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From tidewater glaciers to sea otters, Prince William Sound is a perfect marine classroom.
Photo: Tracy Baynes |
Your Semester in Alaska includes everything from forested coastlines to the snow and ice of the high mountain peaks to the tundra and rivers in between. In the long days of the northern summer, you’ll have plenty of time to learn about and travel through wild Alaska. In the Land of the Midnight Sun, your rhythms will change as you fall into sync with the way of the North.
Hiking takes you to the continent’s largest assemblage of glaciers and its greatest collection of peaks over 16,000 feet in elevation. The semester’s mountaineering section travels even further into this area, an ideal training ground for learning to live and climb on snow and ice.
Finally, you will spend 23 days sea kayaking in Prince William Sound. Amidst all this activity, you can also expect an extensive environmental studies curriculum, giving you a unique perspective on some of the world’s most stunning wilderness.
After honing skills and leadership for 75 days at NOLS Alaska, you can be confident traveling in a variety of wilderness settings.
Sea Kayaking
You’ll explore the wilderness coastline of Prince William Sound by starting with basics, such as learning how to load your sea kayak, then moving to more advanced topics in a gradual progression that allows for quality learning. Classes will include paddling techniques, ocean hazards, tidal evaluation, natural history and risk management. You’ll camp among the spruce or on rocky beaches and glean lessons from your instructors and coursemates.
Backpacking
Learning how to pack a backpack and walk lightly on the tundra of the Talkeetna Mountains kicks off this section. Then you’ll progress to studying flora and fauna of the region, learning practical leadership skills, and practicing Leave No Trace camping techniques. Map reading, river crossing, bear camping, hazard identification and decision-making will all be part of your continuing education.
Glacier Mountaineering
This section includes intensive skill training for living and climbing in Alaska’s glaciated mountains. You’ll learn things such as belaying, anchors, rope systems, crevasse rescue and ice climbing techniques while practicing basic glacier camping and travel. Crossing vast fields of snow and ice in rope teams will require using the clear judgment and technical and decision-making skills that you have honed all semester.
Semester in Alaska
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| Duration: |
75 days |
| Age: |
17 and Over (Average age: 20) |
| Tuition: |
$9,975 |
| Dates: |
May 25-Aug. 7, 2008
June 4-Aug. 17, 2008
June 10-Aug. 23, 2008
Sea Kayaking, Backpacking, Glacier Mountaineering
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College Credit:
(Optional) |
16
Semester Credit Hours
2 Hours Biology
2 Hours Environmental Ethics
4 Hours Leadership Techniques
6 Hours Skills Practicum
2 Hours Risk Assessment |
| Course start/end: |
Palmer, Alaska |
| Equipment Deposit: |
$700 |
| Fly in/out: |
Anchorage, Alaska |
| Downloads: |
Course Description
(pdf)
Equipment List
(pdf)
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Next Steps
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Related Courses
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