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Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest Backpacking
 

The Pacific Northwest is a richly diverse wilderness classroom, ranging from jagged, glacier-carved mountains and valleys, to evergreen forests and stands of lodgepole pine.

These popular backpacking courses have two options for exploring this region. Early season courses travel in the Pasayten Wilderness in north central Washington, while late season courses backpack through Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula.

The Pasayten will forever alter your perceptions of the Pacific Northwest, boasting almost 150 peaks over 7,500 feet in elevation. Rugged ridges in the west flatten into expansive plateaus toward the east, with deep drainages on both sides. The diverse vegetation changes from temperate rainforest to the fir, pine and larch more characteristic of the Rocky Mountains.

Courses that travel in Olympic National Park will traverse from east to west while viewing the area’s rugged glacier-capped mountains and wide alpine meadows sparkling with avalanche lilies, larkspur and Indian paintbrush.

Like the first Western explorers, you’ll travel along the wild and rugged Pacific coast, seeing stands of moss-covered old-growth and temperate rainforest. You’ll experience some demanding off-trail hiking as you visit pristine and rarely seen parts of the park.

Pacific Northwest Backpacking
Features world-famous Orvis™ fly fishing curriculum and gear.
Duration: 31 days
Age: 16 and Over
Tuition:

$3,475

Dates:

May 21-June 20, 2008
June 18-July 18, 2008
June 25-July 25, 2008
July 9-Aug. 8, 2008
July 23-Aug. 22, 2008

College Credit:
(Optional)

6 Semester Credit Hours
2 Hours Environmental Ethics
2 Hours Leadership Techniques
2 Hours Skills Practicum

Course start/end: Conway, Washington
Equipment Deposit: $350
Fly in/out: Seattle, Washington
Downloads: Course Description (pdf)
Equipment List (pdf)

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Wind River Wilderness
Absaroka Backpacking
Yukon Backpacking
Pacific Northwest Backpacking
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"With NOLS we not only teach students to live comfortably in the backcountry, but how to appreciate the wilderness as well. We give students the tools to be independent thinkers and do trips on their own."

Angela Patnode
NOLS Instructor

 

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