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…
Applying LNT Ethics: “Leave What You Find”
Doug Schnitzspahn, editor of Elevation Outdoors, uses the Leave No Trace principles he learned on his NOLS course to articulate an ethic that’s transferable to the front country.
Helping Young People Connect with the Outdoors
Mayowa Ogunjobi, youth program trip leader and WFR grad, is committed to helping young people from disenfranchised groups connect with the outdoors. For that to happen, educators must make their programs relevant to students whose communities continue to have limited access to outdoor spaces.
Wyoming’s Future Economy Will Need Protected Landscapes
In an op ed for the Casper Star Tribune, NOLS president John Gans argues that Wyoming’s Wilderness Study Areas should be protected from development. These wilderness lands contribute to the state’s burgeoning outdoor recreation industry and boost local economies.
Reflections on an Intense New Zealand Sailing Course
In a recent Washington Post article, writer David Brown shares his experiences as a 65-year-old student on a 14-day NOLS New Zealand - Prime sailing course.
The Meaning of Active Followership
After a guided backcountry ski trip in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, former NOLS instructor Molly Absolon reflects on the concept of active followership in a column for the Jackson Hole News & Guide.
Forest Service Trails in Wyoming Need Help
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently identified two Wyoming trail systems as priority areas for maintenance but failed to set aside federal funds to address the issue. The Shoshone National Forest, a NOLS operating area, is one of the high priority sites.
Public Lands: You Can’t Protect What You Don’t Know
A founding member of the Outdoor Industry Association and former top executive at The North Face, Sierra Designs, and Camelbak, NOLS grad Sally McCoy believes the outdoor industry needs to help make public lands accessible to a more diverse community.
New Zealand’s Trail Huts: Shelter, Conversation, and Community
NOLS Instructor Jeremy Cronon gives The New York Times a rundown on New Zealand’s public trail hut system, open to backpackers for minimal fees.
Miho Aida Won’t Let the Outdoor Industry Off the Hook
Former NOLS Instructor Miho Aida is challenging the outdoor industry to make room for women from marginalized communities. Her documentary The Sacred Place Where Life Begins: Gwich’in Women Speak features Native American women activists fighting to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
Be Prepared: Pack a Premade First Aid Kit
With input from Shana Tarter, assistant director of NOLS Wilderness medicine, Outside’s Gear Guy discusses the advantages of purchasing a premade first aid kit.
NOLS Instructor Earns 2018 Grit & Rock First Ascent Award
NOLS Instructor Josie McKee was recognized as one of the recipients of Grit & Rock’s 2018 First Ascent Award, a grant that supports mountain exploration and first ascents by women.
The Best Gear for Going Poo in the Woods
Outside’s Gear Guy gets some tips from NOLS instructor Jared Spaulding on the best practices and gear for pooping in the woods.
