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 ...
NOLS gap year expedition grad Luna Rosal gives insight into both the fun and challenges she experienced on a NOLS gap year.
A snap, hasty decision in college led me to attend NOLS. Usually a calculated person, l changed my life course in about 60 seconds.
National Outdoor Leadership School graduate and artist, Dori Bergman, talks about how her outdoor adventures inspire her artwork.
My mom would take my sisters and me on mother-daughter trips, and we each got to choose whatever we wanted to do. I always chose camping in the Adirondacks because I loved the little toads and lizards. This sparked my lifelong love for the outdoors.
Camper life comes with some challenges; however, it’s the most freeing thing I have experienced since my gap year, and I can’t recommend the ...
When I say 2020, what comes to mind? Pandemic, quarantine, fear, loneliness, job loss, online overload. It was February 2020 when I began my journey ...
Out of the blue, a tip from an old mentor pointed me towards NOLS as an alternative, and maybe more fitting, way to continue my education.
Stretching myself right to the limit, day after day, and finding camaraderie in that challenge gave me a new sense of capacity and bravery as we ...
5 Gap Year Myths Debunked - Worried that a NOLS gap year expedition is beyond your reach in terms of timing, finances, or technical skills? Guess ...
Discover why the NOLS Wilderness First Responder course is transformative, equipping you with skills, confidence, and a new perspective on handling ...
Over 55 years, we've learned the value of NOLS isn't in accomplishments so much as the way a NOLS education inspires and empowers our graduates to ...
In 1990, two people started a business that was remarkable for 2 reasons—most important because the business was dedicated to teaching wilderness ...
What do Marc Randolph, Jimmy Chin, José González, Knight Campbell, and Kit DesLauriers have in common? Listen to their stories to learn how NOLS ...
Artist Alina Drufovka on Being a Latina Backpacker, NOLS Fellow, and Turning COVID into an Opportunity for Art
Enjoy reading our posts with advice for parents, role models in outdoor education, and all things focused on getting others outside
We are committed to highlighting the inspirational and brave work of those in the NOLS community serving others in need during this crisis
An open conversation with NOLS Instructor and Environmental Stewardship Coordinator Jonathan Williams.
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 ...
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 ...
See why a former camp counselor thinks all camp staff should have wilderness medicine trainings!
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.
The NOLS Tanzania Scientific Expedition is a unique opportunity to design and implement a scientific research study—and summit Mount Kilimanjaro!
Katie Raymond relives the unforgettable day when she paddled for 13 hours in stormy weather on her Yukon Backpacking and Whitewater Canoeing ...
I had no idea I was going to work toward this masterpiece of a race, where I’d blend skills I'd spent years working on for 1,000 miles in the winter ...
In many ways, an all-women's course is just another NOLS course. But it's also something more.
NOLS grad Kimberly Blazzard unexpectedly put her wilderness medicine skills into practice on a solo trip on the Appalachian Trail.
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.
NOLS welcomes new president, and celebrates Paul Petzoldt's 112th birthday, our 55th anniversary, and 50th anniversary of 30 Days of Survival ...
NOLS Wilderness First Responder trainings aren't just for outdoor enthusiasts—they're also great prep for humanitarian work in disaster zones.
Audrey Goral took a NOLS WFA thinking she would only use the skills for a sprained ankle. She never expected to use the skills on her twin in an ...
Do something different on Black Friday—join NOLS in opting outside! Here are some of our staff's top picks for awesome places to #OptOutside.
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!
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 rock climbing was about knowing enough knots and climbing hard enough routes— but it turns out there's more to ...
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 ...
We're not saying you should never bring your phone camping. But here are some good reasons to consider a tech-free adventure.
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 ...
Wondering what a NOLS river course is like? Get the inside scoop from instructors and students.
NOLS grad Eric Johnson unveils the mystery of a Wilderness First Responder certification: earning your 'Woofer' makes you a #lowkeysuperhero.
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 ...
USNA grad and Marine veteran Mike Titzer reflects on the lessons he learned on his student course and his return to Alaska as a NOLS instructor.
Going on an expedition is one thing—going with your spouse can be something else entirely.
NOLS grad Alison Peterson shares how she developed deeper relationships with those around her on a Semester in Baja.
Steve reflects on the lasting impact of his homestay with a host family in Tanzania during his Semester in East Africa with NOLS.
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.
It's April 1st! Time to check out a list of the latest custom NOLS gear you can't be without.
Learn about the personal expeditions NOLS instructors undertook in the mountains, rivers, and frontcountry for professional development in 2018.
NOLS grad Mairin Rogers shares what she learned on her Semester in Baja about being brave rather than constantly trying to achieve perfection.
Kenyan mountain guide and medic Carol Wanjiru shares her journey on a NOLS course for East African outdoor professionals.
Tricia shares her story of a gap year filled with glacier walks, ABBA songs, and Kiwi slang on a Semester in New Zealand.
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 Willy Oppenheim describes the difficulties and exhilaration of a stunning first ascent of two peaks in Chilean Patagonia.
While recovering from a devastating injury, Jim Harris found himself returning to key life lessons he learned as a teen on a NOLS backpacking course.
NOLS instructor and American Avalanche Association executive director Jaime Musnicki talks about her career in the outdoor industry.
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 - ...
John Gans is NOLS' longest-serving director and his tenure has been notable for strengthening the school and prioritizing the well-being and needs of ...
NOLS alumni give advice for taking friends and family on a NOLS alumni trip.
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.
Mingyuk Chen shares sketches and stories from her expedition with NOLS in Tanzania, East Africa
One NOLS graduate uses her Wilderness First Responder skills to help a surfer in need.
Claire found the new experiences and energy she needed to refresh from school on a Semester in Baja
A NOLS alumni reflects on the lessons of watching a sunrise in the Himalaya Mountains.
NOLS grad Alyssa Walker concludes that camping with her two young children was magical—and also one of the hardest things she's ever done as a parent.
When gender or sex is relevant to treating a patient, it's important to communicate respectfully and not make assumptions.
Chilean NOLS grad Ignacio Martínez shares stories and advice from his Semester in Patagonia.
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 sea kayaking leadership 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.
Kathryn Wheeler reflects on the role of technology in our daily lives and offers advice on how to truly unplug.
A Columbia Business School student shares the lessons he took home from a challenging backpacking expedition in Patagonia with NOLS.
A NOLS grad, writer, and mother of two, Alyssa Walker reflects on how the expedition behavior she learned in Alaska applies to parenting.
NOLS Wilderness Medicine grad Carina Ahlqvist will be the first Scandinavian woman to summit Makalu— but that's not why she joined the 2018 Climate ...
Struggling with the big city life she thought she wanted, Elena Rodriguez realized that what she actually needed was a NOLS course—or two.
You never know when your first aid training might come in handy—you might even wind up using your skills to treat your pet!
Outdoor educator Erin Phillips shares reflections on the time she spent exploring the Utah desert on a NOLS semester expedition.
Lynn Hill is famous for her legendary free climb of the Nose on El Capitan. What you might not know is that she's a NOLS Wilderness First Responder ...
NOLS instructor Jonathan Brooks uses words and images to chronicle his journey through British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest.
My 30-day NOLS course was the hardest test of will, teamwork, strength and leadership I’ve ever experienced.
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 ...
The post author learned that stepping into life back home is as important a skill as living in the wilderness.
We hope you enjoy taking a look back at the seven most-read stories from 2017.
Adventuring in nature has the ability to open our hearts and interpretive learning opens our minds.
I had registered for the women's climbing course for many reasons, but my essential motive was to be in a positive, supportive, and encouraging ...
Carolyn shares the letter she wrote to herself on a one-night solo near the end of her Semester in New Zealand.
Parent Shelli Johnson writes about what it was like for her son to go on a 30-day NOLS course
An instructor team heads to North America's largest wilderness to explore new rivers and mountains by packraft.
Looking back with a critical eye, I can see the poetry of the experience I had in Alaska. Dramatic, refreshing, limit-pushing poetry.
We found ourselves in a boat pulling away from the only dry land we could see. It looked like a normal city neighborhood had been built in the middle ...
Covered with white glaciers, Denali towers incredibly high above all the other Alaska Range peaks and the surrounding green tundra.