NOLS Facts

{p.3–4}

Grads Tell
Their Stories
{p.5–10}

NOLS Yukon
NOLS Alaska
Adventure
Courses
{p.11–16}
NOLS Pacific
Northwest

NOLS Northeast
NOLS Teton Valley
Classic Courses NOLS Rocky Mountain
{p.17–36} Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus
NOLS Southwest

NOLS Mexico

Prime Courses
{p.37–42}

Career Courses NOLS Amazon

{p.43–48}

Semester
Courses
{p.49–54}

Fall, Winter/ NOLS Patagonia

Spring Courses
{p.55–56}
1
 A MESSAGE FOR PARENTS

Every year, NOLS instructors take thousands of students into some of the world’s most extraordi-
nary terrain to learn, grow, and experience more than they
ever have before. No matter a student’s age when reaching
the trailhead, he or she likely has parents sitting at home
excitedly awaiting their return.
I can relate—I’m 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
NOLS Scandinavia 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 first son, who took
an Idaho Backpacking Adventure, and my youngest son joined us for a llama packing alumni
trip. The benefits to each of my children were beyond measure. By unplugging and stepping
into an experiential adventure, they reaped the full benefits 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 amplified. I witnessed excitement over new
and deep friendships. I saw their competence in the outdoors had increased and the confidence in
their leadership skills boosted.
NOLS India 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.
I’m 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 don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions at
(800) 710-6657 or via chat at www.nols.edu.

John Gans,
NOLS East Africa NOLS Executive Director

NOLS Australia

NOLS New Zealand

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, 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.

2
 LEADERSHIP • SKILLS JOIN NOLS ADVENTURE • FUN
– EST. 1965 –

With NOLS you can

TRAVEL the world and
UNPLUG and set forth on
immerse yourself in
new ADVENTURES.
awe-inspiring
WILDERNESS and
diverse CULTURES.

Learn the LEADERSHIP and TECHNICAL SKILLS

necessary to become SELF-RELIANT in remote
wilderness settings.

When you graduate, you will have the experience and

background necessary to LEAD OTHERS comfortably
and responsibly in the backcountry.

Alumni are welcomed into the NOLS

COMMUNITY and return for more
No matter your path, you’ll carry the NOLS
courses, alumni trips, or CAREERS in
DIPLOMA, the recognized certification awarded
to outstanding leaders and outdoors people and outdoor education.
admired by employers, coaches, and teachers.

RESEARCH and
Curriculum
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 JUDGMENT SELF-AWARENESS
environmental ethics. NOLS’ unrivaled curriculum is informed & DECISION MAKING Know your strengths and
by nearly 50 years of development and dedicated research in a Demonstrate situationally appropriate weaknesses, your leadership
wide range of topics, including experiential education, risk decision making, use your experience to style, and how you influence
management practices, and wilderness ecology. develop good judgment. or affect others.

3
 97% OF NOLS GRADUATES WOULD
RECOMMEND NOLS TO A FRIEND

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

233,000 CENTRALLY Staffing, admissions, and
curriculum development
ADMINISTERED all happen at our
headquarters in Lander,
Locally Wyo., meaning you get the same
i In 2013,
NOLS had
Operated high-quality experience wherever
over 19,000
students from
you take your course. Course
49 states logistics, outfitting, and planning
and 45 are done at each location, by staff
countries! who understand the culture and
nuances of that place.

MISSION NOLS STAFF

NOLS has the most experienced, well-rounded instructional staff in
The mission of the National Outdoor Leadership NOLS
outdoor education. All instructors take the NOLS instructors course OUTDOOR
School is to be the leading source and teacher of and serve as apprentices on courses before being certified to teach for
wilderness skills and leadership that serve people
NOLS. All NOLS instructors are certified in wilderness medicine and
SKILLS
and the environment. horsepacking
CPR. They also take advantage of continuing education, including
60 instructor seminars each year. FLY Rafting
FISHING
The average
student-to-
PACKRAFTING
instructor ratio is KAYAKING
• People thrive when challenged. 5:1. This provides
our students with Leave No Trace
• Living in nature teaches responsibility. the personal
instruction they rock SPLITBOARDING
• Leadership can be learned. need to be
successful. climbing SAILING
• Learning should be fun.
LEADERSHIP Backpacking
i NOLS Professional Training offers innovative, customized
NOLS courses for businesses and organizations ranging
We believe that leadership can be learned. We facilitate
the development of key leadership skills as students
CANOEING
Canyoneering SKIING
from NASA to The Archer School for Girls. progress through the NOLS leadership curriculum with MOUNTAINEERING
experience and feedback.
wilderness medicine

EXPEDITION BEHAVIOR COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE TOLERANCE FOR VISION & ACTION

Be a strong team member by Be a clear communicator, an Possess and use knowledge, ADVERSITY & UNCERTAINTY See the possibility in any situation
keeping yourself and others understanding and invested listener, skills, and technical ability, as Learn to endure–even enjoy–hard work and find creative ways to move
motivated and exercising good and give and receive well as organization and and challenge, and adapt to changes and your team toward it. Have initiative
conflict resolution. feedback well. management. challenges with focus and a sense of humor. and motivate others.

4
 Adirondack Backpacking Adventure Nicholas Nerli takes in the views atop a mountain
in the Northeast, something he hopes to do again
Designed for young teens with a sense of adventure, this course soon. NICHOLAS NERLI
takes you to the New York State Adirondacks, the premier wilder-
ness 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.

Near the East Coast’s major population centers, Backpack on great trails with your new
NOLS Northeast provides new territory for students best friends. DAVID DURANT
like Nicholas to explore. LINDSAY YOST

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

Adventure course students grow with

students their age. PHILIP BRANCA

5
Strive for All I Hope to Be
NICHOLAS NERLI / Adirondack Backpacking Adventure 2013

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
flown 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, first aid, navigation, and,
most importantly, leadership. The suggestions and
guidance I was given when I was in a leadership role
truly benefited me. I will never forget being leader of
the day, for it was difficult, but as a team we succeeded that I look forward
day. That experience will stay with me and serve me when I to future NOLS
face obstacles for the rest of my life. courses and
My instructors were knowledgeable, positive, and will use the
encouraging toward everyone, creating a healthy team. We knowledge I
grew from each other and shared experiences I can’t do justice gained to be the
to in writing. Through our friendships, we recognized our most successful
strengths and improved on our weaknesses in order to become person I can be.
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 fishes,
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.

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 group’s strengths and encourages responsibility.
• Takes stands on issues clearly and directly.

6
 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 it’s 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 didn’t 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
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.
7
that I had been surviving all my life, but that doesn’t 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 conflict, and come out friends. NOLS
gave me faith in myself. I had never been so far outside my literal and
figurative 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, “Briefing for Entry into a More Harsh Environment.” I read
it often because it draws the connection between my NOLS course
(backpacking, fly-fishing, tent-pitching, water-filtering) and going to
college (studying, meeting new people, trying new things, being self-
sufficient). 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.
 Living in a place like this for a month teaches students about
organization, planning, and the impact of their habits. MATT MCARDLE

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

Sally Murray learned to thrive You won’t find pizza this

in the Wind River Mountains.
SALLY MURRAY
good on any college
campus. STÉPHANE TERRIER
Wind River Wilderness
This is the original NOLS course and the most
popular expedition we offer. For 30 days,
you’ll explore the Wind River Moun-
tains, 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 fly fishing apply to school and Students make their way through a boulder
career: patience, attention to detail, and field, practicing the risk management skills
a wilderness ethic, for example. CAITLIN learned throughout the course. BENJAMIN FOX
BUTTOR-FOEDERL

8
 Students from
California’s Archer
School for Girls
engage in a navigation
class. BRIAN HENSIEN
Bob Schoultz finds 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/.
JOIN NOLS. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu 

Teamwork is essential on a
mountain and in a conference
room. ALEX CHANG – CORNELL
9 LEADERSHIP EXPEDITION
Unplugging to Plug in
BOB SCHOULTZ / NOLS Professional Training expedition 2013
Our course, organized through NOLS Profes-
sional Training, left civilization with a com-
mitment 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 suc-
cessful 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 other’s idiosyncrasies. We were competent and incompetent
together, and we laughed a lot. We were frustrated (and occasion-
ally 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.
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 group’s route and “staying found.”
We also plugged back into ourselves. Stepping away from civi-
lization and immersing oneself in the wilderness can have a pow-
erful 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 don’t have
wilderness, we can plug in to parts of time to experience in
ourselves that we often don’t 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 Officer
of Fifth Factor Leadership.
10
 summer

Designed for 14+15 year-old students

NOLS Teton Valley

Nick Cross

NOLS Adventure courses are designed specifically for 14- to 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 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 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.

11
 NOLS Southwest
Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin

NOLS Northeast
Philip Branca

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain NOLS Northeast

Matt McArdle David Durant

Network with students from around the U.S. Gain life skills that transfer to the frontcountry.

COOKING ORGANIZATION COMMUNICATION LEADERSHIP

Highly trained NOLS instructors

with an average age of 35 do all the Earn high
teaching. We do not sub-contract school credit!
Lighter pack our programs to other companies!
weights
4:1 is the average student-to-instructor ratio on Adventure courses.
12
 Adventure
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
13
NOLS Northeast
Jen Sall
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
 Wyoming Backpacking Adventure APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu 
Gain 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 APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu 
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

NOLS Rocky Mountain NOLS Pacific Northwest

Matt McArdle Benjamin Lester

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Benjamin Lester

Pacific Northwest Backpacking Adventure

Learn backcountry skills and explore the Pacific North-
west’s temperate rain forests, stunning ice-covered volca-
noes, 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, you’ll 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

14
 Adventure

NOLS Teton Valley

Nick Cross
15
 NOLS Teton Valley
Elliot Johnston

NOLS Teton Valley

Rick Bieterman

NOLS Teton Valley

Nick Cross

Idaho Backpacking Adventure

The mountains of northern Idaho are unlike any classroom you’ve ever
experienced with their fresh air and fresh opportunities. You’ll learn skills—
backpacking, cooking, camping, and navigation 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 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. You’ll learn how to make decisions, develop
confidence, and work through challenges with your coursemates (we call this “ex-
pedition behavior”). Overall, you’ll work hard, have fun, and return home with lead-
ership skills to last a lifetime.
• 28 days • Optional high school credit: 1.5 hours • 14 + 15 only • $6,080

NOLS Teton Valley

Nick Cross 16
16
 summer
Extended backcountry expeditions
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.
You’ll also gain the confidence of being prepared to assess and manage an emergency as
17
NOLS Scandinavia
Fredrik Norrsell
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 world’s most pristine and untrammeled wilderness.
 Learn Wilderness SEE THE WORLD
Classic courses are
the courses that have
Medicine skills. made NOLS famous
since 1965.

Earn high school

Earn the bragging rights or college credit.
that come with a full month BUILD YOUR PERSONAL
spent in the wilderness.
LEADERSHIP SKILLS
As your course progresses, you will develop
individual leadership skills that will help
Build your resumé. you become a strong and confident leader.

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Matt Richter

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

Tracy Baynes, STEP

NOLS Yukon
Stéphane Terrier

NOLS Yukon
Brent Day 18
18
 Classic
NOLS Alaska
Manjunatha Byrappa
Alaska Backpacking
A wilderness expedition in every sense: daylight at
midnight, tracks of the seasonal caribou migra-
tion, and land that stretches into alpine tundra
plains with a backdrop of rugged and heavily
eroded mountains. You’ll become a seasoned wilder-
ness 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
19
Alaska Mountaineering
Alaska is a chain of rugged mountain ranges and
spectacular glaciers converging to make a moun-
taineer’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 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
you’ll 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
Alexis Alloway

NOLS Alaska NOLS Alaska

Stéphane Terrier Tracy Baynes, STEP

NOLS Alaska
Stéphane Terrier
APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu 

20
20
 Classic

NOLS Alaska
21 Tracy Baynes, STEP
NOLS Alaska
Tracy Baynes, STEP
Alaska Backpacking and Sea
Kayaking
This course will give you a chance to learn two wilder-
ness travel skills. While kayaking, you’ll 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
APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu
NOLS Alaska
Kyle Duba
Alaska Packrafting
Packrafting 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 be otherwise inaccessible to
overland travel. With this equipment and the help of ex-
perienced 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
 
NOLS Alaska
EVAN HORN
Southeast Alaska Sea Kayaking
There’s no better way to take in Alaska’s dramatic coast-
line than by gliding along the water. Your launching
point is Petersburg 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 or 16 + 17 only • $4,465
22
 Classic

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

NOLS Pacific Northwest
ROBERT HAKIM

23

NOLS Pacific Northwest
Benjamin Lester
NOLS Pacific Northwest
NOLS Pacific Northwest Kyle Duba
Mel Fitzpatrick
North Cascades Mountaineering
Washington’s North Cascades, often referred to as the “American Alps,” encompass
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 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
NOLS Pacific Northwest
NICK CROSS
Waddington Range Mountaineering
This demanding expedition travels into British Columbia’s Coast Moun-
tains, including the Waddington Range, Whitemantle Range, and Homathko Icefield, for
a month-long experience in rock, snow, and ice mountaineering skills. You’ll
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
 Classic Pacific Northwest Backpacking
The Pacific Northwest is a richly diverse wilderness class-
room, 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 area’s
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

Pacific Northwest Mountaineering

and Sailing
This challenging expedition offers the best of
British Columbia’s 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 mountain-
eering skills. A traverse of these mountains brings you to
where the rainforest meets the ocean. You’ll board two
36-foot keelboats to learn boat handling under sail and
power, coastal navigation, and seamanship. At expedition
end, you’ll 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

Pacific 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 Island’s outer
coast, learning a range of technical skills including funda-
mental paddling strokes, weather analysis, and interpreta-
NOLS Pacific Northwest tion of tides and currents. During the sailing section, you’ll
Alexis Alloway 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. You’re 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 NOLS Pacific Northwest
Benjamin Lester Alexis Alloway

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

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Benjamin Lester

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Moe Witschard

NOLS Pacific Northwest

NICK CROSS 26
 Classic

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain

27 Benjamin Fox
 Absaroka Backpacking
Yellowstone National Park’s wild eastern neighbor 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.
• 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, 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 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

NOLS Rocky Mountain NOLS Rocky Mountain

Josh Beckner Juan Queirolo 28
28
 Classic

NOLS Rocky Mountain

29 Rainbow Weinstock
NOLS Rocky Mountain
KARY SOMMERS
NOLS Rocky Mountain
Josh Beckner
Rock Climbing
This backcountry climbing expedition is a compre-
hensive immersion into the sport of traditional
(trad) rock climbing amidst Wyoming’s 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 lead-
climbing philosophy. You’ll develop a foundation in wil-
derness 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)
NOLS Rocky Mountain
Benjamin Fox
NOLS Rocky Mountain
Benjamin Fox
APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu
Wilderness Horsepacking
There’s nothing quite like seeing the wilderness on horse-
back. 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 horsepacking 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 • $5,360
 
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. You’ll learn fundamental mountaineering
skills such as belaying, rappelling, and anchor construc-
tion. At the same time, you’ll 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
30
 NOLS Rocky Mountain
Rainbow Weinstock

NOLS Teton Valley

Willy Hazlehurst

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Adam Swisher

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Kyle Cassling

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Matt McArdle

31
Classic
Rock and River
Learn two skills in two very different wilderness
environments: the stunning crags of Wyoming and
the whitewater of Utah’s 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

Salmon Backpacking and Rafting

This course is an exceptional blend of whitewater,
wildlife, and American frontier history. Beginning with
an 18-day hiking section, you’ll climb peaks and fish for trout
as you learn to travel through rugged mountain terrain. Then,
for 10 days, you will navigate the Salmon River’s 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.
• 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
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 begin in calm water
and progress to moving water, learning increasingly
APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu  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

Brad Christensen 32
 Classic
NOLS Australia
DAVID SUMMERS
Australia Backpacking
The rich cultural history, subtropical habitats, and ancient land formations of the Kim-
berley make this part of Western Australia ideal for a backpacking expedition. 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 tradi-
tional and contemporary lifestyles.
• 35 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 18 • $6,375
33
NOLS Australia
Jackie Ruetenik
NOLS Australia
Jeannine M. Klewitz
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, you’ll discover the
area’s rich human history and the most prolific Aboriginal petroglyph site in
the world. Backpacking offers up ideal terrain to explore the Australian outback, whether
it’s 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
Mauricio Clauzet

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

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

NOLS Amazon
Dalio Zippin Neto 34
 Yukon Backpacking
Roam 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 breath-taking
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.
• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 16 • $4,225
NOLS Yukon
Stéphane Terrier
35
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, 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 • $4,800
APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu 
NOLS Yukon
Stéphane Terrier
NOLS Yukon NOLS Yukon
Stéphane Terrier
Stéphane Terrier
 Classic

NOLS Scandinavia NOLS Scandinavia

Cass Colman Fredrik Norrsell

NOLS Scandinavia
Cass Colman

NOLS Scandinavia
Fredrik Norrsell

Scandinavia Backpacking Scandinavia Backpacking and Sea Kayaking

If 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.
• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 18 • $5,725
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
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.
• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 18 • $6,760

36
 summer
Designed for students 23 years old and over
You’re 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
37
NOLS Pacific Northwest
BETSY WINSTON
APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu 
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 learned—from taking family and friends
on backcountry outings to demonstrating outstanding leadership in the workplace.
 NOLS Alaska
Stéphane Terrier

BUILD YOUR PERSONAL

LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Develop individual leadership skills that will
NOLS East Africa help you become a strong and confident leader
Meagan Binkley and further your career.

Shorter course
offerings fit your
busy schedule.
NOLS Scandinavia
Roger Marin

Unplug from your

hectic life. Plug into
an expedition.

Great networking Lighter pack

NOLS Alaska
Tracy Baynes, STEP
opportunities. weight options.

38
 Prime

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Benjamin Fox

Wind River Wilderness–Prime

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 Wyoming’s 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

Wilderness Horsepacking–Prime
On this 14-day course, you will be immersed in the basics of Western
NOLS Rocky Mountain horsepacking skills in the wilderness of the Wind River Range—
Benjamin Fox 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 Backpacking–Prime

The first lightweight backpacking course in the world of outdoor educa-
tion is in its seventh 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?
NOLS Rocky Mountain
KELSEY WICKS
• 14 days • Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours • Minimum age: 23
• $3,610

39
 NOLS Scandinavia
Fredrik Norrsell

NOLS Scandinavia
Fredrik Norrsell

NOLS East Africa

Michael Schmertzler
Scandinavia Backpacking–Prime
Get 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 Scan-
dinavian Peninsula will provide the foundations of outdoor skills and
leadership you’ll need for expeditions worldwide.
• 14 days • Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours
• Minimum age: 23 • $3,825

Tanzania Wilderness–Prime
An 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. 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

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

NOLS East Africa

Michael Schmertzler 40
 Prime

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Christian Steidle

NOLS Pacific Northwest NOLS Pacific Northwest

John Sink Kyle Duba

North Cascades Mountaineering–Prime

Get a taste of the world-renowned mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest. You’ll
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
 Prince William Sound Sea
Kayaking–Prime
Paddle Alaska’s world-famous Prince William
Sound: past towering tidewater glaciers, crys-
tal-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.
• 14 days • Optional academic credit: up to 2 hours
• Minimum age: 23 • $3,600
NOLS Alaska
Stéphane Terrier
Alaska Mountaineering–Prime
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 mountaineer’s
dreamscape. To maximize time for skill devel-
opment, this two-week version of this classic
course flies directly onto a glacier, eliminating the
long approach inherent in most mountaineering expedi-
tions. From there, you’ll quickly put to use new skills and
knowledge in a remote environment.
• 14 days • Optional academic credit: 2 hours
• Minimum age: 23 • $4,100
APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu
NOLS Alaska
Tracy Baynes, STEP
Brooks Range Backpacking–Prime
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. You’ll 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 Alaska
Tracy Baynes, STEP
 
NOLS Alaska
Mauricio Clauzet
42
NOLS Rocky Mountain
DAVID ANDERSON

summer

Advance your career in outdoor education

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 profes-
sionals based on your interests—the 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 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 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.

43
 NOLS Rocky Mountain
Ashley Wise

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Abe Goodale

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

NOLS Pacific Northwest

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain

David Anderson

Professional
MARKETABILITY
NOLS Wilderness Medicine A NOLS diploma is the
BE IT KNOWN THAT

HAVING COMPLETED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE

NATIONAL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP SCHOOL

outdoor certification that

WIND RIVER WILDERNESS

Network with outdoor courses feature realistic Graduate level The Leader in
Wilderness Education
Diploma

education professionals. scenario-based education. credit is available. employers are looking for. Executive Director Instructor(s)

Learn from the best and improve your teaching

Build your resumé by boosting
skills. These courses are specifically designed
your technical skills, medical
for teachers, outdoor educators, and those who
knowledge, and leadership.
aspire to be. NOLS can help you develop your
confidence leading a group in the outdoors.
44
 Career

NOLS Pacific Northwest

Benjamin Lester

NOLS Pacific Northwest NOLS Pacific Northwest

BETSY WINSTON Matt Richter

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

Pacific Northwest Outdoor Educator: Mountaineering Pacific Northwest Trip Leader

With a team of dedicated teachers and a facility that’s ideal for expedition planning,
NOLS Pacific Northwest specializes in courses for educators. On this course you’ll
get a variety of skills—backpacking, 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
Washington’s wilderness areas are ideal training grounds for learning how
to lead backpacking 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 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

45
 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 West’s
ranges and beyond. Eligibility: Qualified practicing or potential outdoor
NOLS Rocky Mountain educators.
Benjamin Fox • 23 (rock climbing) or 30 (WFR) days • Optional academic credit: up to 7
hours • Minimum age: 18 • $3,680 (climbing) or $5,295 (WFR)

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, 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
PHOTOGRAPHER
or potential outdoor educators.
• 30 days • Optional academic credit: up to 6 hours • Minimum age: 18
• $4,530

Yukon Outdoor Educator: Backpacking and White-

water Canoeing
This 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
NOLS Alaska
the hiking and camping skills needed to manage groups in the remote
Carrie Sessions backcountry, you’ll 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
NOLS Yukon • $4,320
Stéphane Terrier

NOLS Instructor Courses

Want to become a NOLS instructor? NOLS Instructor Courses (ICs)
are month-long courses for aspiring NOLS field instructors.
You’ll 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.

46
NOLS Wilderness
Medicine Institute
NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute offers the highest quality education and information
in the prevention, recognition, and treatment of wilderness emergencies.

Wilderness EMT (WEMT) Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

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.
The WFA introduces trip leaders, camp staff, outdoor enthusiasts, and individu-
als working 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 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. • 2–30 days

CONTINUING
COURSE LENGTH CPR INCLUDED ACADEMIC CREDIT
ED. CREDIT

WEMT 30 days (200 hours) 9 hours

WFR 9–10 days (80 hours) 3 hours

WAFA 5 days (40 hours) 2 hours

WFA 2–2.5 days (16-20 hours) Variable 1 hour

WFR-R 3 days (24 hours) 1 hour

BRAD CHRISTENSEN

Career

MIKE TREWARTHA

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

LENA CONLAN BRADLY BONER 48

 NOLS Yukon
Stéphane Terrier

summer

Spend your summer with NOLS

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
you’ll 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.

49
 Inventor of the
Outdoor Semester NOLS semesters: Outstanding opportunities year-round
– EST. 1965 –

OPERATING AREAS
NOLS classrooms are some of the wildest and most See the world, and
awe-inspiring locations in the world. NOLS operates around meet people from
the globe, offering you the chance to develop the outdoor around the globe!
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.

263.45
COST PER DAY (AVG 75 DAYS)
SEA KAYAKING canyoneering
KAYAKING/RAFTING Sailing
BE IT KNOWN THAT

HAVING COMPLETED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE

NATIONAL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP SCHOOL

WIND RIVER WILDERNESS

Cost comparison data based on Diploma

i Horsepacking BACKPACKING
The Leader in
Wilderness Education

2012-2013 data from NOLS

and the College Board.
Executive Director Instructor(s)

splitboarding SKIING Rock Climbing

Professional
ROOM & BOARD

206.07 Wilderness Mountaineering

$5,231

COST PER DAY (AVG 75 DAYS)

MARKETABILITY
Earn your NOLS diploma and additional Medicine Packrafting Canoeing
148.85
ROOM & BOARD

certifications. When NASA and the U.S.

$4,602

COST PER DAY (87 DAYS LONG)

Naval Academy train leaders, they send
$700 them to NOLS.
GEAR
DEPOSIT
( ROOM &
Learn a variety of skills during various
BOARD = FREE )
sections of your course.
Earn NOLS semesters are divided into sections that focus on a set
TUITION, FEES, ROOM & BOARD

college of outdoor skills, for example sea kayaking or rock climbing.

credit. Over the course of several sections, lessons build upon one
another. From a kayaking section to a backpacking section,
TUITION & FEES

TUITION & FEES

$14,528

$10,853

$12,250

students’ leadership and general backcountry traveling skills

develop from novice to mastery.

PRIVATE
FOUR-YEAR
COLLEGE
PUBLIC
FOUR-YEAR
OUT OF STATE
NOLS
SEMESTER
IN THE
15
The average size of a
NOLS scholarships are available and you can
SEMESTER SEMESTER ROCKIES
use Americorps, VA, and 529 funds to pay for
semester course.
$19,759 $15,455 $12,950 your semester.

50
 Semesters

NOLS Rocky Mountain

NOLS Rocky Mountain
BRAD CHRISTENSEN
Ashley Wise

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

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Marcio Paes Barreto

Summer Wilderness Medicine & Rescue Semester

You could be a member of a search and rescue team, leading wilder-
ness 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 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.
• 91 days • Optional academic credit: up to 19 hours • Minimum age: 18 • $15,200
NOLS Rocky Mountain
51 EVAN HORN
 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 manage-
ment, 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

Benjamin Fox

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Brad Christensen

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Dave Anderson

NOLS Rocky Mountain

Benjamin Fox 52
52
 Semesters

NOLS Alaska
Stéphane Terrier

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

NOLS Alaska
Alexis Alloway

NOLS Alaska
Tracy Baynes, STEP

NOLS Alaska
Summer Semester in Alaska BETSY WINSTON

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 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 • $11,800

53 NICK HALL
 Summer Semester in the Yukon
This semester is an action-packed learning adventure. It takes place
entirely in Canada’s 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, you’ll 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 Yukon
Ashley Wise

NOLS Yukon
Stéphane Terrier

NOLS Yukon
Stéphane Terrier

54
 NOLS ROCKY MOUNTAIN
• Fall Semester in the Rockies
• Fall Outdoor Educator Semester
• Fall Wilderness Medicine and Rescue Semester

Fall Courses NOLS PACIFIC NORTHWEST

• Fall Semester in the Pacific Northwest

NOLS SOUTHWEST
• Fall Semester in the Southwest
• Fall Lightweight Backpacking

NOLS EAST AFRICA

• Fall Semester in East Africa

NOLS INDIA
• Fall Semester in India
• Himalaya Backpacking
NOLS Patagonia • Himalaya Mountaineering
BETSY WINSTON

NOLS NEW ZEALAND

• Fall Semester in New Zealand
NOLS Southwest
NOLS MEXICO
Matt McArdle
• Fall Semester in Baja
• Baja Coastal Sailing
• Baja Sea Kayaking

NOLS PATAGONIA
• Fall Semester in Patagonia
• Year in Patagonia

NOLS AMAZON
• Fall Semester in the Amazon

NOLS INSTRUCTOR COURSES

• NOLS Instructor Course (IC)
• Wilderness Medicine Instructor Training
NOLS Pacific Northwest
Benjamin Lester
Course (ITC)

NOLS India
Cass Colman

NOLS New Zealand

55 Jamie O"Donnell

APPLY NOW. (800) 710-6657 www.nols.edu
NOLS Mexico
BRAD CHRISTENSEN
Winter & Spring Courses
NOLS INDIA
• Himalaya Backpacking
• Himalaya Mountaineering
• Spring Semester in India
NOLS MEXICO
• Baja Coastal Sailing
• Baja Sea Kayaking
• Baja Sea Kayaking—Prime
• Spring Semester in Baja
NOLS NEW ZEALAND
• New Zealand Backpacking
• Spring Semester in New Zealand
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/
JOIN US. .EDU spring 2015 course catalog will hit mailboxes
WWW.NOLS
in September. www.nols.edu
NOLS Teton Valley
Matt McArdle
 
NOLS India
Alexis Alloway
NOLS Rocky Mountain
Fredrik Norrsell
NOLS PATAGONIA • Splitboarding—Prime
• Patagonia Mountaineering • Backcountry Skiing
• Patagonia Sea Kayaking—Prime • Backcountry Skiing—Prime
• Spring Semester in Patagonia
NOLS AUSTRALIA
NOLS SOUTHWEST • Spring Semester in Australia
• Southwest Outdoor Educator:
Backpacking and Rock Climbing NOLS ROCKY MOUNTAIN
• Spring Semester in the Southwest • Spring Outdoor Educator Semester
• Spring Semester on the Borders • Spring Semester in the Rockies
• Spring Wilderness Medicine and
NOLS TETON VALLEY Rescue Semester
• Winter Outdoor Educator
• Splitboarding
56
 Semester in
New Zealand
START THINKING ABOUT YOUR FALL SEMESTER... Rachel Curtis

Semester in Semester in
the Amazon the Rockies
Mario Friedlander Keith Crawford

Semester in the
Southwest
David Anderson

Semester & Year Semester

in Patagonia in India Semester
Fredrik Norrsell Madhu Chikkaraju
in Baja
Cass Colman

Semester in the
Pacific Northwest
Benjamin Lester Semester in
East Africa
Michael Schmertzler

Semester for
Outdoor Educators
57
57 Craig Muderlak
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 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.
NOLS is a win-win for students and parents alike.
TALK TO YOUR CHILD!
1 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 Nature’s surprises, and
new lessons on working as part of a team every day. Return home prepared
and eager for your next adventure.”
2 DISCOVER YOUR INNER STRENGTH
“You 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 your ability and with a new understanding of your calling for your future.”
3 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 resumés.”
4 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.”
5 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
world’s most awe-inspiring classrooms.”
CHOOSE YOUR COURSE AND APPLY NOW!
(800) 710-6657 • www.nols.edu
COLLEGE CREDIT A+
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.
CONVINCE YOUR PARENTS!
1 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, financial aid,
and a recognized diploma.”
2 I'LL BECOME A LEADER
“I'll gain leadership skills that I will use in all areas of my life. I may find
the calling for my career is in outdoor education, and nobody will prepare
me better than NOLS.”
3 I'LL BUILD MY RESUMÉ
“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 resumé or
college application will set me apart.”
4 I'LL BECOME AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD
“NOLS teaches Leave No Trace practices. I'll also gain extensive knowledge
of the flora, fauna, and environmental issues in the region in which I study.
And all this knowledge translates to environmental science credits.”
THE NOLS ALUMNI ADVANTAGE
5 “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 find jobs, find
housing, meet people in a new city, and much more.”
58
58
 National Outdoor Leadership School NON-PROFIT
284 Lincoln Street U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Lander, Wyoming 82520-2848
LANDER, WY
www.nols.edu | admissions@nols.edu
PERMIT NO. 43
Phone: (800) 710-NOLS | Fax: (307) 332-1220

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