NOLS fans and novices alike were treated in May as two different television spotlights shined on the school.

For the rising generation, Cameron Diaz's show Trippin' on MTV follows the star and her friends (actress Rebecca Romijn, BMX biker Mat Hoffman, rapper DMX and others) as they travel around the world, striving to promote environmental stewardship. NOLS and the Wind River Mountains hosted the show that aired on May 9.

Last September, Diaz, Romajin, Hoffman and DMX arrived Lander, where NOLS Rocky Mountain outfitted them for a brief taste of NOLS life. Experienced instructors Wendy Davis and Steve Whitney led them through Leave No Trace ethics, crossing a Tyrolean traverse and camping. The star-studded group also met with NOLS Instructor Jim Culver at the NOLS Three Peaks Ranch for a front-row view of Wyoming's Red Desert, where natural gas development is on the rise.

So did they learn anything? DMX, who seemed skeptical during most of the show, admitted to caring more about the environment at the end. In the following episode, he even demonstrates his new-found Leave No Trace ethics when he picks a piece of litter off the street!

Columbia Crew On-Trail
On May 14, the Science Channel featured NOLS on "Astronaut Diaries," a special about the Columbia crew and their two years of training before what would become their final mission. The segment highlighted the crew's 12-day training with NOLS in the Wind Rivers just prior to their mission. Clips from astronaut Dave Brown's camera chronicle the evolution from co-workers to friends and teammates as the crew summits Wind River Peak with NOLS Professional Training Director John Kanengieter and NOLS Instructor Andy Cline. The show intersperses these home videos with additional scenes and interviews depicting just how well the Columbia crew came together to form a team.

-Julie Hwang