Curtis Tronolone

Positions at NOLS: Student Service Representative
Hometown: Rochester, New York
NOLS course: Wind River Mountaineering 2004

Sitting on his bed in his dorm room at Syracuse University, Curtis Tronolone flicked through the NOLS catalog and found himself clueless as to what course he would choose among the variety offered by NOLS. Eventually, he decided on a Wind River Mountaineering course, he says he was inspired by the fact that, “Well, I wanted something that was pretty hardcore, so Mountaineering seemed… I think it was just the word ‘mountaineering.’” Several months later, flying into Riverton and pulling up to the Noble, the reality of the situation kicked in, “I was like, ‘oh crap, what have I gotten myself into?’”

Despite feeling the initial unease that many a pre-course student can attest too, Tronolone found his apprehension fading quickly. After meeting everyone, he realized that they were jumping into the same experience together, and that group dynamics would eventually form around every individual. “Of course, it turned out great,” Tronolone says.

With a degree in Environmental Studies and Land Use Management, the Rochester, New York native says his course also gave him the opportunity to see his academic studies translated to the field. NOLS wasn’t just about hearing what the practices and principles were, it was seeing the necessity of wilderness conservation. “The importance of it, from not being able to see lights on the horizon or not being able to hear or see any trace of the outside world. I thought the best way to understand how much land is needed and how it’s used in recreation is to actually do a NOLS course.”

Employment at NOLS has been the obvious next step for Tronolone, where he now works as a Marketing Representative on the Bus. “It’s great to work for something you support and feel passionate about.”