National Outdoor Leadership School

284 Lincoln Street Lander, Wyoming 82520-2848 www.nols.edu | admissions@nols.edu Phone: (800) 710-NOLS | Fax: (307) 332-1220

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID LANDER, WY PERMIT NO. 43

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. XX

FPO: FSC Label here

THE LEADER IN WILDERNESS EDUCATION

FREDRIK NORRSELL

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

NOLS Facts {p.34}

A MESSAGE FOR PARENTS Every year, NOLS instructors take thousands of students into some of the worlds most extraordinary terrain to learn, grow, and experience more than they ever have before. No matter a students age when reaching the trailhead, he or she likely has parents sitting at home excitedly awaiting their return. I can relateIm a three-time NOLS parent. As NOLS executive director, I am personally invested in the health and well-being of every one of our students, and that is a culture that resonates throughout our whole school. For the past 18 years, I have watched this organization develop countless positive, ethical leaders who have gone forward to change the world. I was thrilled when each of my three children chose to enroll on courses. My daughter took a Wind River Wilderness course, followed by my rst son, who took an Idaho Backpacking Adventure, and my youngest son joined us for a llama packing alumni trip. The benets to each of my children were beyond measure. By unplugging and stepping into an experiential adventure, they reaped the full benets of being in a setting where natural forces predominate and provide immediate feedback on decision making, where teamwork and communication are essential, where leadership is developed organically. Upon their return, I saw their love of wilderness amplied. I witnessed excitement over new and deep friendships. I saw their competence in the outdoors had increased and the condence in their leadership skills boosted. I also heard all about what the course meant to them. They returned home enthusiastic and spoke endlessly of their experiences, the lessons learned, and the people who made their NOLS courses so powerful. Im a proud NOLS parent, and I look forward to sharing that title with you. I hope this letter has proven useful to you as a parent, but please dont hesitate to contact us with any questions at (800) 710-6657 or via chat at www.nols.edu.

Grads Tell Their Stories {p.510}

NOLS Scandinavia

Adventure Courses {p.1116}

NOLS Alaska

NOLS Yukon

NOLS Pacic Northwest NOLS Northeast NOLS Rocky Mountain Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus NOLS India NOLS Mexico

Classic Courses {p.1736}

NOLS Teton Valley NOLS Southwest

Prime Courses {p.3742}

Career Courses {p.4348}

NOLS Amazon

NOLS East Africa

John Gans, NOLS Executive Director

NOLS Australia

Semester Courses {p.4954}

NOLS New Zealand

Fall, Winter/ Spring Courses {p.5556}

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NOLS Patagonia

NOLS, a 501(c)(3) nonprot educational institution, operates under permit and in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, US 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: Nick Cross.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS
With NOLS you can UNPLUG and set forth on new ADVENTURES.

JOIN NOLS
EST. 1965

ADVENTURE FUN

97%
233,000
CENTRALLY ADMINISTERED

OF NOLS GRADUATES WOULD RECOMMEND NOLS TO A FRIEND

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

Staffing, admissions, and curriculum development all happen at our headquarters in Lander, Wyo., meaning you get the same high-quality experience wherever you take your course. Course logistics, outfitting, and planning are done at each location, by staff who understand the culture and nuances of that place.

TRAVEL the world and immerse yourself in awe-inspiring WILDERNESS and diverse CULTURES.

In 2013, NOLS had over 19,000 students from 49 states and 45 countries!

Locally Operated

Learn the LEADERSHIP and TECHNICAL SKILLS necessary to become SELF-RELIANT in remote wilderness settings.

MISSION
The mission of the National Outdoor Leadership School is to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment.

NOLS STAFF

NOLS has the most experienced, well-rounded instructional staff in outdoor education. All instructors take the NOLS instructors course and serve as apprentices on courses before being certified to teach for NOLS. All NOLS instructors are certified in wilderness medicine and CPR. They also take advantage of continuing education, including 60 instructor seminars each year.
The average student-toinstructor ratio is 5:1. This provides our students with the personal instruction they need to be successful.

FLY Rafting

horsepacking

SKILLS

OUTDOOR

NOLS

When you graduate, you will have the experience and background necessary to LEAD OTHERS comfortably and responsibly in the backcountry.

PACKRAFTING

FISHING

People thrive when challenged.

Alumni are welcomed into the NOLS COMMUNITY and return for more courses, alumni trips, or CAREERS in outdoor education.

Living in nature teaches responsibility. Leadership can be learned. Learning should be fun.

No matter your path, youll carry the NOLS DIPLOMA, the recognized certification awarded to outstanding leaders and outdoors people and admired by employers, coaches, and teachers.

LEADERSHIP
We believe that leadership can be learned. We facilitate the development of key leadership skills as students progress through the NOLS leadership curriculum with experience and feedback.

Backpacking
CANOEING
Canyoneering

rock SPLITBOARDING climbing SAILING

Leave No Trace

KAYAKING

NOLS Professional Training offers innovative, customized NOLS courses for businesses and organizations ranging from NASA to The Archer School for Girls.

wilderness medicine

MOUNTAINEERING

SKIING

RESEARCH and

Curriculum
JUDGMENT & DECISION MAKING Demonstrate situationally appropriate decision making, use your experience to develop good judgment. SELF-AWARENESS Know your strengths and weaknesses, your leadership style, and how you influence or affect others. EXPEDITION BEHAVIOR Be a strong team member by keeping yourself and others motivated and exercising good conflict resolution. COMMUNICATION Be a clear communicator, an understanding and invested listener, and give and receive feedback well. COMPETENCE Possess and use knowledge, skills, and technical ability, as well as organization and management. TOLERANCE FOR ADVERSITY & UNCERTAINTY Learn to endureeven enjoyhard work and challenge, and adapt to changes and challenges with focus and a sense of humor. VISION & ACTION See the possibility in any situation and find creative ways to move your team toward it. Have initiative and motivate others.

Founded in 1965 by legendary mountaineer Paul Petzoldt, NOLS takes students of all ages on remote wilderness expeditions and teaches them technical outdoor skills, leadership, and environmental ethics. NOLS unrivaled curriculum is informed by nearly 50 years of development and dedicated research in a wide range of topics, including experiential education, risk management practices, and wilderness ecology.
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Adirondack Backpacking Adventure

Designed for young teens with a sense of adventure, this course takes you to the New York State Adirondacks, the premier wilderness destination of the northeastern U.S. You will challenge yourself, gain trust and support from your coursemates, and develop new leadership 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. Learn more on page 13.

Nicholas Nerli takes in the views atop a mountain in the Northeast, something he hopes to do again soon. NICHOLAS NERLI

Strive for All I Hope to Be

NICHOLAS NERLI / Adirondack Backpacking Adventure 2013

Near the East Coasts major population centers, NOLS Northeast provides new territory for students like Nicholas to explore. LINDSAY YOST

Backpack on great trails with your new best friends. DAVID DURANT

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

As I grew up in Lander, Wyo., where NOLS is headquartered, experiencing a NOLS course had been on my mind since I learned what NOLS was all about. I applied to take an Adirondack Backpacking Adventure to not only spend part of my summer in the wilderness, but also in a new place. I was, I admit, a bit nervous. For one, I had never own in an airplane. Second, I would be living in a foreign environment. Not least of all, I was committing to two weeks with strangers, but I knew I was going to have the time and opportunity of my life. Learning new skills was very important to me, and throughout my course I developed many including cooking in the wilderness, rst aid, navigation, and, most importantly, leadership. The suggestions and guidance I was given when I was in a leadership role truly beneted me. I will never forget being leader of

the day, for it was difcult, but as a team we succeeded that day. That experience will stay with me and serve me when I face obstacles for the rest of my life. My instructors were knowledgeable, positive, and encouraging toward everyone, creating a healthy team. We grew from each other and shared experiences I cant do justice to in writing. Through our friendships, we recognized our strengths and improved on our weaknesses in order to become the best we could be. Without the whole team, I would not have learned and gained so much. I returned home with memories, friends, and knowledge that I could not have imagined. I look forward to future NOLS courses and will use the knowledge I gained to be the most successful person I can be and strive for all I hope to be. After his course, Nicholas returned to Lander where he shes, hikes, and hunts in the Wind River Range. At Lander Valley High School he serves on the student council, runs cross country, plays in the marching band, and anxiously awaits Nordic ski season.

I look forward to future NOLS courses and will use the knowledge I gained to be the most successful person I can be.

Adventure course students grow with students their age. PHILIP BRANCA

NOLS Leadership Role: The Designated Leader

NOLS defines four leadership roles: designated leader, active follower, peer leader, and self leadership. The designated leader, the role one plays as leader of the day on a NOLS course, does the following: Delegates tasks. Makes group decisions. Establishes clear expectations for the group and the leader. Stays connected to the group and seeks input. Uses the groups strengths and encourages responsibility. Takes stands on issues clearly and directly.

Living in a place like this for a month teaches students about organization, planning, and the impact of their habits. MATT MCARDLE

College Prep Course

SALLY MURRAY / Wind River Wilderness 16 and over 2013

Sometimes, to break an awkward silence, I speak up with the declaration, Once, I went 30 days without taking a shower. Reactions vary from admiration to disgust, but often the statement evokes intrigue. I have found this to be the perfect gateway to talking about my NOLS experience because, like the concept of not showering for 30 days, there are many aspects of NOLS that beg the question, why? If purpose were determined by desire, then I took a NOLS course after high school because its what my brothers had done, a family tradition so to speak. It feels awfully shallow to say that I felt a NOLS, instead of teaching need to prove myself, that as the me how to survive, taught only girl I didnt want to be outdone me how to thrive. by my brothers. Thankfully, NOLS became something more worthwhile than sibling rivalry. For me, my NOLS course was cause for a lifestyle change. People, myself included, have a preconceived notion that NOLS is a survival school. However, I would argue that NOLS, instead of teaching me how to survive, taught me how to thrive. The truth is

that I had been surviving all my life, but that doesnt have to mean anything more than just going through the motions. NOLS gave me a great faith in people. You can venture into wilderness with complete strangers, face hardship and conict, and come out friends. NOLS gave me faith in myself. I had never been so far outside my literal and gurative comfort zone. It has been a blessing to know who I am and what I am capable of before going to college. (I have also witnessed the truth in this nugget from my instructor: If you can live with mosquitoes, you can live with any roommate.) The bulletin board in my dorm room is decorated with pictures from my course, above my bed is the NOLS leadership model, and saved on my desktop is the essay by former NOLS instructor Morgan Hite, Brieng for Entry into a More Harsh Environment. I read it often because it draws the connection between my NOLS course (backpacking, y-shing, tent-pitching, water-ltering) and going to college (studying, meeting new people, trying new things, being selfsufcient). It reminds me to live simply, which is more than just giving up hot baths for a while. Sally is currently attending the University of Wyoming on a full-ride scholarship. She is a student in the Honors College, working toward a degree in molecular biology.

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

Sally Murray learned to thrive in the Wind River Mountains.

SALLY MURRAY

You wont nd pizza this good on any college campus. STPHANE TERRIER

Wind River Wilderness

This is the original NOLS course and the most popular expedition we offer. For 30 days, youll 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 trout for dinner, and being leader of the day as you hike from campsite to campsite. Learn more on page 28.

Lessons in y shing apply to school and career: patience, attention to detail, and a wilderness ethic, for example. CAITLIN
BUTTOR-FOEDERL

Students make their way through a boulder eld, practicing the risk management skills learned throughout the course. BENJAMIN FOX

Transference
A NOLS education is more than technical outdoor skills. It also encompasses leadership, interpersonal, and life-skills that transfer to school, career, and relationships for the rest of your life.

Unplugging to Plug in
BOB SCHOULTZ / NOLS Professional Training expedition 2013
Students from Californias Archer School for Girls engage in a navigation class. BRIAN HENSIEN Bob Schoultz nds it invaluable to unplug from time to time.
LYNDA CARPENTER

NOLS Professional Training customizes courses to develop leadership and strong teams.
BENJAMIN FOX

NOLS for Organizations

Any NOLS course can be customized to meet the needs of an organization, business, school, or team. These expeditions, run by NOLS Professional Training, include the same technical skills, leadership progression, and environmental studies NOLS expedition courses offer. Locations and tuition vary by client. Learn more at www.nols.edu/nolspro/.

Our course, organized through NOLS Professional Training, left civilization with a commitment to unplug from cell phones, email accounts, iPods, and the 24-hour news cycle to plug in to something else in the backcountry. That something else was a bit different for each of us. We were a diverse group of men and women, with an average age of 50, from a varied set of successful careers ranging from international oil executive to college professor, from cattleman to defense contractor. As we worked together to survive and thrive in an austere environment, we plugged in to each other more quickly and more profoundly than is common in frontcountry living. We were together 24 hours a day. We lived simply: hiking, cooking, and tenting together. We became more organized in managing our personal and group gear. We compromised to accommodate each others idiosyncrasies. We were competent and incompetent together, and we laughed a lot. We were frustrated (and occasionally grouchy) together when we got lost in challenging terrain. We cheered each other on as we met and overcame fears and new challenges. We took care of each other. We shared wonder. Each of us became better together.

We also plugged back into ourselves. Stepping away from civilization and immersing oneself in the wilderness can have a powerful effect. In the frontcountry, our practical lives often become (at least in our minds) separate from our spiritual lives. With the lakes, mountains, and trees all around us and the night sky so full of stars we can barely believe it, the line between the In the wilderness, we practical and spiritual becomes blurred. can plug in to parts The connection between what we do and of ourselves that who we are is easier to experience. In the we often dont have wilderness, we can plug in to parts of time to experience in ourselves that we often dont have time the frontcountry. to experience in the frontcountry. Staying plugged into what we had experienced on this course remains our challenge as we re-enter our busy lives as frontcountry leaders: to hold on to that connection to the mountains, the trees, the stars, and the wonderful sense of communion we felt, not only with each other, but also nature and ourselves. Bob Schoultz is a NOLS instructor and the Chief Executive Ofcer of Fifth Factor Leadership.

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

Navigation Skills
At NOLS, you will learn a variety of map-reading skills ranging from understanding contour lines on a topographic map to orienting the map to the terrain surrounding you. As your time in the backcountry progresses, your instructors will play a much smaller role in wayfinding, and you will take more complete control of the groups route and staying found.

Teamwork is essential on a mountain and in a conference room. ALEX CHANG CORNELL

LEADERSHIP EXPEDITION

10

NOLS Southwest
ApaRna RaJaGopal-DURbIn

summer
Designed for 14+15 year-old students
NOLS Northeast
PHIlIp BRanCa

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Matt MCARDlE

NOLS Northeast
DaVID DURant

Network with students from around the U.S.

NOLS Teton Valley
NICK CRoss

Gain life skills that transfer to the frontcountry.

COOKING

ORGANIZATION

COMMUNICATION

LEADERSHIP

NOLS Adventure courses are designed specifically for 14- to 15-year-old students. For two weeks to a month, youll be with students your own age, building relationships that will last a lifetime. Youll also build new skills, from backcountry cooking to leadership, which you will use for the rest of your life. NOLS courses are entirely field-based; youll only be looking through a windshield on the first and last day of your course. 11

The same outstanding, highly trained instructors that lead every NOLS course teach adventure courses, and pack weights and the ratio of students to instructors 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.

Lighter pack weights

Highly trained NOLS instructors with an average age of 35 do all the teaching. We do not sub-contract our programs to other companies!

Earn high school credit!

4:1 is the average student-to-instructor ratio on Adventure courses.

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Adventure

Wyoming Backpacking Adventure

Gain independence and take responsibility for yourself and others while having fun, learning about the outdoors, rock climbing, flyfishing, 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 hours 14 + 15 only $4,125 (21 days) or $5,360 (30 days)
NOLS Rocky Mountain
Matt MCARDlE

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

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Matt MCARDlE

NOLS Pacific Northwest

BEnJamIn LEstER

NOLS Northeast
JEn Sall

NOLS Pacific Northwest

BEnJamIn LEstER

Adirondack Backpacking Adventure

Designed 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 leadership 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 hour 14 + 15 only $3,360

Adirondack Backpacking and Canoeing Adventure

This 21-day course is designed to take young teens on an inspiring adventure. Traveling by canoe and by 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 brook trout, and wake to the call of loons. In this idyllic wilderness classroom, you will learn paddling strokes, rescue techniques, and portaging methods. You will link together a network of recreational waterways, which will lead you to the High Peaks Region, where you will discover high alpine zones on rocky summits and overcome challenges alongside new friends. 21 days Optional high school credit: 1 hour 14 + 15 only $4,510

Pacic Northwest Backpacking Adventure

Learn backcountry skills and explore the Pacific Northwests temperate rain forests, stunning ice-covered volcanoes, hidden bays and coves, and lush old-growth forests. This adventure is an ideal setting to challenge yourself and build your leadership abilities. When you return home, youll have the leadership qualities to succeed in school and whatever else you put your mind to. 14 days Optional high school credit: 0.5 hour 14 + 15 only $3,350

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NOLS Teton Valley

Adventure

EllIot JoHnston

NOLS Teton Valley

RICK BIEtERman

NOLS Teton Valley

NICK CRoss

Idaho Backpacking Adventure

The mountains of northern Idaho are unlike any classroom youve ever experienced with their fresh air and fresh opportunities. Youll learn skills backpacking, cooking, camping, and navigation with a mapand youll 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 youre following. 14 days Optional high school credit: 0.5 hour 14 + 15 only $3,350 This course is also offered in a female-only format.

Salmon Backpacking and Rafting Adventure

This 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. Youll learn how to make decisions, develop confidence, and work through challenges with your coursemates (we call this expedition behavior). Overall, youll work hard, have fun, and return home with leadership skills to last a lifetime. 28 days Optional high school credit: 1.5 hours 14 + 15 only $6,080

NOLS Teton Valley

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NICK CRoss

NOLS Teton Valley

NICK CRoss

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summer
Extended backcountry expeditions

NOLS Scandinavia
FREDRIK NoRRsEll

Learn Wilderness Medicine skills.

SEE THE WORLD

Classic courses are the courses that have made NOLS famous since 1965. Earn high school or college credit.

Earn the bragging rights that come with a full month spent in the wilderness.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

BUILD YOUR PERSONAL

Build your resum.

As your course progresses, you will develop individual leadership skills that will help you become a strong and confident leader.

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Matt RICHtER

NOLS Alaska
TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

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

NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

No organization offers expeditions that are longer or more remote than NOLS. Gain leadership 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. Youll also gain the confidence of being prepared to assess and manage an emergency as

you develop wilderness medicine skills that are essential in the backcountry and invaluable in the frontcountry. Identifying and mitigating risk, skills transferable to all aspects of your life, are important parts of a NOLS education. Finally, see the world on your NOLS course. Develop all these skills and more for success down the road in some of the most awe-inspiring locations in the world. No classroom will rival the worlds most pristine and untrammeled wilderness.
NOLS Yukon
BREnt Day

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NOLS Alaska

Classic

AlEXIs Alloway

NOLS Alaska
ManJUnatHa ByRappa

NOLS Alaska
StpHanE TERRIER

NOLS Alaska
TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

Alaska Backpacking
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. Youll become a seasoned wilderness traveler, 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 or 16 + 17 only $4,455

Alaska Mountaineering
Alaska is a chain of rugged mountain ranges and spectacular glaciers converging to make a mountaineers dreamscape. Within this region youll 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 season expeditions complete technical ice routes on glacier. Both are ideal training for living and traveling responsibly and efficiently in challenging mountain terrain. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 17 $6,250

Brooks Range Backpacking and River

The 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 youll spend 10 days on foot, moving across the tundra and up braided river channels. Then swap out for folding canoes for a three-week trip down the Noatak River out to the Chukchi Sea and a native fishing village. 40 days Optional academic credit: up to 8 hours Minimum age: 18 $8,100

NOLS Alaska
StpHanE TERRIER

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

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NOLS Alaska

Classic

TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

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

NOLS Alaska
KylE DUba

NOLS Alaska
EVAN HORN

Alaska Backpacking and Sea Kayaking

This course will give you a chance to learn two wilderness travel skills. While kayaking, youll follow a route in Prince William Sound, learning how to handle your boat in different 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 $5,220

Alaska Packrafting
Packrafting is at the forefront of Alaskan exploration, and NOLS is right there with it. This land- and water-based expedition uses packraftssingle-person inflatable raftsto open up some of the worlds most remote country that would be otherwise inaccessible 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 course. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 18 $5,100

Southeast Alaska Sea Kayaking

Theres no better way to take in Alaskas dramatic coastline than by gliding along the water. Your launching point is Petersburg in the heart of Alaskas Inside Passagea remote archipelago of forest and ocean. Youll 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 or 16 + 17 only $4,465 22

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NOLS Alaska
TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

Classic

NOLS Pacific Northwest

NICK CROSS

NOLS Pacific Northwest

BEnJamIn LEstER

NOLS Pacific Northwest NOLS Pacific Northwest

MEl FItZpatRICK KylE DUba

North Cascades Mountaineering

Washingtons North Cascades, often referred to as the American Alps, encompass some of Americas most spectacular sceneryjagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls, and more glaciers than any other location in the Lower 48. Many of the worlds 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 best places in the world to learn to be a mountaineer. 31 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 17 $4,525

Waddington Range Mountaineering

This demanding expedition travels into British Columbias Coast Mountains, including the Waddington Range, Whitemantle Range, and Homathko Icefield, for a month-long experience in rock, snow, and ice mountaineering skills. Youll get to experience some of the biggest and most remote glaciers NOLS travels on, and you will have more time to practice since these courses travel either in or out of the field via plane. You will hone your newfound skills on at least one peak attempt. 31 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 17 $5,600 24

NOLS Pacific Northwest

ROBERT HAKIM

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

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Classic

Pacic Northwest Backpacking

The Pacific Northwest is a richly diverse wilderness classroom, so there is an early season option and a late season option to this course. The Pasayten Wilderness in north central Washington (early season) boasts almost 150 peaks over 7,500 feet in elevation, rugged ridges in the west, and expansive plateaus toward the east. Courses that travel in Olympic National Park (late season) will traverse from east to west while viewing the areas rugged, glacier-capped mountains; wide, alpine meadows; and wild and rugged Pacific coast. 31 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 16 $4,225
NOLS Pacific Northwest
BEnJamIn LEstER

NOLS Pacific Northwest

AlEXIs Alloway

Pacic Northwest Mountaineering and Sailing

This challenging expedition offers the best of British Columbias spectacular Coast Mountains and the remote northern waters of Georgia Strait and Desolation Sound. The Waddington Range offers some of the largest and most remote glaciers in North America. You will learn how to navigate where there are no trails, and once you ascend to the alpine, your classroom will offer opportunities to hone rock, snow, and mountaineering skills. A traverse of these mountains brings you to where the rainforest meets the ocean. Youll board two 36-foot keelboats to learn boat handling under sail and power, coastal navigation, and seamanship. At expedition end, youll have the skills to explore any mountain or ocean environment in the world. 38 days Optional academic credit: up to 8 hours Minimum age: 17 $6,390

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

NOLS Pacific Northwest

BEnJamIn LEstER

NOLS Pacific Northwest

MoE WItsCHaRD

Pacic Northwest Sea Kayaking and Sailing

Find the full beauty of the Pacific Northwest on this all-ocean coastal exploration. You will sea kayak the remote waters of Vancouver Islands outer coast, learning a range of technical skills including fundamental paddling strokes, weather analysis, and interpretation of tides and currents. During the sailing section, youll find yourself aboard a 36-foot keelboat to explore the remote Strait of Georgia and Desolation Sound while learning boat handling under sail and power, chart reading, coastal navigation, and seamanship. Youre sure to grow into your sea legs on this course. 31 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 17 $5,465 25
NOLS Pacific Northwest
NICK CROSS

NOLS Pacific Northwest

AlEXIs Alloway

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Classic

Absaroka Backpacking
Yellowstone National Parks wild eastern neighbor is Wyomings 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. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 16 $4,290

Wind River Wilderness

This is the original NOLS course and the most popular expedition we offer. For 30 days, youll 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 campsite to campsite. 30 days Optional academic credit: 6 hours Minimum age: 17 $4,385 16 + 17 only $4,785

NOLS Rocky Mountain

JaVIER CEa V.

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BEnJamIn FoX

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

27

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BEnJamIn FoX

NOLS Rocky Mountain

JosH BECKnER

NOLS Rocky Mountain

JUan QUEIRolo

28 28

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Classic

KARY SOMMERS

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BEnJamIn FoX

NOLS Rocky Mountain

JosH BECKnER

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BEnJamIn FoX

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

Rock Climbing
This backcountry climbing expedition is a comprehensive immersion into the sport of traditional (trad) rock climbing amidst Wyomings famous sheer, granite walls and towering spires. Your instructors will emphasize skills such as movement on rock, rope systems, anchors, rappelling and belaying, protection placement, risk management, and leadclimbing philosophy. Youll develop a foundation in wilderness ethics away from frontcountry crags. 21 or 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 16 or 16 + 17 only $4,510 (21 days) or $5,470 (30 days) 29
NOLS Rocky Mountain
RaInbow WEInstoCK

Wilderness Horsepacking
Theres nothing quite like seeing the wilderness on horseback. Well take you from the NOLS-owned-andoperated Three Peaks Ranch into the wilderness of Wyoming and immerse you in the basics of Western horsepacking skills care and feeding, horse behavior and herd dynamics, tack, saddling, and ridingand other unique experiences of packing and traveling with horses. 21 days Optional academic credit: up to 4 hours Minimum age: 16 $5,360

Wind River Mountaineering

The rugged, glacier-carved Wind River Range is famous for mountaineering expeditions that have a perfect blend of glacier travel, snow ascents, and rock climbing. Youll learn fundamental mountaineering skills such as belaying, rappelling, and anchor construction. At the same time, youll master the camping, hiking, and leadership skills necessary to thrive in the mountain environment and beyond. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 16 $4,600

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NOLS Rocky Mountain

RaInbow WEInstoCK

Classic
Rock and River
Learn two skills in two very different wilderness environments: the stunning crags of Wyoming and the whitewater of Utahs Green River. The climbing section explores granite, limestone, and sandstone as the medium 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 $6,000

NOLS Teton Valley

WIlly HaZlEHURst

Salmon Backpacking and Rafting

This course is an exceptional blend of whitewater, wildlife, and American frontier history. Beginning with an 18-day hiking section, youll climb peaks and fish for trout as you learn to travel through rugged mountain terrain. Then, for 10 days, you will navigate the Salmon Rivers whitewater in paddle rafts and oar rigs, learning strokes, commands, guiding basics, and advanced maneuvering. Following in the footsteps of mountain men like Buckskin Bill, you will see great sights and learn skills for future exploration in the wilderness.
NOLS Rocky Mountain
ADam SwIsHER

28 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 16 $5,790

Whitewater River Expedition

Travel 125 miles through the breathtaking canyons of Utah and Colorados 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 begin in calm water and progress to moving water, learning increasingly advanced maneuvers. As the canyons get steeper and the rapids get bigger, instruction shifts to hydrology, hazard evaluation, and rescue techniques. 16 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 16 $3,990
NOLS Rocky Mountain
Matt MCARDlE

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain
KylE CasslInG

NOLS Rocky Mountain

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BRaD CHRIstEnsEn

32

NOLS Amazon
MaURICIo ClaUZEt

Classic

NOLS Australia
JaCKIE RUEtEnIK

NOLS Amazon
LaIs CUnHa

Amazon Basin River Expedition

In addition to the core NOLS curriculum, natural history and technical canoe skills receive special emphasis on this course, taking place on one of the large southern tributaries of the Amazon River. Heat and humidity, insects, and remoteness 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. 23 days Optional academic credit: up to 4 hours Minimum age: 18 $3,850

NOLS Amazon
MaRIo FRIEDlanDER

NOLS Australia
DAVID SUMMERS

NOLS Australia
JEannInE M. KlEwItZ

Australia Backpacking
The rich cultural history, subtropical habitats, and ancient land formations of the Kimberley make this part of Western Australia ideal for a backpacking expedition. Among tight canyons, dry plateaus, and secluded waterfalls, youll be challenged by this land of extremes, where days can be hot and nights chilly, and explore areas very few people have ever seen. Youll also learn about the Aboriginal culture by spending a couple of days with Aboriginal guides, discovering their traditional and contemporary lifestyles. 35 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 18 $6,375 33

Australia Backpacking and Sea Kayaking

Western 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, youll discover the areas rich human history and the most prolific Aboriginal petroglyph site in the world. Backpacking offers up ideal terrain to explore the Australian outback, whether its among the tight canyons and secluded waterfalls of the Kimberley or the deep basalt gorges and cool oases of the Pilbara. 45 days Optional academic credit: up to 8 hours Minimum age: 18 $8,015
NOLS Amazon
DalIo ZIppIn NEto

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

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Yukon Backpacking
Roam through the Yukons expansive and trail-less wilderness of forest and mountains. Youll explore and learn in the Yukons wild and remote mountain ranges, where youll climb far above tree line for awe-inspiring views. Youll 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 breath-taking vistas. Youll come home with the skills to lead your own backpacking trips, although youll always long for the freedom of the Yukon. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 16 $4,225

Yukon Backpacking and Wilderness Canoeing

Take 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, youll experience true expedition river travel with weeklong backpacking loops that provide incredible views of the wild Yukon peaks, spectacular ridge walks, and impressive wildlife. Youll come home an excellent camper and leader with an unparalleled appreciation for Canadas history and breathtaking wilderness. 30 days Optional academic credit: 6 hours Minimum age: 16 $4,800

Classic

NOLS Scandinavia
Cass Colman

NOLS Scandinavia
FREDRIK NoRRsEll

NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

NOLS Scandinavia
Cass Colman

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

NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

NOLS Scandinavia
FREDRIK NoRRsEll

Scandinavia Backpacking
If you have always dreamed of hiking above the Arctic Circle, youll 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, youll 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. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 18 $5,725

Scandinavia Backpacking and Sea Kayaking

The 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 remarkably unspoileda mix of rolling hills and snow-covered peaks punctuated by glaciers. Whichever skill you tackle first, youll walk away with a comprehensive understanding of the land, water, and culture of Scandinavia. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 18 $6,760

NOLS Yukon

35

StpHanE TERRIER

NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

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summer
Designed for students 23 years old and over

NOLS Pacific Northwest

BETSY WINSTON

NOLS Alaska
StpHanE TERRIER

LEADERSHIP SKILLS
NOLS East Africa
MEaGan BInKlEy

BUILD YOUR PERSONAL

Develop individual leadership skills that will help you become a strong and confident leader and further your career.

Shorter course offerings fit your busy schedule.

NOLS Scandinavia
RoGER MaRIn

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

Unplug from your hectic life. Plug into an expedition.

Youre in the prime of your life, and these courses are specifically designed to meet the needs of adults ages 23 and over. Because NOLS does all the planning, you can enjoy an expedition without the work up front. Most prime courses are two weeks long and minimize students 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 best instructors in the industry. Leadership lessons focus on the expedition model of setting goals and mustering all the resources available to meet them. After you graduate, go on to use the skills you learnedfrom taking family and friends on backcountry outings to demonstrating outstanding leadership in the workplace.
NOLS Alaska
TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

Great networking opportunities.

Lighter pack weight options.

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37

NOLS Scandinavia
FREDRIK NoRRsEll

Prime

NOLS Scandinavia
FREDRIK NoRRsEll

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BEnJamIn FoX

NOLS East Africa

MICHaEl SCHmERtZlER

Scandinavia BackpackingPrime
Get away for a quick Nordic expedition. With the expert guidance of your instructors, youll learn to travel and camp in areas such as Troms, Finnmark, or Lyngen. Two weeks backpacking in the Scandinavian Peninsula will provide the foundations of outdoor skills and leadership youll need for expeditions worldwide. 14 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $3,825

Wind River WildernessPrime

This is the short-format version of the original NOLS course. Take two weeks away from the grind and immerse yourself in the spectacular surroundings of Wyomings Wind River Mountains and the leadership and outdoor skills curriculum of NOLS. Because this course is horse-supported, you can even expect lighter packs. 14 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $3,595

Tanzania WildernessPrime
An expedition through East Africa will introduce you to tropical rainforests 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. Spend time with local tribes while learning about culture, human and natural history, and ecology. While on the vehicle-supported safari section of this course, you will lay eyes on exotic fauna. 14 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $3,875

Wilderness HorsepackingPrime
NOLS Rocky Mountain
BEnJamIn FoX

On this 14-day course, you will be immersed in the basics of Western horsepacking skills in the wilderness of the Wind River Range 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. 14 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $3,525

Rocky Mountain Lightweight BackpackingPrime

The first lightweight backpacking course in the world of outdoor education is in its seventh year at NOLS. Outfitted with 25- to 30-pound packs (1015 pounds without food and fuel), you will be off to one of Wyomings remote and wild rangesthe Wind Rivers, the Bighorns, the Absarokas, or the Beartoothsto enjoy the wilderness without the burden of a heavy load. After two weeks, youll have the knowledge and skills to plan and execute your own lightweight adventures. How light can you go?
NOLS Rocky Mountain
KELSEY WICKS

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

NOLS East Africa
MICHaEl SCHmERtZlER

14 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $3,610 40

39

Prime

Prince William Sound Sea KayakingPrime

Paddle Alaskas 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 youll have the ideal vantage point to view it all. Youll work hard paddling with all your gear stowed in your boat, but youll have opportunities to play as well. There are fish to catch and so many things to learn as you explore wild, wonderful Alaska. 14 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $3,600

Alaska MountaineeringPrime
This course takes you to a place in Southcentral Alaska often referred to as the mountain kingdom of North America, where a chain of rugged mountain ranges and spectacular glaciers converge to make a mountaineers dreamscape. To maximize time for skill development, this two-week version of this classic course flies directly onto a glacier, eliminating the long approach inherent in most mountaineering expeditions. From there, youll quickly put to use new skills and knowledge in a remote environment. 14 days Optional academic credit: 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $4,100

Brooks Range BackpackingPrime

North 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. Youll learn the skills in these two weeks needed to travel in a mountain environment long after your course ends. 14 days Optional academic credit: 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $4,775

NOLS Pacific Northwest

CHRIstIan StEIDlE

NOLS Alaska
TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

NOLS Pacific Northwest

JoHn SInK

NOLS Pacific Northwest

KylE DUba

NOLS Alaska
StpHanE TERRIER

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

NOLS Alaska
TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

NOLS Alaska
MaURICIo ClaUZEt

North Cascades MountaineeringPrime

Get a taste of the world-renowned mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest. Youll get a well-rounded base of snow, ice, and crevasse rescue mountaineering skills, with some potential for rock climbing, for an unparalleled mountaineering education. Your time in the mountains of the North Cascades will whet your appetite and prepare you for future adventures. 17 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 23 $3,590 41 42

NOLS Rocky Mountain NOLS Rocky Mountain

DAVID ANDERSON AsHlEy WIsE

NOLS Rocky Mountain

AbE GooDalE

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

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

NOLS Pacific Northwest

AlEXIs Alloway

summer
NOLS Rocky Mountain

Advance your career in outdoor education

DaVID AnDERson

Professional
MARKETABILITY
A NOLS diploma is the outdoor certification that employers are looking for.
Recognizing its role as the teacher of the teachers, NOLS offered its first course specifically for outdoor educators more than three decades ago, and the school is the worldwide leader in this field. Choose from a variety of courses for outdoor professionals based on your intereststhe options are wide open. NOLS career courses feature opportunities to teach in front of your peers and then de-brief 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 doesnt end with content-delivery. Its also up to you to recognize, prevent, and treat wilderness medicine emergencies. The NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute is the leader in wilderness medicine education. Our goal is to provide the highest quality education and information for the recognition, treatment, and prevention of wilderness emergencies.

Network with outdoor education professionals.

NOLS Wilderness Medicine courses feature realistic scenario-based education.

BE IT KNOWN THAT

HAVING COMPLETED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE NATIONAL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP SCHOOL

Graduate level credit is available.

Diploma
The Leader in Wilderness Education
Executive Director Instructor(s)

WIND RIVER WILDERNESS

Learn from the best and improve your teaching skills. These courses are specifically designed for teachers, outdoor educators, and those who aspire to be. NOLS can help you develop your confidence leading a group in the outdoors.

Build your resum by boosting your technical skills, medical knowledge, and leadership.
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Career

Rocky Mountain Outdoor Educator: Backpacking w/ Rock Climbing or Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
NOLS 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 Wests 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 $3,680 (climbing) or $5,295 (WFR)

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BEnJamIn FoX

NOLS Pacific Northwest

BEnJamIn LEstER

Alaska Outdoor Educator: Backpacking and Sea Kayaking

Knowing how to lead groups in two different skill areas 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, youll work with veteran educators to learn skills such as risk management, ration planning, and program supervision. By the end of the expedition, youll be better equipped to teach, lead, and explore, whether in a boat or on foot. Eligibility: Qualified practicing or potential outdoor educators. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 18 $4,530

NOLS Pacific Northwest

BETSY WINSTON

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Matt RICHtER

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

PHOTOGRAPHER

Yukon Outdoor Educator: Backpacking and Whitewater Canoeing

This 30-day expedition combines the skills of wilderness backpacking with northern whitewater canoeing in Canadas 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, youll also spend time on technical canoeing skills, teaching techniques, and river rescue concepts. Eligibility: Qualified practicing or potential outdoor educators. 30 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 18 $4,320

NOLS Alaska
CaRRIE SEssIons

NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

Pacic Northwest Outdoor Educator: Mountaineering

With a team of dedicated teachers and a facility thats ideal for expedition planning, NOLS Pacific Northwest specializes in courses for educators. On this course youll get a variety of skillsbackpacking, mountaineering, and rock climbing and experience a variety of terrain, from forests to glaciers to alpine rock. Your veteran instructors will pass along an in-depth look at NOLS time-tested teaching and programming methods as well as their strong enthusiasm for teaching in the wilderness. Eligibility: Qualified practicing or potential outdoor educators. 31 days Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours Minimum age: 18 $4,410
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Pacic Northwest Trip Leader

Washingtons wilderness areas are ideal training grounds for learning how to lead backpacking trips. Youll 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. Youll learn the intricacies of trip planning and how to organize expeditions of your own. Our students leave the Pacific Northwest with a higher level of competence and an inspiration to lead. Eligibility: Practicing trip leaders. 9 days Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours Minimum age: 18 $1,255

NOLS Instructor Courses

Want to become a NOLS instructor? NOLS Instructor Courses (ICs) are month-long courses for aspiring NOLS field instructors. Youll get the tools to teach the next generation of NOLS students: in-depth instruction on teaching the NOLS curriculum and training on NOLS protocols. 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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BRAD CHRISTENSEN

NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute

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

Career

Wilderness EMT (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 Aid (WFA)

Wilderness First Responder (WFR)

The WFA introduces trip leaders, camp staff, outdoor enthusiasts, and individuals working in a remote environment to wilderness medicine principles. Youll learn how to improvise equipment, deal with challenging environments, and act with confidence. 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). These courses offer a variety of opportunities for healthcare professionals and medical students to learn practical, hands-on wilderness medicine while earning continuing education credits. From two days to 30, 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. 230 days

The WFR is geared toward outdoor professionals who lead multi-day to multiweek trips. This course provides the tools to make important medical and evacuation decisions in remote locations.

Wilderness First Responder Recertication (WFR-R)

MIKE TREWARTHA

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 management and specific injury evaluation.

Education for Medical Professionals

COURSE

LENGTH

CPR INCLUDED

ACADEMIC CREDIT

CONTINUING ED. CREDIT

WEMT WFR WAFA WFA WFR-R

30 days (200 hours) 910 days (80 hours) 5 days (40 hours) 22.5 days (16-20 hours) 3 days (24 hours) Variable

9 hours 3 hours 2 hours 1 hour

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

1 hour
LENA CONLAN BRADLY BONER

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NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

Inventor of the Outdoor Semester

EST. 1965

NOLS semesters: Outstanding opportunities year-round

OPERATING AREAS
NOLS classrooms are some of the wildest and most awe-inspiring locations in the world. NOLS operates around the globe, offering you the chance to develop the outdoor skill that most appeals to you and discover the new territory that most excites you. Each fully staffed facility is a cornerstone of the community, ensuring our students come to truly understand the people and the environment of the area.
See the world, and meet people from around the globe!

COST PER DAY (AVG 75 DAYS)

BE IT KNOWN THAT
HAVING COMPLETED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE NATIONAL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP SCHOOL

263.45

summer
ROOM & BOARD

i
$5,231

Cost comparison data based on 2012-2013 data from NOLS and the College Board.

Diploma
The Leader in Wilderness Education
Executive Director Instructor(s)

WIND RIVER WILDERNESS

SEA KAYAKING canyoneering KAYAKING/RAFTING Sailing

splitboarding SKIING Rock Climbing

Horsepacking BACKPACKING

COST PER DAY (AVG 75 DAYS)

206.07

Professional
148.85
$700
GEAR DEPOSIT
( ROOM & BOARD = FREE )

MARKETABILITY

ROOM & BOARD

$4,602

COST PER DAY (87 DAYS LONG)

Spend your summer with NOLS

Earn your NOLS diploma and additional certifications. When NASA and the U.S. Naval Academy train leaders, they send them to NOLS.

Wilderness Mountaineering Medicine Packrafting Canoeing

Learn a variety of skills during various sections of your course.

TUITION, FEES, ROOM & BOARD

Earn college credit. $12,250

TUITION & FEES

TUITION & FEES

$14,528

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 broken 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 desire to learn, which means

youll leave your NOLS semester with a series of valuable outdoor skills developed in a number of different environments. Every NOLS course is approved for college credit, and more than 75 percent of our college-age students take advantage of this option.

$10,853

PRIVATE FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE SEMESTER $19,759

PUBLIC FOUR-YEAR OUT OF STATE SEMESTER $15,455

NOLS SEMESTER IN THE ROCKIES $12,950

The average size of a semester course.

15

NOLS semesters are divided into sections that focus on a set of outdoor skills, for example sea kayaking or rock climbing. Over the course of several sections, lessons build upon one another. From a kayaking section to a backpacking section, students leadership and general backcountry traveling skills develop from novice to mastery.

NOLS scholarships are available and you can use Americorps, VA, and 529 funds to pay for your semester.
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Semesters

Summer Semester in the Rockies

NOLS 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 will become second nature as you progress through each section of this semester. Find more details online. 68 days Optional academic credit: up to 16 hours Minimum age: 17 $11,400

NOLS Rocky Mountain NOLS Rocky Mountain

AsHlEy WIsE

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BRAD CHRISTENSEN

BEnJamIn FoX

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BRaD CHRIstEnsEn

NOLS Rocky Mountain

MaRCIo PaEs BaRREto

NOLS Rocky Mountain

DaVE AnDERson

Summer Wilderness Medicine & Rescue Semester

You 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, fourweek Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) course, followed by nine weeks of backpacking, river travel and rock climbing. Students will also dive into environmental studies, examining, in particular, the impact of environmental health on human health. Certifications earned include WEMT, rock and swiftwater rescue, CPR instructor, and LNT master. 51
NOLS Rocky Mountain
EVAN HORN

91 days Optional academic credit: up to 19 hours Minimum age: 18 $15,200

NOLS Rocky Mountain

BEnJamIn FoX

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Semesters

Summer Semester in the Yukon

This semester is an action-packed learning adventure. It takes place entirely in Canadas Subarctic, 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. Along your route, you will fish, cross unnamed rivers, and summit unnamed peaks. After this semester, youll have unmatched technical expeditionary skills in backpacking and whitewater canoeing. 57 days Optional academic credit: up to 11 hours Minimum age: 17 $9,500
NOLS Yukon
AnDREw RIlEy

NOLS Alaska
StpHanE TERRIER

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

NOLS Yukon NOLS Alaska

AlEXIs Alloway AsHlEy WIsE

NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

NOLS Alaska
TRaCy BaynEs, STEP

NOLS Yukon
StpHanE TERRIER

Summer Semester in Alaska

Your 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 continents largest assemblage of glaciers and its greatest collection of peaks over 16,000 feet in elevation. On the mountaineering section, youll 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 worldrenowned 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 $11,800
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NOLS Alaska
BETSY WINSTON

NICK HALL

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NOLS ROCKY MOUNTAIN

Fall Courses

Fall Semester in the Rockies Fall Outdoor Educator Semester Fall Wilderness Medicine and Rescue Semester
NOLS PACIFIC NORTHWEST

INTERESTED IN COURSES DURING OTHER SEASONS? Get online to view previous catalogs, including the winter/spring 2014 catalog, and keep an eye out for the fall catalog in April. The winter/ spring 2015 course catalog will hit mailboxes in September. www.nols.edu

Fall Semester in the Pacific Northwest

NOLS SOUTHWEST

JOIN US.
.EDU WWW.NOLS

Fall Semester in the Southwest Fall Lightweight Backpacking

NOLS EAST AFRICA

NOLS Teton Valley

Matt McArDle

Fall Semester in East Africa

NOLS INDIA

NOLS Patagonia
BETSY WINSTON

Fall Semester in India Himalaya Backpacking Himalaya Mountaineering

NOLS NEW ZEALAND

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

Fall Semester in New Zealand

NOLS Southwest
Matt McArDle

NOLS MEXICO

Fall Semester in Baja Baja Coastal Sailing Baja Sea Kayaking

NOLS PATAGONIA

NOLS Mexico
BRAD CHRISTENSEN

NOLS India
AleXis Alloway

Fall Semester in Patagonia Year in Patagonia

NOLS AMAZON

Fall Semester in the Amazon

NOLS INSTRUCTOR COURSES
NOLS Pacific Northwest
BenJamin Lester

NOLS Instructor Course (IC) Wilderness Medicine Instructor Training

Course (ITC)

Winter & Spring Courses

NOLS INDIA NOLS PATAGONIA

NOLS Rocky Mountain

FreDrik Norrsell

Himalaya Backpacking Himalaya Mountaineering Spring Semester in India

NOLS India
Cass Colman

Patagonia Mountaineering Patagonia Sea KayakingPrime Spring Semester in Patagonia

NOLS SOUTHWEST

SplitboardingPrime Backcountry Skiing Backcountry SkiingPrime

NOLS AUSTRALIA

NOLS MEXICO

Baja Coastal Sailing Baja Sea Kayaking Baja Sea KayakingPrime Spring Semester in Baja
NOLS NEW ZEALAND

Southwest Outdoor Educator:

Backpacking and Rock Climbing Spring Semester in the Southwest Spring Semester on the Borders
NOLS TETON VALLEY

Spring Semester in Australia

NOLS ROCKY MOUNTAIN

Spring Outdoor Educator Semester Spring Semester in the Rockies Spring Wilderness Medicine and
Rescue Semester

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NOLS New Zealand

Jamie O"Donnell

New Zealand Backpacking Spring Semester in New Zealand

Winter Outdoor Educator Splitboarding

56

Semester in New Zealand

START THINKING ABOUT YOUR FALL SEMESTER...

Rachel CUrtis

JOIN NOLS.
SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID AT NOLS NOLS awards over $1.5 million in scholarships annually to applicants who show potential to excel with NOLS and would be unable to attend without nancial 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/nancialaid.

CHOOSE YOUR COURSE AND APPLY NOW!

(800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu

Semester in the Amazon

Mario FrieDlanDer

Semester in the Rockies

Keith CrawforD

A+ COLLEGE CREDIT Every NOLS course is approved for college credit, and more than 75 percent of our college-age students take advantage of this option. Hundreds of colleges and universities have accepted NOLS/University of Utah credit or granted their own direct credit. Learn more at www.nols.edu/credit.

NOLS is a win-win for students and parents alike.

Semester in the Southwest
DaViD AnDerson

TALK TO YOUR CHILD!

CONVINCE YOUR PARENTS!

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Semester in Baja
Cass Colman

Semester & Year in Patagonia

FreDrik Norrsell

Semester in India
MaDhU ChikkaraJU

NOLS IS AN ADVENTURE Learn technical skills in some of the most awe-inspiring classrooms in the world. Rise to the challenge of long days, Mother Natures 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 STRENGTH You need a lot less than you imagine, and you can thrive in tougher conditions than you think. Youll emerge from your NOLS course condent in your ability and with a new understanding of your calling for your future. BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR A LIFETIME Impress 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 pack of resums. FIND NEW FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD NOLS 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 CLASSROOMS Take 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 worlds most awe-inspiring classrooms.

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NOLS IS A SCHOOL NOLS 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, nancial aid, and a recognized diploma. I'LL BECOME A LEADER I'll gain leadership skills that I will use in all areas of my life. I may nd the calling for my career is in outdoor education, and nobody will prepare me better than NOLS. I'LL BUILD MY RESUM This 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 resum or college application will set me apart. I'LL BECOME AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD NOLS teaches Leave No Trace practices. I'll also gain extensive knowledge of the ora, fauna, and environmental issues in the region in which I study. And all this knowledge translates to environmental science credits. THE NOLS ALUMNI ADVANTAGE Being a NOLS alum means that I will be part of a network of more than 233,000 people world-wide. This network can help me nd jobs, nd housing, meet people in a new city, and much more.

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Semester in the Pacic Northwest

BenJamin Lester

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Semester in East Africa
Michael Schmertzler

Semester for Outdoor Educators

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Craig MUDerlak

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