NOLS Blog
Knee Injury While Cross-Country Skiing
The Setting You are cross-country skiing with four of your friends on a beautiful December day. The sun is shining, the temperature is a balmy 25℉, and you’re enjoying feeling the wind against your cheeks as you ski. You are roughly 3 miles into your 6-mile loop. Your moment of enjoyment is broken when, out…
Epistaxis on a Llama Packing Trip
Photo by Nick Springer The Setting It’s day two of a guided family llama packing trip deep in ...
Medicine in Orbit
Space, some say, is the final frontier. For N. Stuart Harris, M.D., M.F.A., Massachusetts General Hospital Emergency Department ...
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.
Paul Petzold, the U.S. Army, and NOLS
Paul Petzoldt was 36 years old in 1943 when he joined the U.S. Army’s prestigious 10th Mountain Division, an elite group of soldiers who were trained for alpine warfare. Already decades into his career, the future founder of NOLS had worked a slew of jobs, including farmer, waiter, and used car salesman. He was best…
How to Make Hash Browns with Cheese
Hash browns have a well-deserved reputation as a delicious breakfast treat, but this cheesy version is great for lunch or dinner too—and that’s before you add nuggets of ham or bacon and a few shakes of hot sauce into the mix! This recipe requires a little forethought—both the hash browns and dried onions benefit from…
NOLS Picante Sauce
Picante perks up almost any savory recipe—try it on eggs, beans, in soups and coupled with anything on a tortilla. This, our favorite picante recipe, can be made with a little tomato base and a well-stocked spice kit, but don’t shy away from adding your own favorites! NOLS Picante Sauce (makes about 1 cup) 1…
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…
NOLS Grad Inspires Minneapolis High School Students to Get Outside
In 2013, NOLS grad and high school teacher Randy Baum co-founded the Edison Outdoor Club to expose Minneapolis students to outdoor adventures ranging from backpacking trips to rock climbing and mountain biking.
Outing Clubs: Risk Management and Leadership on Student Trips
In the wake of Penn State Outing Club’s controversial decision to prohibit its student-led outing club from organizing outdoor trips, NOLS Risk Manager Katie Baum Mettenbrink suggests that student leaders complete leadership, risk management, and wilderness first aid training before heading out.
NOLS Grad Advocates for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Lucas St. Clair, NOLS semester grad and son of the Burt’s Bees founder, played a key role in preserving Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. He's currently the Democratic candidate for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.
NOLS and Girls, Inc. Partner to Get Santa Fe Teens Outside
Since 2004, NOLS and Girls, Inc. have worked together to give Santa Fe teens an opportunity to participate in outdoor leadership programs. So far, 22 girls have received scholarships to fund NOLS courses of their choice.
Abby Warner: Leading by Example
One of the school’s longest-serving directors, Abby Warner has the led the team at NOLS Teton Valley since 2003. She was featured in the Summer 2018 edition of the JH Style magazine for her work.
Instructor Marco Johnson Gives Gear Patrol Tips on Building Snow Shelters
In December 2018, Gear Patrol consulted senior NOLS instructor Marco Johnson on how to build snow shelters in the backcountry.
Wilderness Risk Management Conference Welcomes Three New Steering Committee Members and Appoints New Committee Chair
Ahead of the 27th annual Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC), the conference Steering Committee appointed Mike Pigg, Outward Bound USA National Safety Director, as the new chair and welcomed three new members; Elyse Rylander, Partnership Manager at Camber Outdoors and founder of OUT There Adventures and LGBTQ Outdoor Summit; Moleek Busby, Field Operations Senior Manager for the Washington Trails Association (WTA); and Michael Davis, YMCA BOLD & GOLD National Program Manager.
Exploring the Backcountry with a Mule
In an article for Sierra, Stacey McKenna consults NOLS horsepacking instructor Ari Hertz on the history of wilderness exploration with stock animals in the U.S.
Bainbridge Island Review: Goodlin completes New Zealand expedition
Bainbridge Island Review: Goodlin completes New Zealand expedition
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Resident Completes 76-Day Fall Course
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Resident Completes 76-Day Fall Course
Ridgefield Press: Resident Completes Spring Southwest Course
Ridgefield resident completes 80-day Spring Southwest Course
‘An American Ascent’ Takes Home Best Doc., Best Director
'An American Ascent' Takes Home Best Doc., Best Director
