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…
Will My Heart Go On: Cardiovascular Wilderness Medicine
How much do you actually know about the human heart? Test your knowledge with this wilderness medicine quiz on the cardiovascular system.
Watch: Yoga for Sea Kayakers
Check out this video to learn a short and effective yoga routine that's designed specifically for paddlers!
Billycan Romance: A Lifetime Adventure
Once upon a time, two young bankers met by chance, bonding over their NOLS expeditions in Wyoming's mountains. The rest is history—a true NOLS love story.
Jimmy Chin’s Journey from NOLS to the Oscars
NOLS grad, former instructor, and current Board member Jimmy Chin shares reflections on adventure, storytelling, family, and his NOLS experience.
Simplicity and Difficulty: Learning about Life on a Patagonian Homestead
An invitation into a poblador's home becomes an opportunity for learning about the one family's history and the gaucho lifestyle on the Patagonia Cultural Expedition
Casting into Spring: Wilderness Medicine for Fly Fishing
Even if you’ve never fly-fished, NOLS Wilderness Medicine has advice to prepare you for the hobby’s common risks, especially in the early season.
Wilderness and Identity: Q&A with NOLS LGBTQ+ Canyonlands Backpacking Grad
NOLS LGBTQ+ Canyonlands Backpacking grad, Mat Pryfogle, recounts his takeaways from NOLS' first LBGTQ+ Expedition.
Cold Weather Recipe: Cheesy Potato Soup
There's nothing better than a hot meal after a day out in the cold! Try this cheesy potato soup recipe from NOLS Cookery on your next outdoor trip.
Risk Management Training: Kick Your RM Practices into Tip-Top Shape
Risk management training educators and participants talk about the value of a culture of risk management.
Golden Apple Scholarship winner taking NOLS course in 2013
Golden Apple Scholarship winner taking NOLS course in 2013
