NOLS Alumni Achievement Award 2008

October 20, 2008

Each year, NOLS presents its Alumni Achievement Award to an alumnus who has taken what they’ve learned at NOLS and become notably successful in the outdoor recreation, education or conservation industry.

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Award-winning author James Tabor makes an interesting observation that sums up this year’s NOLS Achievement Award winner’s huge impact on mountaineering and climbing in Alaska. Tabor’s book, “Forever on the Mountain,” says: “…perhaps the most revealing indicator of change for the better (at Denali National Park) is that if you asked any international symposium to name the world’s top five mountaineering search-and-rescue experts, chances are good that South District Ranger (NOLS grad and 2008 Alumni Achievement award winner) Daryl Miller would make the list.”

Daryl Miller’s path to the pinnacle of North American mountaineering and park management included time in Viet Nam with the Marine Corps, three NOLS student courses and work as a NOLS instructor, management of several college and other outdoor programs, 14 expeditions to Denali, four expeditions to Anconcoqua, three Mexican volcano climbs, the first winter circumnavigation of Mt. McKinley, involvement in North America’s highest technical rescue (at 19,800’), over 60 mountaineering accident investigations and 80+ rescues, four National Park Service Achievement Awards, and the US Department of the Interior Valor Award.

Daryl is not only a mountaineer, as Denali National Park South District Ranger he is charged with managing a big chunk of that six million acre park and the 1200+ climbers who attempt its peaks every year. Daryl is well known for incorporating education and a strong emphasis on conservation into his management strategy—two elements that are key to success and undeniably key to NOLS.

NOLS Alaska Director Don Ford accepted the award for Daryl in Lander on October 11. Please join NOLS in congratulating Daryl Miller on his amazing accomplishments.

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Written By

Rich Brame

Rich Brame came to NOLS in the 80's as a Fall Semester in the Rockies student and worked his first NOLS course at Wind Cave National Park in 1984. Since then, he's worked varied NOLS trips and courses on five continents—with a few more on the way. Rich does some frontcountry shenanigans for NOLS, too. He's headed up NOLS' public policy, research, LNT, Yukon programs and most recently in the Alumni Relations Department.