NOLS Blog
Rothberg-Birdwhistel Expedition Fund: Panchachuli III Peak Climb
In May 2025, Bharat Bhushan, Prerna Dangi, and I took on a challenge to climb Panchachuli III (6,349m), believed by local residents to remain unclimbed. We aimed to approach it via the northeast route through the Meola Glacier. Despite occasional visits by military and paramilitary personnel, there was no recorded mountaineering information or documented route…
Case Study: Non-Freezing Cold Injury on a Canoe Trip
Two people paddle a canoe on a calm river. Photo by Craig Muderlak The Setting You are leading ...
Lou Gordon: Three Decades of Influence
Lou Gordon. Photo courtesy Lou Gordon Louise “Lou” Gordon’s office in the Wilderness Medicine wing of NOLS Headquarters ...
Climate Medicine: Where Climate Change and Healthcare Meet
Springtime has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. Trees and grasses are greening up, flowers are blooming, and birds have returned to greet the morning with song. As many of Earth’s residents head into boreal summer, they know to expect rising temperatures. But what does that heat mean for human health? What happens when infectious diseases…
Summer Travel Programs for Teens: Why Wilderness Expeditions Offer More Than a Passport Stamp
Most summer travel programs for teens promise adventure. A select few actually deliver it. There is a difference between traveling through a place and learning to move through it with skill and intention. That difference is worth understanding before you commit to any program, and before your teen boards a plane. This guide breaks down…
Staying Power
Shari Kearney didn’t just find a place at NOLS—as our longest serving female instructor, she has worked over 424 weeks in the field and influenced generations of students. Shari Kearney is checking on Three Peaks Ranch’s stable of horses, kept on pastures outside of Lander, Wyoming in the offseason. Each autumn, the horses—dozens of them—are…
Connection, Resilience, and Dal Bhat: Manaslu Circuit Alumni Trip 2025
In November 2025, five gentlemen, one lady, three guides, and three support staff met in Kathmandu in preparation for a two-week NOLS alumni trek on the Manaslu Circuit in Nepal. Although we were all strangers coming from different parts of the world, our shared excitement for setting foot in the Himalayas was palpable. During those…
Best Summer Programs for Teens: Outdoor Adventures That Build Leaders
Most teens will spend this summer doing something fun, but maybe not so meaningful. Not because they lack ambition, but because the summer camps available to them were designed to center around fun, rather than building long-lasting skills. The difference between a summer that fades and one that becomes a reference point — something your…
Case Study: Motion Sickness on a Surf and Dive Trip in Oahu, Hawaii
The Setting You’re leading a small group on a combined surf and introductory scuba trip on Oahu. The group is staying on the North Shore and driving early in the morning to a south shore harbor to meet the dive boat. The coastal road is narrow, hilly, and full of tight curves. Several group members…
How NOLS Helped Me Thrive After Dropping Out of College
Out of the blue, a tip from an old mentor pointed me towards NOLS as an alternative, and maybe more fitting, way to continue my education.
First Ascent of Cerro Nora in Patagonia
Stretching myself right to the limit, day after day, and finding camaraderie in that challenge gave me a new sense of capacity and bravery as we attempted to climb Cerro Nora.
5 Myths About a NOLS Gap Year
5 Gap Year Myths Debunked - Worried that a NOLS gap year expedition is beyond your reach in terms of timing, finances, or technical skills? Guess again!
Why You Should Take a WFR with NOLS
Discover why the NOLS Wilderness First Responder course is transformative, equipping you with skills, confidence, and a new perspective on handling accidents.
55th Anniversary: Stories from Our Alumni
Over 55 years, we've learned the value of NOLS isn't in accomplishments so much as the way a NOLS education inspires and empowers our graduates to act, as we see in these alumni stories.
30 Years of Wilderness Medicine
In 1990, two people started a business that was remarkable for 2 reasons—most important because the business was dedicated to teaching wilderness medicine. Read on and celebrate NOLS' anniversary with 30 years of wilderness medicine history.
New Expeditions for Summer 2021
New this summer: Salmon River Rafting Adventure for ages 14-15, and Alaska Women’s Backpacking for adults 23+ (now with a 14-day option!)
Case Study: Suspicious Stomach Pain
Five days into sea kayaking with friends in Prince William Sound, Alaska you feel lousy; some diarrhea, some vague abdominal cramping, not much appetite. You assume it's a touch of the flu and don't say anything. See what happens next and test your knowledge with this case study.
Marc Randolph, Jimmy Chin, José González, Knight Campbell, & Kit DesLauriers on Their Trails To Success [Video]
What do Marc Randolph, Jimmy Chin, José González, Knight Campbell, and Kit DesLauriers have in common? Listen to their stories to learn how NOLS influenced their trails to success.
The WRMC Goes Digital
Adapting to the constantly changing world in 2020 and continuing to serve the industry's risk management needs has been key to moving forward on an all-digital Wilderness Risk Management Conference this year.
NOLSies At Work: Sustainability & Conservation
See the ways NOLS grads are leading in the field of sustainability
Artist Alina Drufovka on her Path to the Outdoors
Artist Alina Drufovka on Being a Latina Backpacker, NOLS Fellow, and Turning COVID into an Opportunity for Art
