Skiing

Japan: Hot Springs and Cold Powder!

NOLS' first foray into backcountry skiing in Japan with an Alumni Trip.

two silhouetted backcountry skiers reach the top of a snowy slope at sunset

The Hurrier I Go: What This Winter Taught Me about Patience in the Mountains

Instructor Navarana reflects on what it means to practice patience and compassion in the face of adversity, using outdoor experiences to frame her ...

NOLS students sit on a rocky outcrop in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest at sunset with wisps of clouds

What Can Spring Learn from Winter? Lessons for the Transition

Reflecting on seasonal transition, NOLS instructor Jonny Hepburn shares lessons learned during ski season and how they might apply to spring ...

girl wearing purple top holds hands out while swimming underwater with a snorkel

4 Spring Break Trips You Haven't Considered

Choose a different kind of spring break this year. Forget the touristy beaches and overcrowded ski resorts and dive into a real outdoor adventure!

4 Spring Break Trips You Haven't Considered

colorful kayaks pulled ashore on a sandy beach in Baja with calm turquoise water behind — Photo by Molly Hagbrand

Which of these items is on your spring break wish list?

Snorkel beside a coral reef.
Ski untouched powder.
Climb a towering granite crag.
Wait in a long lift line and at overcrowded ski resort.
Wade through litter and hordes of people at a touristy beach.

A quinzhee stands in deep snow in front of a mountain while a pair of skis rests outside its entrance.

How To Build a Winter Snow Shelter

Excited to go winter camping? These pro tips and instructions teach you how to build a quinzhee shelter out of snow instead of using a tent.

Person wearing a backpack backcountry skis down hill toward pines below

3 Mottos I Learned From My AMGA Ski Guide Training

While she's still not sure if she wants to be a ski guide, NOLS instructor Jesse Quillian has some lessons to share from her recent training.

toddler in winter apparel with snow in the background and wearing sunglasses

Learning Expedition Behavior With Kids: Winter Edition

Winter is ripe for lessons in expedition behavior (EB) for everyone, especially kids.

Person backcountry touring in winter landscape with Tetons in the background

Everything You Need to Know About Winter Camping

NOLS instructor Katie Oram shares everything she knows about winter camping—we mean everything.

Group of four people smiling and wearing touring skis with mountains in the background

Meeting the Experts: NOLS Winter Instructor Kate Koons

Skiing and winter camping are the bread and butter of NOLS winter instructor Kate Koons

Smiling woman wearing backpack and holding trekking poles standing in the snow in the Southwest

New Courses for Winter & Spring 2019

Take a look at new upcoming courses for winter and spring in 2019.

Three distant silhouetted figures on a ridge surrounded by snow on a sunny day

Pay It Forward: How My NOLS Semester Helped Me Lead My Own Backcountry Trips

Carolyn Highland reflects on one of her favorite days ever—ascending an unnamed peak with a student-only team on her NOLS semester—and its lasting ...

Educator Expedition: The Good Life, Eleven Days on the Bugaboos–Rogers Pass Ski Traverse

Stories from an epic ski traverse of Rogers Pass