My Semester in Baja, as Told in Food and Sunsets [Photo Essay]
NOLS grad Claire Burgeson shares her study abroad experience in Baja through stunning photos of beaches and wildlife, local practices and food, and ...
NOLS grad Claire Burgeson shares her study abroad experience in Baja through stunning photos of beaches and wildlife, local practices and food, and ...
What happens if you have to use the bathroom far from a toilet? Read how to do this with minimum impact on the landscape to stay happy, healthy, and ...
Instructor Navarana reflects on what it means to practice patience and compassion in the face of adversity, using outdoor experiences to frame her ...
Reflecting on seasonal transition, NOLS instructor Jonny Hepburn shares lessons learned during ski season and how they might apply to spring ...
Instructor Jonny Hepburn reflects on lessons learned in one season and how they apply to the next.
Evening light catches mountains shrouded in snow as we head south—spring slopes tinged with the hues of sunset. It's a time of seasonal transition. We're headed to the river now, saying goodbye to snowy mountain adventures till next year.
Sometimes being a good leader means admitting you don't know the answer, a lesson Carolyn Highland learned on her outdoor educator course in the ...
Now's the time to apply lessons learned outdoors, like practicing LNT, having a positive attitude, and managing risk responsibly, to the frontcountry.
On an Alaska backpacking and sea kayaking course, NOLS grad Caroline Dooley realized that hiking like a girl is something to celebrate. Here's why.
Katie Raymond relives the unforgettable day when she paddled for 13 hours in stormy weather on her Yukon Backpacking and Whitewater Canoeing ...
Choose a different kind of spring break this year. Forget the touristy beaches and overcrowded ski resorts and dive into a real outdoor adventure!
Check out this video to learn a short and effective yoga routine that's designed specifically for paddlers!
Once upon a time, two young bankers met by chance, bonding over their NOLS expeditions in Wyoming's mountains. The rest is history—a true NOLS love ...
NOLS grad, former instructor, and current Board member Jimmy Chin shares reflections on adventure, storytelling, family, and his NOLS experience.
NOLS LGBTQ+ Canyonlands Backpacking grad, Mat Pryfogle, recounts his takeaways from NOLS' first LBGTQ+ Expedition.
Check out our seven new expeditions for summer 2020 and start planning your next adventure!
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.
Make outdoor-focused New Year's resolutions and achieve them in 2020.
On a NOLS expedition, Jack Johnson fell in love with wilderness medicine. Read about his journey from a 14-year-old backpacker to a Wilderness EMT!
Make spring break 2020 the ultimate outdoor adventure! Join NOLS to paddle the Baja coast, backcountry ski in the Rockies, or rock climb in the ...
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.
Instructor Andy thought improving at climbing was about knowing enough knots and climbing hard enough routes— but it turns out there's more to it ...
Come to NOLS India to explore the landscape and culture of the Himalaya. Engage with local communities while backpacking and mountaineering.
NOLS grad-turned-instructor Katiya Gombar says that not a single day goes by without thinking of her expedition in Alaska and the lessons she learned ...
In Alaska I realized I might not be the most extroverted human, but I didn’t have to be. Someone else could do that and there would still be space—a ...
Don’t let these dates sneak up on you—summer’s going by quickly and winter will be here before you know it.
Wondering what a NOLS river course is like? Get the inside scoop from instructors and students.
My friends were confused about why someone who'd just gotten a masters in Public Health would join a NOLS expedition in Patagonia—quite frankly, so ...
You're a first responder helping a patient who was bucked off their horse. The assessment might reveal something more troubling than what meets the ...
Going on an expedition is one thing—going with your spouse can be something else entirely.
NOLS river expeditions offer chances to paddle both calm waters and up to Class III whitewater in kayaks, oar rigs, and rafts.
Jessey Jansen shares memories from her Women's Baja Sea Kayaking expedition.
NOLS instructor Natalie Sands writes about making hard decisions about the most challenging rapid she's ever faced.
Learn about the personal expeditions NOLS instructors undertook in the mountains, rivers, and frontcountry for professional development in 2018.
Kenyan mountain guide and medic Carol Wanjiru shares her journey on a NOLS course for East African outdoor professionals.
Winter is ripe for lessons in expedition behavior (EB) for everyone, especially kids.
Now an associate professor at Western Carolina University, NOLS grad Andrew Bobilya still treasures the lessons he learned on his Baja sea kayaking ...
NOLS instructor Katie Oram shares everything she knows about winter camping—we mean everything.
NOLS Instructor Willy Oppenheim describes the difficulties and exhilaration of a stunning first ascent of two peaks in Chilean Patagonia.
Your favorite photos of wilderness, friendship, and leadership from the NOLS Instagram account in 2018.
Skiing and winter camping are the bread and butter of NOLS winter instructor Kate Koons
In the middle of a semester of complete chaos, Olivia Hewitt decided to take a NOLS course and writes about why you should do a NOLS course even - ...
NOLS instructor Jake Blackwelder tells the story of a rescue on a rock climbing route in Moab, Utah.
Rebeca Espinosa, a NOLS Gateway Scholar, set off on her Wilderness Horsepacking and learned to find satisfaction in the hard work of horsepacking.
Take a look at new upcoming courses for winter and spring in 2019.
A NOLS alumni reflects on the lessons of watching a sunrise in the Himalaya Mountains.
The world is already starting to feel the effects of climate change. Here's some examples of how your next outdoor trip might be affected and how to ...
Chilean NOLS grad Ignacio Martínez shares stories and advice from his Semester in Patagonia.
NOLS instructor Liz Townsend believes the most important leadership lessons are learned outdoors—not in the business world (although they do apply ...
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 ...
Sarah Delany reflects on the most impactful—and toughest—day of the customized NOLS course she took with fellow Bates College students in the ...
Breaking the norms of leadership styles helped this NOLS grad grow on an all-women's course in Baja California, Mexico.
Check out a collection of stories from some of the expeditions and trainings instructors pursued in 2017 to continue growing as leaders and educators.
NOLS grad Maddy Eschholz reflects on the transferrable lessons she brought home from her outdoor semester in the Rockies.
Get ready for your next trip with these tips on how to pack your backpack.
A NOLS grad, writer, and mother of two, Alyssa Walker reflects on how the expedition behavior she learned in Alaska applies to parenting.
Struggling with the big city life she thought she wanted, Elena Rodriguez realized that what she actually needed was a NOLS course—or two.
NOLS instructor Jonathan Brooks uses words and images to chronicle his journey through British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest.
Instructor Tim Kelley shares his passion for packrafting and explains what to expect on a NOLS packrafting expedition, based on a course he taught in ...
Here are the top six reasons why one NOLS Wilderness Medicine grad recommends taking a Wilderness EMT course.
The post author learned that stepping into life back home is as important a skill as living in the wilderness.
NOLS instructor Rumi Kodama reflects on a canoeing seminar in Canada—and the intersections between growing her whitewater skills and confidence.
A NOLS instructor recounts adventures from a climbing trip in Chile and Argentina that highlighted the importance of positivity in the face of ...
Here are some ways to stay happy and occupied while you wait out a storm on a backpacking trip.
A NOLS instructor applies his teaching skills to a river expedition with his family on the Salmon River.
We’re introducing five new courses to our fall lineup that are all 10 days or shorter. Enjoy!
A NOLS instructor reflects on how a rock climbing seminar inspired her to keep learning.
NOLS mountaineering grad Will Harrison shares tips on adjusting to city life and incorporating lessons learned outdoors to life at home.
Here’s a peek at the three new courses offered in summer 2017.
NOLS grad Haley Peel found the challenge she was looking for on a mountaineering course in India—and learned some lasting lessons along the way.
A NOLS alum reflects on the life-changing experiences he had while hiking, kayaking, and sailing on a semester in Baja California, Mexico.
A first-generation college student reflects on what she learned on a NOLS sea kayaking expedition for STEP students in Alaska.
Four NOLS instructors share the experience of leading a group of friends and family on a rafting expedition in the Grand Canyon.
Here's what one grad did to prepare for her gap year expedition in Patagonia with NOLS.
Advice from the pros on how to take care of your feet when they get cold.
Here are five tips on how to apply Leave No Trace (LNT) principles while hiking during mud season.
Even though hot drinks don't greatly affect your internal body temperature, they serve several very important purposes.
Get some tips on how to apply Leave No Trace principles on a backcountry expedition in the winter.
Get some tips on how to stay cozy and warm while sleeping outdoors on a winter camping expedition.