Ever wonder how your beloved NOLS branch is doing or what it is like at a branch across the globe? This season, we asked a number of NOLS locations to weigh in with interesting facts that give us a glimpse into their part of the NOLS world.

NOLS Baja

• NOLS Mexico is an off-grid facility. We generate over 95% of our electric power through solar energy.
• We will be running the first all-ocean semester at NOLS in 2007. It includes sea kayaking, small open-boat sailing and large keelboat sailing.

NOLS Alaska

• Our 4Kw wind tower feeds into our power grid and offsets our power use.
• Instructor and Assistant Branch Director Rick Rochelle is doing a paper and poster on snow bridge strength at the International Snow Science Workshop in Telluride, CO.
• Once again, Alaska staff and students enjoyed over 1000 pounds of herbs and vegetables from our organic garden this summer.
• Staff on the way to a re-supply at Wonder Lake in Denali National Park witnessed a “Wild Kingdom” moment when they watched a grizzly bear and wolf fighting near the road!

NOLS Yukon

• The Inuit cultural interaction on this summer’s Baffin Island course was such a hit that we’re lengthening the cultural section to include more caribou skinning, soapstone carving and elder visit time for next year.
• We’re using new routes in the Logan Mountains on the Northwest Territory and Yukon border for many of our Outdoor Educator Courses. No other groups hike in this mountain range.

NOLS Teton Valley

• Our winter students will be using cool new backcountry boards—the Atomic MX-9 lightweight, turn-happy mid-fat skis. “One of the most forgiving skis ever made.”
• We’re looking forward to hosting Wharton Business School students as part of a NOLS Professional Training leadership and winter camping expedition.
• We’ve started to use local, organic bagels in our field rations. Over 60 dozen will be devoured on this winter’s courses.

NOLS Rocky Mountain

• Our record-breaking report indicates that Course Leader Louis Krall bagged thirteen 11,000’+ peaks on a Wyoming Wind River Wilderness Course.
• Also, Matt Lloyd completed 4,201 push-ups in one course day, while Angus Deal did 11,566 push-ups over the duration of a course. Wow! Impressive statistics from our students and staff!

NOLS Southwest

• The new shower house (above) is in use and lessening our carbon footprint! Some eco-friendly fixtures include: low-flow toilets and showerheads, waterless urinals and a solar-powered batch water heater.
• This has been a record year for the monsoon season. Tucson has already received over 10.20 inches of rain (average is usually six inches)! The desert is blooming and the barrel cacti are so full of water they look like they are going to explode.