and progress to moving water, learning increasingly advanced maneuvers. As the canyons get steeper and the rapids get bigger, instruction will shift to hydrology, hazard evaluation, and rescue techniques, equipping you for your own ventures in the future.

• 16 days • Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours • Minimum age: 16

• $4,080


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MATT McArDLe DAVe ANDerSON

brAD chriSTeNSeNkYLe cASSLiNg

Before my NOLS course, I had honestly forgotten how to have fun. With the fast pace of society and the stresses of grades and getting into the right college, I had forgotten how to take stock and enjoy the moment. I had forgotten the feeling of having your face locked in a smile or the burn of laughing for way too long.”–eSTher DArANciANg, whiTewATer riVer expeDiTiON ‘13

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Australia BackpackingThe rich cultural history, subtropical habitats, and ancient land formations of the Kimberley make this part of Western Australia ideal for a backpacking ex-pedition. Among tight canyons, dry plateaus, and secluded waterfalls, you’ll be challenged by this land of extremes, where days can be hot and nights chilly, and explore areas very few people have ever seen. You’ll also learn about the Aboriginal culture by spending a couple of days with Aboriginal guides, discovering their traditional and contemporary lifestyles.


Australia Backpacking and Sea KayakingWestern Australia has it all: rugged plateaus, blue waters, and white sandy beaches. Sea kayaking in the waters of the Dampier Archipelago will provide plenty of opportunity to learn paddling skills. while exploring the marine ecosystem, you’ll discover the area’s rich human history and the most prolific Aboriginal petroglyph site in the world. backpacking through the kimberley region provides an ideal opportunity to explore the remote and rugged Australian outback, including secluded water holes, remnant rainforest patches, and open spinifex country.


briAN heNSieN

briAN heNSieN

JeANNiNe M. kLewiTz


DALiO zippiN NeTO

MAriO FrieDLANDer

MATT cArLSON

Amazon Basin River ExpeditionIn addition to the core NOLS curriculum, natural history and technical canoe skills receive special emphasis on this course on one of the large southern tributaries of the Amazon River. heat and humidity, insects, and re-moteness are some of the particular challenges of an expedition in this region, and we will teach you the skills that will equip you to thrive in this environment. There are also excellent opportunities for interactions with the people who lead subsistence lifestyles on the banks of the river.


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Yukon Backpackingroam through the Yukon’s expansive and trail-less wilderness of forest and mountains. You’ll explore and learn in the Yukon’s wild and remote mountain ranges, where you’ll climb far above tree line for awe-inspiring views. You’ll enjoy untapped fly-fishing and spin-fishing in wild rivers and clear alpine lakes. Hiking here rewards you with endless ridges, open tundra, alpine lakes and meadows, and breathtaking vistas. You’ll come home with the skills to lead your own backpacking trips, although you’ll always long for the freedom of the Yukon.


Yukon Backpacking and Wilderness CanoeingTake full advantage of the remote, pristine Yukon wilderness on this self-supported expedition. This course is perfect for students who want to develop two distinct skills and get the quintessential Yukon experience. with all of your supplies packed into a canoe, you’ll experience true expedition river travel with weeklong backpacking loops that provide incredible views of the wild Yukon peaks, spectacular ridge walks, and impressive wildlife. You’ll come home an excellent camper and leader with an unparalleled appreciation for canada’s history and breathtaking wilderness.

• 30 days • Optional academic credit: 6 hours • Minimum age: 16 • $4,990

Yukon Mountaineering and Whitewater Canoeingexplore a spectacular and remote part of the world on this 35-day expedition in canada’s north. You will begin by hiking deep into the mountains. There, you will spend a few weeks learning alpine mountaineering surrounded by stunning peaks including some classic climbs of North America. if that isn’t enough for the bucket list, your next action-packed section will hone your whitewater canoeing skills, starting high in the mountains and working your way through classic Yukon canyons, winding meanders, and exhilarating rapids. By the final days of this course, you will be a well-seasoned and accomplished mountaineer and whitewater canoeist.


STéphANe Terrier

STéphANe Terrier

pAScAL beAuVAiS

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FreDrik NOrrSeLL

FreDrik NOrrSeLL

FreDrik NOrrSeLL

Scandinavia BackpackingIf you have always dreamed of hiking above the Arctic circle, you’ll find yourself in a dreamland as this exploratory backpacking course takes you north into those remote regions of Norway and Sweden. From lowland forested areas and ocean fjords to steep glaciated mountains, you’ll see much of this wild country as you explore the land by foot. with roots reaching back to the indigenous Sami traditions, Scandinavia is a unique place rich in culture, history, and wilderness.


Scandinavia Backpacking and Sea KayakingThe kingdom of Norway is the westernmost country of the Scandinavian peninsula in europe. Sea kayaking its impressive coastline offers a mix of remote paddling without any human encounters and days where you can purchase fresh food in the small fishing communities that dot the rugged shores. Your trekking section will start at fjord level and move to higher elevations that are remark-ably unspoiled—a mix of rolling hills and snow-covered peaks punctuated by glaciers. whichever skill you tackle first, you’ll walk away with a comprehensive understanding of the land, water, and culture of Scandinavia.


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Where the outdoor semester was born

Summer

In 1974, NOLS invented the outdoor semester. Now, each year nearly 800 students spend a semester at NOLS learning new skills, exploring new ideas, and making new friends while surrounded by wilderness. All NOLS semesters are divided into a series of expeditions, called sections. These sections run from two weeks to a month in length and cover a wide variety of outdoor skill areas. They are as varied as your interests, which

means you’ll leave your NOLS semester with a set of valuable outdoor skills developed in a number of different environments. Every NOLS course is approved for academic credit, and more than 50 percent of our college-age students take advantage of this option.

ZENO WIckS

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STéphANE TErrIEr

JAvIEr cEA v.ALExIS ALLOWAy

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Summer Wilderness Medicine and Rescue SemesterYou could be a member of a search and rescue team, leading wilderness trips, running safety on river rapids, assisting with rock rescue, or working on an urban ambulance. If this is how you want to spend your time, this semester is for you. The course begins with a demanding, four-week Wilderness Emergency medical Technician (WEmT) course, followed by nine weeks of backpacking, river travel and rescue skills, rock climbing and rock rescue skills and NOLS’ leadership curriculum.

• 91 days • Optional academic credit: up to 19 hours • Minimum age: 18 • $17,570 • Certifications earned include WEMT, rock rescue, and swiftwater rescue

mArcIO pAES BArrETO

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NAchO GrEZ

TrAcy BAyNES, STEp

Summer Semester in the RockiesNOLS invented the outdoor semester, and this course is where it all began. A Semester in the Rockies will take you on a Wild West tour de force while giving you a complete set of skills to lead or teach in the backcountry. Learn to paddle a kayak down a class-III rapid, develop and expand your rock climbing skills and risk management, and navigate through the stunning rocky mountains using only your own two feet. map reading, route finding, backcountry cooking, and Leave No Trace practices will become second nature as you progress through each section of this semester.


JOSh BEckNEr

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Summer Semester in AlaskaYour semester in Alaska includes everything from forested coastlines to the snow and ice of the high mountain peaks to the tundra and rivers in between. hiking takes you to the continent’s largest assemblage of glaciers and its greatest collection of peaks over 16,000 feet in elevation. On the mountaineering section, you’ll travel even further into this ideal training ground for learning to live and climb on snow and ice. you also have the option of taking a whitewater rafting section instead of mountaineering; the raft section will travel over 120 miles on the 10th largest river in North America. The copper river is known for its proximity to calving glaciers as well as prolific salmon runs. Finally, while sea kayaking, you will explore the world-renowned prince William Sound. you will leave a confident traveler of all these wilderness settings.

• 75 days • Optional academic credit: up to 16 hours • Minimum age: 17 • $12,075 • Certifications earned include WFA and swiftwater rescue (on whitewater rafting section)

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From the icy waters of prince William Sound to the wild ruggedness of the Wrangell mountains, my experience on my NOLS course is one that will be echoed in my actions for the rest of my life. For 75 won-derful days, I was able to learn and practice technical and leadership skills alike, all the while being overtaken by the beauty of fulfilling my childhood dream of traveling in the Last Frontier. If there was one take-away lesson from my NOLS semester, it’s that persistence pays off. Being out there—more remote than most people will ever find them-selves—persistence was not only helpful, but absolutely nec-essary for the success of our trip. In the frontcountry, people often have the choice to “opt-out” of situations that aren’t going as planned. I’ve walked away from plenty of opportunities and rela-tionships when I did not see them going my way. It was a choice that was always there, an escape that let me submit to my fear of failure rather than confront it. I found that there were many times during the course I wished I could have just quit and tried something else. Fortunately, I had the support of the group, and together, we were able to endure through every obstacle the Wrangells and the Sound threw at us. From a 19-hour rappel in a snowstorm at night to a three-day march off the labyrinth of the copper Glacier to resolving some emotional issues that otherwise could have stewed until the end, our group survived. And by the end, we were thriving in our newfound confidence and love for each other and the wilderness surrounding us. For this kansas girl, living through our transformation and be-ing able to use the lessons in my daily life was more than I had ever hoped to gain from my NOLS experience.

SETh QuIGG

ALExIS ALLOWAy

Learning to ‘Opt-In’

BRIDGET PETERSEN / Semester in Alaska ’13

TrAcy BAyNES, STEp

ThOuGhTS FrOm ThE FIELd

Being out there persistence was not only helpful, but absolutely necessary for the success of our trip.

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pAScAL BEAuvAIS

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Summer Semester in the YukonThis semester is an action-packed learning adventure. It takes place entirely in canada’s Sub-arctic, where remote, wild land stands unparalleled. Your expedition will explore the wilds of the Yukon with a backpack and canoe, seeing few people along the way. On your route, you will fish, cross unnamed rivers, and summit unnamed peaks. After this semester, you’ll have unmatched technical expeditionary skills in backpacking and whitewater canoeing.


pAScAL BEAuvAIS

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Advance your career in outdoor education

Summer

JArEd STEINmAN

recognizing our role as the teacher of the teachers, NOLS offered our first course specifically for outdoor educators more than three decades ago, and the school is still the worldwide leader in this field. choose from a variety of courses for outdoor profes-sionals based on your interests—the options are wide open. NOLS career courses feature opportunities to teach in front of your peers and debrief the experience over the stove. The days are active and the nights are filled with professional discussions that will send you back to your organization inspired and brimming with ideas.

As an outdoor educator, your responsibility doesn’t end with content delivery. It’s also up to you to recognize, prevent, and treat wilderness medicine emergencies. The NOLS Wilderness medicine Institute (WmI) is the leader in wilderness medicine education. you will gain the highest quality education and information for the recognition, treatment, and prevention of wilderness emergencies. The potent combination of field and WmI curriculum will set you up for success in your outdoor education career.

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ALEx chANG - cOrNELL LEAdErShIp ExpEdITION

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Pacific Northwest Outdoor EducatorWith a team of dedicated teachers and a campus that is ideal for expedition planning, NOLS pacific Northwest specializes in courses for educators. On this course you’ll develop a variety of skills—backpacking, mountaineering, and rock climbing—in class-rooms ranging from old-growth forests to glaciers to granite walls. This expedition begins with 20 days of mountain travel in the North cascades range of Washington before transitioning to a frontcountry rock climbing base camp at Squamish, B.c., or Leavenworth, Washington. your veteran instructors will pass along an in-depth look at NOLS’ 50 years of teaching and programming experience.


Pacific Northwest Trip LeaderWashington’s wilderness areas are ideal training grounds for learning how to lead backpack-ing trips. you’ll join a diverse group of trip leaders for an overview of the NOLS curriculum, learning common leadership strategies through dynamic, experiential, on-the-trail teaching methods. you’ll learn the intricacies of trip planning and how to organize expeditions on your own. Our veteran outdoor educators will pass along their professional tips so you’ll leave the Pacific Northwest with confidence and refined skills in plan-ning, organizing, and executing multi-day backpacking trips.


JAmIE O'dONNELL

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kyLE duBA

When I signed up for my Outdoor Educator course, I was a disillusioned college senior, tired of team sports and traditional classrooms. I had just read krakauer’s Into the Wild and was craving wild places and a new receptacle for my energies. While I wasn’t yet certain I’d be a teacher, I was gravitating toward the classroom and remember expecting the “educator” component of a NOLS course might prove relevant. my first turn as leader of the day, I picked a beeline directly upslope through fresh, hip-deep powder. The group fell apart and I just kept on pushing. I lacked an awareness of worthy considerations other than going high and going fast, at the expense of morale and what made best sense. my instructor discreetly pulled me aside to suggest a more moderate line and followed up with me later. I remember this now when I lead students: there is a world of subtle detail available to your observation as a leader that will help you nurture and care for your group. I later enrolled in a NOLS Instructor course to strengthen my expeditionary leadership skills and explore the relationship between traditional and field classrooms. Today, I teach at phillips Exeter Academy and find great reciprocity between my work in the field and classroom. Both worlds help me think about my students—about how they learn and about the subtle, often overlooked ways they demonstrate their learning. At Exeter, I teach using harkness pedagogy: students help each other make sense of challenging texts rather than listening to a teacher pontificate. yet it’s also a place where students compete for grades and admission to the same colleges. NOLS has challenged me to reflect on how competition can threaten the collaborative dynamic. In the backcountry, the goals are communal, the efforts authentically aligned. In my view, this community approach is essential to good learning, and I always strive to create a team-oriented dynamic for my indoor and outdoor classrooms. Likewise, my life as a harkness teacher helps me hold first in my mind a student-centered approach in the field, helps me to listen to my students and subordinate my agenda. my students are capable of so much—independence, creativity, originality—if I can only get out of the way and listen. In turn, my time with NOLS keeps me aware of subtle, often unseen talents in my students beyond classic indicators of academic success: selflessness, empathy, humility. It is through subtleties that I have grown as an educator and guide my students in their growth.

My time with NOLS keeps me aware of subtle, often unseen talents in my students.

JASON BREMILLER / Pacific Northwest Outdoor Educator ‘03and Rocky Mountain Instructor Course ‘10


The Power of Subtle Details

NIck crOSS

TONy JEWELL

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Alaska Outdoor Educatorknowing how to lead groups in two different skill areas—backpacking and sea kayaking—is a professional advantage. This course will prepare you to do just that, giving you the chance to learn how to lead on land and sea. In this land of tundra and rocky passes, you’ll work with veteran educators to learn skills such as risk management, ration planning, and program supervision. By the end of the expedition, you’ll be better equipped to teach, lead, and explore, whether in a boat or on foot.Eligibility: Qualified practicing or potential outdoor educators.


Rocky Mountain Outdoor EducatorNOLS has been inspiring and teaching outdoor educators for 45 years. This course offers two formats, both packed with the latest techniques on living, traveling, and leading groups in the backcountry. Granite peaks, rugged terrain, and high mountain lakes and rivers will teach you what it takes to lead and educate others in the West’s ranges and beyond.Eligibility: Qualified practicing or potential outdoor educators.

• 23 (rock climbing) or 30 (WFR) days • Optional academic credit: up to 7 hours • Minimum age: 18 • $3,765 (climbing) or $5,415 (WFR)

Yukon Outdoor EducatorThis 30-day expedition combines the skills of wilderness backpacking with northern whitewater canoeing in Canada’s Yukon Territory. A remote yukon mountain range is the perfect classroom for developing the skills of the backcountry professional. While learning the hiking and camping skills needed to manage groups in the remote backcountry, you’ll also spend time on technical canoeing skills, teaching techniques, and river rescue concepts.Eligibility: Qualified practicing or potential outdoor educators.


NOLS Instructor CoursesIf you love the outdoors and have great communication skills, instructing for NOLS may be the opportunity of your lifetime. NOLS instructors are educators who teach leadership, medicine, and technical skills on extended wilderness expeditions and in the classroom. If you have a variety of wilderness skills and a desire to build relationships and educate students, then you should consider applying for a NOLS instructor course. Learn more at www.nols.edu.


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I learned that I can survive and even thrive in conditions far surpassing what I believe to be my limit. There were numerous times when I simply wanted to stop and give up—stop climbing, stop paddling because I couldn’t feel my arms anymore or because my legs burned. I wanted to stop because I was scared, because I thought I’d reached my limit. And yet I continued. I’d take one more step, one more paddle stroke. Broken into steps and strokes, the insurmountable became surmountable.”–kATrINA pETErSON, ALASkA OuTdOOr EducATOr ‘13

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NOLS Wilderness Medicine InstituteNOLS Wilderness medicine Institute offers the highest quality education and information in the prevention, recognition, and treatment of wilderness emergencies.

Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT)This intensive course combines wilderness medicine with urban medical care practices into a single month-long program that includes clinical rotations in a local emergency room.

Wilderness First Responder (WFR)The WFr is geared toward outdoor professionals who lead multi-day to multi-week trips. This course provides the tools to make important medical and evacuation decisions in remote locations.

Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA)designed for those traveling or working in remote areas who need a more extensive training program than a WFA. Emphasis is placed on long-term patient care manage-ment and specific injury evaluation.

Wilderness First Aid (WFA)The WFA introduces trip leaders, camp staff, outdoor enthusiasts, and individuals work-ing in a remote environment to wilderness medicine principles. you’ll learn how to improvise equipment, deal with challenging environments, and act with confidence.

Wilderness First Responder Recertification (WFR-R)This scenario-based course is designed to help you review and practice evacuation and decision-making guidelines. It may be used to recertify WAFA, WFR, and WEMT (wilderness portion only).

Education for Medical Professionals These courses offer a variety of opportunities for healthcare professionals and medical students to learn practical, hands-on wilderness medicine while earning con-tinuing education credits. From two days to one month, in the classroom or in the wilderness, we have a program to meet your needs. Visit www.nols.edu/wmi/courses for more information, dates, and pricing. • 2–26 days

COURSE LENGTH ACADEMIC CREDITCPR INCLUDEDCONTINUING ED. CREDIT

WEMT

WFR

WAFA

WFA

WFR-R

4 weeks (200 hours)

9–10 days (80 hours)

5 days (40 hours)

2–2.5 days (16-20 hours)

2–3 days (24 hours)

variable

9 hours

3 hours

2 hours

1 hour

1 hour


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Designed for students 23 years old and over

Summer

BrAd chrISTENSEN

you’re in the prime of your life, and these educational adventures are specifically designed to meet the needs of adults ages 23 and over. Because NOLS does all the planning, you can enjoy an expedition and bolster your leadership skills without all the work up front. No NOLS course has a maximum age, but prime courses are designed for students ages 23 and over. They last from eight to 17 days to minimize your time away from work, but, as on every NOLS course, you will learn the basic backcountry skills and practice

them under the guidance of the finest outdoor educators in the industry. Leadership lessons are grounded in our respected leadership framework with daily opportunities to practice, reflect, and refine these skills. After you graduate, go on to use the skills you learned—from taking family and friends on backcountry outings to demonstrating outstanding leadership in the workplace.

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Wilderness Horsepacking–PrimeOn this 14-day course, you will be immersed in the basics of Western horsepacking skills in the wilderness of the Wind River Range. you’ll learn about horse care and feeding, horse behavior and herd dynamics, tack, saddling, and riding, and other unique experiences of packing and traveling with horses. pack horses will carry your gear, instead of packs on your back.


Wind River Wilderness–PrimeFor 14 days, immerse yourself in the spectacular sur-roundings of Wyoming’s Wind River Range, a wilder-ness range renowned for pristine lakes and rugged mountain beauty. you will take turns being “leader of the day” and baking gourmet pizzas over a camp stove as you hike from campsite to campsite developing your outdoor and leadership skills. This course is horse supported to keep pack weights low.


Rocky Mountain Lightweight Backpacking–PrimeThe first lightweight backpacking course in the world of outdoor education is in its eighth year at NOLS. Outfitted with 25- to 30-pound packs (10–15 pounds without food and fuel), you will be off to one of Wyoming’s remote and wild ranges—the Wind Rivers, the Bighorns, the Absarokas, or the Beartooths—to enjoy the wilderness without the burden of a heavy load. After two weeks, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to plan and execute your own lightweight adventures. how light can you go?


JArEd STEINmAN

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mIchAEL SchmErTZLErmIrANdA mOrTON

Scandinavia Backpacking–PrimeGet away for a quick Nordic expedition. With the expert guidance of your instructors, you’ll learn to travel and camp in areas such as Tromsø, Finnmark, or Lyngen. Two weeks backpacking in the Scandinavian peninsula will provide the foundations of outdoor skills and leadership you’ll need for expeditions worldwide.


Tanzania Wilderness–PrimeThis expedition through East Africa will introduce you to tropical rain forests and savannah grasslands and the diverse wildlife and cultures that inhabit them. Accompanied by a cultural liaison from Tanzania, you will backpack from the volcanic highlands. you will also spend time with local tribes learning about culture, human and natural history, and ecology. Finally, while on the vehicle-supported safari section of this course, you will lay eyes on exotic fauna.


North Cascades Mountaineering–PrimeGet a taste of the world-renowned American Alps where you’ll receive a well-rounded technical curriculum in snow, ice, alpine rock, and glacial mountaineering skills. Two iconic Northwest peaks—Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan—will be your classrooms. In addition to an unparalleled mountaineering education, you will expand your leadership skills, risk management strategies, mountain navigation, and Leave No Trace camping practices. your time in the North cascades will prepare you for future mountain expeditions.


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Salmon River Rafting–Primeraft the main Salmon river with NOLS. The Salmon river, protected as a National Wild and Scenic river, bisects the Frank church–river of No return Wilderness Area and is one of the longest un-dammed rivers in the u.S., complete with challenging rapids, sandy beaches, and riverside hot springs. On this educational raft trip, you’ll learn all of the skills river runners need from rigging the rafts to preparing the steaks. This course is scheduled to coordinate technical paddling and rescue skills and will use paddle and oar rafts.


Prince William Sound Sea Kayaking–PrimePaddle Alaska’s world-famous Prince William Sound: past towering tidewater glaciers, crystal-blue icebergs, and wooded coves perfect for camping. The sea teems with various forms of life, and you’ll have the ideal vantage point to view it all. you’ll work hard paddling with all your gear stowed in your boat, but you’ll have opportunities to play as well. There are fish to catch and so many things to learn as you explore wild, wonderful Alaska.


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Alaska Mountaineering–PrimeThis course takes you to a place in Southcentral Alaska often referred to as “the mountain king-dom of North America,” where a chain of rugged mountain ranges and spectacular glaciers converge to make a mountaineer’s dreamscape. To maximize time for skill develop-ment, this two-week version of this classic course flies directly onto a glacier, eliminating the long approach inherent in most Alaskan mountaineering expedi-tions. From there, you’ll quickly put to use new skills and knowledge in a remote environment.


Brooks Range Backpacking–PrimeNorth of the Arctic circle and aptly dubbed Land of the midnight Sun, much of the landscape in the Brooks range lies above tree line, and elevations range from sea level to over 9,000 feet. This course packs in backcountry travel and outdoor living skills in the steep shale mountains and expansive tundra of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Philip Smith Mountains. This is not a guided tour. In just two weeks, you’ll learn the skills needed to travel in a mountain environment long after your course ends.


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When my son called me from college to say he wanted to take a NOLS Australia Backpacking and Sea kayaking course, I had to dig into our closet to find the old NOLS brochures I had collected at his age. Interestingly, he came up with this on his own even though it was a secret, unrequited passion I’d had from way back in the day. Without hesitation, I said, “Awesome, go for it.” One of his mother’s and my prize possessions is a letter that we got from him at the midpoint of his course. It was so inspiring I knew I had to finally take a course. It didn’t take much of a push at that point, but my son pushed anyway. I’ve now taken a couple prime courses: Brooks range Backpacking and rocky mountain Lightweight Backpacking. The Brooks range brings out a certain attitude—a certain inspired, overwhelmed-but-up-to-it sort of an attitude. As much as I was prepared, it was a great challenge we all had to adapt to. I further honed my ability to adapt on my Lightweight Backpacking course. There the adaptation I had to make—and the skill I brought back with me—was lifting up people who were resistant or had poorly set expectations. Based on your personality, you have a tendency to lead a certain way, but with a little structure and in a live scenario, you have the chance to practice the principles. Like muscle memory, you kick in innately what you’re being taught because the success of the expedition depends on it. If you do it well, you do it with some spirit. Like work and family, this has a lot to do with the attitude people bring, what they expect, and if they’re able to adapt because what they expected is different from the reality. It’s also very interesting to mix in a NOLS expedition, in my case every other year, with outings like fishing with buddies for four days. I bring expedition behavior. Without being preachy, it’s infectious. NOLS lessons are also always there with my son. It’s sort of an inside joke. he’ll come to me with a question about his work, and I’ll say something like, “Well, if you’re leader of the day, how would you divvy up the responsibilities and delegate them? do you have a time-keeper and navigator?” This semi-shared experience wasn’t part of the grand plan when he was a little guy, but shared interests and serendipity came together.

TrAcy BAyNES, STEp

My son’s letter from his NOLS course was so inpiring I knew I had to finally take a course.

JOHN JOSTRAND / Brooks Range Backpacking–Prime ‘11, Rocky Mountain Lightweight Backpacking–Prime ‘13


Shared Interests and Serendipity

kyLE duBA

cArrIE SESSIONS 54

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Go online to see all of our courses. Keep an eye out for the fall 2015 course catalog in May.

INTERESTED IN COURSES DURING OTHER SEASONS?

SEMESTERSemester in the AmazonSemester in BajaSemester in East AfricaSemester in IndiaSemester for Outdoor EducatorsSemester in PatagoniaYear in PatagoniaSemester in the Pacific NorthwestSemester in the Rockies

Semester in the SouthwestSemester in New ZealandWilderness Medicine and Rescue Semester

CLASSICBaja Coastal SailingBaja Sea KayakingHimalaya BackpackingHimalaya MountaineeringSouthwest Lightweight Backpacking

PRIMEAdirondack Backpacking-PrimeWind River Wilderness-PrimeNorth Cascades Mountaineering—Prime

CAREERRocky Mountain Outdoor Educator

Fall Courses

www.nols.edu

TRACY BAYNES, STEP

BEN FOx BEN FOx


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Winter & Spring CoursesSEMESTERPacific Northwest Spring QuarterSemester in AustraliaSemester in BajaSemester on the BordersSemester in IndiaSemester for Outdoor EducatorsSemester in PatagoniaSemester in the RockiesSemester in the SouthwestSemester in New ZealandWilderness Medicine and Rescue Semester

CLASSICBaja Coastal SailingBaja Sea KayakingBackcountry SkiingSplitboardingHimalaya Cultural ExpeditionHimalaya BackpackingHimalaya MountaineeringSouthwest Rock ClimbingNew Zealand BackpackingPatagonia Mountaineering

CAREERSouthwest Outdoor Educator: Backpacking and Rock ClimbingWinter Outdoor Educator

PRIMEBackcountry Skiing–PrimeBaja Sea Kayaking–PrimePatagonia Sea Kayaking–Prime


BRIAN FABEL

ABE GOOdALE 56

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SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID AT NOLS

NOLS awards $1.5 million in scholarships annually to applicants who show po-tential to excel with NOLS and would be unable to attend without financial aid.Additionally, our partnerships allow you to access your Americorps, 529, or VA funds. Call us at (800) 710-6657 or learn more at www.nols.edu/financialaid.

ACADEMIC CREDITEvery NOLS course is approved for academic credit, and more than half of our college-age students take advantage of this option. Hundreds of colleges and uni-versities accept NOLS/University of Utah credit or grant their own direct credit. Learn more at www.nols.edu/credit.

KEvIN S. EMERYISTOCKPHOTO

Start thinking about your FALL

ALEx CHANG - CORNELL LEAdERSHIP ExPEdITION

SHANAN SuSSMAN

ALISHA BuBE

3JOIN NOLS.

SHANAN SuSSMAN

A WIN-WIN FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS

NOLS IS AN ADVENTURELearn technical skills in some of the most awe-inspiring classrooms in the world. Rise to the challenge of long days, Mother Nature’s surprises, and new lessons on working as part of a team every day. Return home prepared and eager for your next adventure.”

DISCOVER YOUR INNER STRENGTHYou need a lot less than you imagine, and you can thrive in tougher conditions than you think. You’ll emerge from your NOLS course confident in our ability and with a new understanding of your calling for your future.”

BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR A LIFETIMEImpress your friends with your expertise and tales from life on the glacier, and impress your boss with your newfound voice as a leader. Being a NOLS graduate will set you apart in a crowd or in a pile of resumés.”

FIND NEW FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLDNOLS attracts highly motivated students like you from all over the world and offers cultural interaction in international locations. You will grow and learn from and with your coursemates, and the bonds will last long after your course ends.”

BREAK AWAY FROM STUFFY CLASSROOMSTake a break from the traditional classroom without hitting 'pause' on learning. NOLS courses are highly educational, experiential learning opportunities. Continue to earn academic credit while exploring the world’s most awe-inspiring classrooms.”

NOLS IS A SCHOOLNOLS teaches outdoor skills and will help me develop an active healthy lifestyle, instilling leadership skills that apply in any environment. Like most educational institutions, NOLS offers academic credit, financial aid, and a ecognized diploma.”

I'LL BECOME A LEADERI'll gain leadership skills that I will use in all areas of my life. I may find the calling for my ca eer is in outdoor education, and nobody will prepare me better than NOLS.”

I'LL BUILD MY RESUMÉThis is a unique experience in which I'll gain skills critical for any job. NOLS is a highly regarded institution, and having NOLS on my resumé or college application will set me apart.”

I'LL BECOME AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDNOLS teaches Leave No Trace practices. I'll also gain extensive knowledge of the flora, fauna, and envi onmental issues in the region in which I study. And all this knowledge translates to environmental science credits.”

THE NOLS ALUMNI ADVANTAGEBeing a NOLS alum means that I will be part of a network of more than 254,000 people worldwide. This network can help me secure jobs, find housing, meet people in a n w city, and much more.”

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CONVINCE YOUR PARENTS! TALK TO YOUR CHILD!

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CHOOSE YOUR COURSE AND APPLY NOW! (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu

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We are thrilled with the changes in our son, Zack. Could not have asked for a better outcome. And, best of all, he views it as the high point of his life so far!”–dAPHNE NIELSEN, NOLS PARENT

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National Outdoor Leadership School284 Lincoln StreetLander, Wyoming 82520-2848www.nols.edu | [email protected]: (800) 710-NOLS | Fax: (307) 332-1220

FPO: FSC Label here

NON-PROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

LANDER, WY

PERMIT NO. 43

NON-PROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PORTLAND, OR

PERMIT NO. XX

Apply Now. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu

NOLS New Zealand

NOLS Australia

NOLS Amazon

NOLS Patagonia

NOLS Northeast

NOLS East Africa

NOLS Rocky Mountain Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus

NOLS Mexico

NOLS Southwest

NOLS YukonNOLS Alaska

NOLS Scandinavia

NOLS India

NOLS Pacific Northwest

NOLS Teton Valley

NOLS develops leaders and adventurers who are passionate about wilderness stewardship. As an educational institution founded with strong environmental ethics, we recognize the need for sustainable practices in town as well as in the mountains.This catalog is printed on FSC certified, 30% post consumer waste paper and printed with soy inks.

Documents

NOLS 2015 Summer Catalog