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Spend a semester in the Rocky Mountains and every day will be hands-on, from learning to climb to developing good expedition behavior with your coursemates. Wind River Range, Wyoming
Photo: Rainbow Weinstock |
NOLS INVENTED THE OUTDOOR SEMESTER, and this course is where it all began.
A Rockies Semester will take you on a Wild West “tour de force” while giving you a complete set of skills to lead and teach in the backcountry, whether in the field of outdoor education or with your own friends and family.
Our grads are among the most well-rounded and self-sufficient backcountry travelers in the world. Learn to paddle a canoe down a class-III rapid, make sound first aid decisions miles from the nearest road, and navigate through winding slot canyons.
You’ll see some of the great American West’s most treasured spots, carving a telemark turn through the winter wilderness on one section and jamming your hands into cracks while climbing one of Wyoming’s world-class crags on the next.
Because the Rockies are a hotspot for outdoor activities, this semester offers a variety of skill sets, allowing students to choose the combinations they prefer.
2012 - Spring
Semester
in the Rockies
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| Duration: |
87 days |
| Tuition: |
Section 1&2: $12,550 w/WFR
Section 3&4, 5: $11,800 w/WFA |
| Financial Aid Options: |
NOLS Scholarships
Federal Financial Aid |
| Ages: |
Minimum age 17 - Average is 20 |
College Credit:
(Optional) |
16
Semester Credit Hours
4 Hours Biology
2 Hours Environmental Studies
2 Hours Leadership Techniques
6 Hours Skills Practicum
2 Hours Risk Assessment |
| Course start/end: |
Lander, WY |
| Equipment Deposit: |
$700 |
| Fly in/out: |
Riverton, WY
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| Dates: |
February 15-May 11, 2012
Section 1&2: Winter (Ski), WFR, Canyon, Climbing, Canoe Expedition |
February-20 May 16, 2012
Section 3&4: Winter (Ski), WFA, Canyon, Climbing, River Travel (Kayak/Raft/Canoe) |
March 7-June 1, 2012
Section 5: Canyon, WFA, River Travel (Canoe/Kayak/Raft), Climbing, Horsepacking |
| Additional Information: |
Course Description (pdf)
Equipment List (pdf) |
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2012 - Summer
Semester
in the Rockies
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2012 - Fall
Semester in the Rockies
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| Features world-famous Orvis™ fly fishing curriculum and gear. |
| Duration: |
89 days |
| Tuition: |
$12,050 w/WFA
$12,820 w/ WFR |
| Financial Aid Options: |
NOLS Scholarships
Federal Financial Aid |
| Ages: |
Minimum age 17 - Average is 20 |
College Credit:
(Optional) |
16 (19 w/WFR) Semester Credit Hours
4 Hours Biology
2 Hours Environmental Studies
2 Hours Leadership Techniques
6 Hours Skills Practicum
2 Hours Risk Assessment
3 Hours WFR |
| Course start/end: |
Lander, WY |
| Equipment Deposit: |
$700 |
| Fly in/out: |
Riverton, WY |
| Dates: |
August 24-November 20, 2012
Section 1&2: WFR, Canoe Expedition, Backpacking, Climbing, Canyon |
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August 31-November 27, 2012
Section 3: WFA, Mountaineering, Climbing, River (Kayak/Raft/Canoe), Canyon |
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August 31-November 27, 2012
Section 4: WFA, Backpacking, Climbing, River (Kayak/Raft/Canoe),Canyon |
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September 3-November 30, 2012
Section 5: Backpacking, WFA, River Travel, Canyon, Winter (Ski) |
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September 3-November 30, 2012
Section 6: Backpacking, WFA, Climbing, Canyon, Winter (Ski) |
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September 10-December 7, 2012
Section 7: Mountaineering, WFA, River Travel, Canyon, Winter (Ski) |
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September 10-December 7, 2012
Section 8: WFA, River Travel, Climbing, Canyon, Winter (Ski) |
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September 10-December 7, 2012
Section 9: WFA, Backpacking, Climbing, Canyon, Winter (Ski) |
| Additional Information: |
Course Description (pdf)
Equipment List (pdf) |
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Next Steps
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Related Courses
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The canyon walls are your handrails while navigating and map reading. Sam’s Mesa Box, Dirty Devil Canyon, Utah
Photo: Ashley Wise |
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“I had never had the opportunity to be a leader
like I did with NOLS. The NOLS education that I obtained on my semester
was amazing.“
Patrick Kiely
Spring Semester in the Rockies ’01
St. Michael’s College Student |
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| EXPLORE
NOLS ROCKY MOUNTAIN... |
| WHAT MAKES NOLS THE
LEADER? |
Extended expeditions
in remote wilderness make NOLS leadership lessons real.
Read more reasons...
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Semester Sections
Backpacking
(summer and fall) Map reading, route finding, cooking, and Leave No Trace practices will become second nature as you travel through Wyoming’s Wind River or Absaroka ranges. Advanced topics covered on this section include fly-fishing, baking, off-trail navigation, GPS use, and environmental ethics.
Mountaineering
(fall only) The rugged glacier-carved Wind River Range is the ideal environment for learning wilderness mountaineering. The climbing, belaying, and rappelling skills you’ll learn on this section will enable you to challenge yourself on technical peak ascents while honing other fundamental backcountry living and traveling skills.
Winter
(fall and spring) The Rocky Mountains’ harsh and beautiful winter environment will create some of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of your semester. After breaking trail from camp to camp, you’ll “dig in,” building a snow shelter for you and your coursemates to camp in. Much time will also be devoted to practicing your telemark turn on backcountry slopes and assessing snow and avalanche conditions.
Rock Climbing
This fast-paced section takes place in some of the West’s most famous climbing areas, from Nevada’s Red Rocks to Idaho’s City of Rocks and the Needles in South Dakota. It begins with a foundation of skills such as bouldering, belaying, rappelling, knots, and climbing techniques. We’ll also emphasize advanced topics such as anchor construction, direct aid, belay escapes, and gear selection. If you’re ready, there will also be opportunities to lead climb.
River Travel
This multi-day expedition through Utah’s scenic river canyons will introduce you to the fun and excitement of whitewater. Whether in a kayak, a canoe, an oar raft, or a paddle raft, you’ll learn to read the water, scout rapids, and execute maneuvers such as eddy-turns, peel-outs, and ferries. Depending on your craft, advanced skills such as surfing, playboating, raft captaining, and solo canoeing will also be taught and practiced on this very hands-on section.
Horsepacking
(spring) From NOLS’ Three Peaks Ranch at the base of the Wind River Range, you’ll learn and practice the skills needed to enjoy an extended horsepacking expedition. Four days at the ranch encompass saddling, riding, packing, and getting to know your horses, then you’ll embark on a two-week trip exploring Wyoming’s wilderness on horseback.
Canyon
(fall and spring) Developing and expanding your own leadership style and environmental ethics are the focus of this section, which culminates in a multi-day, student-led expedition. You’ll travel through the unmistakable red rock canyons of southern Utah where you’ll study Anasazi rock art and ruins, desert ecology, and land-use policies.
Wilderness First Aid (WFA)
(fall and spring) The Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS (WMI) presents this 16-hour section specific to wilderness emergencies. The course is the approved certification for the American Camp Association, the United States Forest Service, and many other governmental agencies and outdoor programs.
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
(fall and spring) Offered by WMI of NOLS, this 80-hour section is for outdoor professionals and will give you the tools to make sound first aid and evacuation decisions in remote settings.
Leave No Trace
Earn your Leave No Trace (LNT) Master certification, which will allow you to teach LNT ethics to others in the future.
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