NOLS Blog
6 Reasons Why You Should Take A WEMT Course (And Tips for How to Prepare)
Here are the top six reasons why one NOLS Wilderness Medicine grad recommends taking a Wilderness EMT course.
How to Make Hash Browns with Cheese
Photo by Karly Gutermuth Hash browns have a well-deserved reputation as a delicious breakfast treat, but this cheesy ...
NOLS Picante Sauce
Picante perks up almost any savory recipe—try it on eggs, beans, in soups and coupled with anything on ...
Backpacking Among Giants: A Trip Report from Norway’s Jotunheimen Mountains
In August of 2025, the inaugural NOLS Alumni Norway Backpacking Trip ventured into the Jotunheimen Mountains for ten days of challenging hiking amongst stunning scenery. Our group first met in Oslo before traveling about five hours by bus to the Jotunheimen region in western Norway. The bus conveniently dropped us off at our first hut of the trip and…
Case Study: Altitude Illness While Trekking
The Setting You are on the trip of a lifetime hiking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal with one of your best friends. This trip has been in the works for over a year. You’ve spent countless hours training, reviewing maps, and daydreaming about being in the mountains. You can’t believe you’re finally here! You flew…
What a NOLS Risk Review Really Looks Like: A Case Study with NatureBridge
In the same year as NOLS’ 60th anniversary, we are celebrating 20 years since the formation of NOLS Risk Services. For 60 years, NOLS has operated in remote locations all over the world, and in 2005, NOLS Risk Services was formed to share what NOLS has learned about operational risk management in the process. NOLS…
Case Study: Dental Emergency while Rafting
A member of your rafting party loses a tooth partway through a 4-day trip. How do you respond?
Where Play Meets Purpose: A Journey Through the Canyons
Since 2022, NOLS and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business have collaborated on a yearly weeklong expedition to the canyons in southeastern Utah. This expedition is the culmination of a semester-long leadership course for Ross undergraduate students. It combines concepts and learnings from the classroom course with the NOLS leadership curriculum in a…
Rothberg-Birdwhistell Exploration Fund: Expedition to the Peruvian Andes
In the spring of 2025, we set out on an Alpine and ski mountaineering expedition to Peru’s Cordillera Blanca. As outdoor educators with experience leading students on NOLS courses, our team shares a deep commitment to learning through challenge and a connection to wild places. Our goals: explore new terrain, attempt several high peaks, and…
NOLS Rocky Mountain Assistant Director Comments on the Value of Wyoming’s Wilderness Study Areas
In a conversation with Wyoming Public Media after three Wyoming counties opted out of a collaborative land management process, NOLS Rocky Mountain Assistant Director Andy Blair commented that lifting protections on wilderness study areas will negatively impact student experiences.
Clare Dallat Receives the WRMC’s 2018 Charles (Reb) Gregg Award
At the October 2018 Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) in Portland, Oregon, Clare Dallat received the Charles (Reb) Gregg Award for her contributions to risk management in the outdoor industry.
Jessica Wahl Receives 2018 NOLS Stewardship Award
Jessica Wahl, Government Affairs Manager for the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), received the 2018 NOLS Stewardship Award in recognition of her commitment to environmental stewardship and involvement in the permitting process for public lands.
Ride the Wind: Szu-Ting Yi’s Wind River Traverse
In an article for Alpinist, former NOLS instructor Szu-ting Yi reflects on her 2017 traverse of Wyoming’s Wind River Range. She and her husband, Dave Anderson, climbed 33 peaks in the Winds over the course of 20 days despite challenging conditions.
NOLS Horsepacking in Wyoming’s Red Desert Threatened by Oil and Gas Development
September 20, 2018 press release from NOLS regarding the recent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision to move forward with an oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming's Red Desert, a key operating area for NOLS horsepacking courses.
How to Raise an Adventurer
A climber, alpinist, skier, photographer, filmmaker, and former NOLS instructor, Jimmy Chin believes adventure in the outdoors is key to successful parenting.
The Top 10 Hiking Illnesses and Injuries
Backpacker magazine consults NOLS Wilderness Medicine Curriculum Director Tod Schimpelfenig on how to prevent and treat the top 10 hiking injuries and illnesses identified in the NOLS database of medical incidents.
Freezer Bags: The Secret to Eating Well While Backpacking
Popular Science consults NOLS Rocky Mountain Rations Manager Claudia Pearson on how to prepare the best freezer bag meals for backcountry camping.
Building a Proper First Aid Kit
Outside Online looks to NOLS Wilderness Medicine for some tips on how to build a well-stocked first aid kit, starting with knowing how to use the supplies you packed.
Netflix Founder Says You Learn Leadership by Doing
Netflix co-founder and NOLS Board Chair Marc Randolph says the leadership experience he gained in the field as a NOLS student and instructor was the “single biggest contributor to my success as a businessperson.”
Why You Should Sleep Outdoors
NOLS Instructor and Financial Aid Counselor Cristina Edwards shares her thoughts on the benefits of sleeping outside.
Seeley Lake Student Funds Gap Year Working at Coffee Shop
He registered for a five-month course with NOLS. The Year in Patagonia course starts in Chile in October. Batchelder said this is exciting and very expensive.
