NOLS Blog
Rothberg-Birdwhistel Expedition Fund: Panchachuli III Peak Climb
In May 2025, Bharat Bhushan, Prerna Dangi, and I took on a challenge to climb Panchachuli III (6,349m), believed by local residents to remain unclimbed. We aimed to approach it via the northeast route through the Meola Glacier. Despite occasional visits by military and paramilitary personnel, there was no recorded mountaineering information or documented route…
Case Study: Non-Freezing Cold Injury on a Canoe Trip
Two people paddle a canoe on a calm river. Photo by Craig Muderlak The Setting You are leading ...
Lou Gordon: Three Decades of Influence
Lou Gordon. Photo courtesy Lou Gordon Louise “Lou” Gordon’s office in the Wilderness Medicine wing of NOLS Headquarters ...
Climate Medicine: Where Climate Change and Healthcare Meet
Springtime has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. Trees and grasses are greening up, flowers are blooming, and birds have returned to greet the morning with song. As many of Earth’s residents head into boreal summer, they know to expect rising temperatures. But what does that heat mean for human health? What happens when infectious diseases…
Summer Travel Programs for Teens: Why Wilderness Expeditions Offer More Than a Passport Stamp
Most summer travel programs for teens promise adventure. A select few actually deliver it. There is a difference between traveling through a place and learning to move through it with skill and intention. That difference is worth understanding before you commit to any program, and before your teen boards a plane. This guide breaks down…
Staying Power
Shari Kearney didn’t just find a place at NOLS—as our longest serving female instructor, she has worked over 424 weeks in the field and influenced generations of students. Shari Kearney is checking on Three Peaks Ranch’s stable of horses, kept on pastures outside of Lander, Wyoming in the offseason. Each autumn, the horses—dozens of them—are…
Connection, Resilience, and Dal Bhat: Manaslu Circuit Alumni Trip 2025
In November 2025, five gentlemen, one lady, three guides, and three support staff met in Kathmandu in preparation for a two-week NOLS alumni trek on the Manaslu Circuit in Nepal. Although we were all strangers coming from different parts of the world, our shared excitement for setting foot in the Himalayas was palpable. During those…
Best Summer Programs for Teens: Outdoor Adventures That Build Leaders
Most teens will spend this summer doing something fun, but maybe not so meaningful. Not because they lack ambition, but because the summer camps available to them were designed to center around fun, rather than building long-lasting skills. The difference between a summer that fades and one that becomes a reference point — something your…
Case Study: Motion Sickness on a Surf and Dive Trip in Oahu, Hawaii
The Setting You’re leading a small group on a combined surf and introductory scuba trip on Oahu. The group is staying on the North Shore and driving early in the morning to a south shore harbor to meet the dive boat. The coastal road is narrow, hilly, and full of tight curves. Several group members…
The 2023 Denali Science Expedition
During the summer of 2023, NOLS instructor and PhD candidate Emma Erwin led a scientific expedition in the high peaks of Denali National Park to help characterize the behavior and age of glaciers on Denali and Begguya (Mt. Hunter). This all-female expedition navigated a season of challenging weather to come away with an exciting new scientific data set from the summit plateau of Begguya.
Case Study: Heat Cramps on the Rio Grande
On a paddling trip in Big Bend National Park, a participant starts having leg spasms. What do you do?
What is Packrafting?
What is packrafting? Learn the unique history of this adventure sport and what makes it so awesome for exploring water and land!
How to Prevent Altitude Sickness: From Acute Mountain Sickness to Severe Altitude Illness
Learn how to prevent altitude sickness with NOLS wilderness medicine courses. Take a proactive approach to your next mountain adventure.
Case Study: Burn in the Backcountry
A student gets a hot water burn deep in the backcountry. What do you do?
How to Prevent Hypothermia in Cold Climates
Take a proactive approach to your next adventure. Learn how to prevent hypothermia, manage cold stress, and be prepared for cold illnesses in the wilderness.
Case Study: What to Do About Snakebites
See what you would do to respond to and treat a possible snakebite.
Wilderness First Aid vs. Wilderness First Responder: Choosing the Right Training for You
Understand the 'Wilderness First Aid vs Wilderness First Responder' debate to choose the best course for your outdoor medical training needs.
Case Study: Falling Through the Ice
What would you do to help a patient with hypothermia while winter camping?
Backcountry Splitboarding Gear, Techniques, and Training with NOLS
Explore the world of backcountry splitboarding with NOLS! Explore gear, techniques, and backcountry travel for an exhilarating journey beyond the beaten path.
Snowboarding for Beginners: Tips, Terms, and Techniques to Get You Started
Dive into snowboarding for beginners and learn fundamentals, terminology, and gear essentials.
