NOLS Blog
The Poley-Poley: A Chronicle in the Himalayas
It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop. —Confucius The air was thick. My strides were slow and purposeful, careful not to disrupt the group’s cadence. The thrill of spotting Everest Base Camp, still two hours away, motivated me to maintain the syncopated rhythm of deep breathing. Hypoxia…
NOLS Releases Newest Edition of Leadership Educator Notebook, an Instructor’s Toolbox
NOLS is pleased to introduce the newest edition of the Leadership Educator Notebook, a collection of the educational ...
Knee Injury While Cross-Country Skiing
Photo courtesy of XCSkiResorts.com The Setting You are cross-country skiing with four of your friends on a beautiful ...
Epistaxis on a Llama Packing Trip
The Setting It’s day two of a guided family llama packing trip deep in the Andes of South America. The scenery is stunning—glacial valleys, high alpine meadows, and dramatic peaks. You’re one of the trip guides, certified as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR). The group includes several families, and this morning’s plan is to trek…
Medicine in Orbit
Space, some say, is the final frontier. For N. Stuart Harris, M.D., M.F.A., Massachusetts General Hospital Emergency Department physician and the NOLS Board of Trustees’ immediate past Chair, it’s very much today’s frontier. Stuart, whose first NOLS course was a Fall Semester in the Rockies, is the Founding Chief of Massachusetts General Hospital’s SPEAR Medicine…
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…
Idaho Rescue Training Brings NOLS Wilderness First Aid to Magic Valley
In May 2018, Idaho Rescue Training hosted a two-day NOLS Wilderness First Aid course for Magic Valley residents.
NOLS and Saybrook University Pioneer Innovative New Master’s Program
NOLS and Saybrook University have partnered to launch a new Master’s in Leadership program that combines online study and outdoor education. A 32-credit, three-semester program beginning in January 2019, the NOLS Saybrook MA in Leadership includes three wilderness expeditions led by NOLS.
James Mills Receives Paul K. Petzoldt Award for The Adventure Gap book
The Wilderness Education Association gave James Mills the Paul K. Petzoldt Leadership Award at the 2016 International Conference on Outdoor Leadership.
The Ultimate Gifts for the Daring Adventurer
See gift ideas for the adventurer in your life, including a NOLS expedition.
Honors Business Students Share Reflections on Wilderness Expedition
Students from the University of Texas’ Canfield Business Honors Program (BHP) reflect on an eight-day backpacking expedition with NOLS in January 2019.
ESF: SEO Steers NYC Student to Conservation Biology
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Scholars. Taste for adventure sent him to the Talkeetna Mountains in Alaska for a 30-day backpacking trip with the National Outdoor Leadership School and helped guide him into an internship with the Nature Conservancy.
The Gap Year Trend: What, Why and How?
One option through NOLS is a semester in the Rocky Mountains including backpacking, mountaineering, winter camping, wilderness medicine, rafting, etc.
Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor Inspired by NOLS Course
David Zuckerman, Vermont’s lieutenant governor, took a NOLS sea kayaking course in Alaska shortly after the Exxon Valdez ran aground, an experience that solidified his commitment to tackling environmental issues.
Finding Refuge in the Wild
A part of Colorado’s growing refugee population, Muna Oweidat recently went backpacking for the first time on a NOLS expedition for MBA students.
