Our hands on, learn-by-doing approach means that our graduates get the skills they need to be competent, responsible wilderness travelers long after their course is over.

What NOLS teaches cannot be learned in a classroom or on a city street. It takes practice to learn outdoor skills and time to develop leadership. The wilderness provides the ideal setting for this unique education.

On Every NOLS Course You’ll Learn the NOLS Core Curriculum:

Leadership and Teamwork Photo: Caitlin Buttor Expedition Behavior: pitch in, be positive, serve group goals, respect others, work as a team Competence Communication Judgment and Decision-Making Tolerance for Adversity and Uncertainty: work ethic, challenge, physical and mental endurance Self-Awareness: personal strengths and limitations, learn from every experience, give and seek feedback Vision and Action: set and attain goals, take initiative, add your energy to the group, problem solve

Outdoor Skills Photo: Willy Hazlehurst Equipment care and selection Ration planning Preparing nutritious using a camp stove and a fire Staying warm and dry Route-finding, navigation, map reading, compass use Campsite selection Sanitation and waste disposal

Environmental Studies Photo: Craig Muderlak   Leave No Trace camping and resource protection Field natural history: animal and plant identification, astronomy, weather, geology Understanding of pertinent regional environmental issues Function, organization and local concerns of land management agencies Sustainability of our ecological, social, and economic systems Wilderness ethics and practices for everyday life

Risk Management Photo: Tony Jewell   Health and comfort maintenance Wilderness injury prevention and treatment Judgment: ability to use past experience and knowledge to judge new situations Group decision-making Identify and mitigate subjective and objective risks Emergency procedures