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…
Q&A with a NOLS Parent
Parent Shelli Johnson writes about what it was like for her son to go on a 30-day NOLS course
Quiz: Winter Injury and Illness
Do you know how to help with first aid for winter injuries and illnesses?
Black Wolf Expedition: First Descent Packrafting in the Canadian North
An instructor team heads to North America's largest wilderness to explore new rivers and mountains by packraft.
Camping Recipe: Biscuits [Video]
You know you've found the perfect adventure partner when you wake up to the smell of biscuits baking in the morning. Grow your cooking skills with this delicious biscuit recipe.
Kids on Outdoor Trips: First Aid Recommendations
Knowing how to identify and manage pediatric medical issues can help your family have a fun adventure in the backcountry.
The Poetry of Experience
Looking back with a critical eye, I can see the poetry of the experience I had in Alaska. Dramatic, refreshing, limit-pushing poetry.
Responding to Hurricane Harvey with Wilderness First Aid Skills
We found ourselves in a boat pulling away from the only dry land we could see. It looked like a normal city neighborhood had been built in the middle of a lake—all due to Hurricane Harvey
Climbing Denali, in Photos
Covered with white glaciers, Denali towers incredibly high above all the other Alaska Range peaks and the surrounding green tundra.
Case Study: BASE Jumping Accident
You are a member of your community’s Search and Rescue team. You and an EMS team are responding to the scene of a BASE-jumping accident…
Learning a Helping Mindset While Camping
Knowing what needs to be done and how to do it are important parts of expedition behavior.
Find Your Next Adventure in the City
Call it a microadventure or a day out of the house—just get out and explore what’s around you.
9 Hygiene Tips for Your Camp Kitchen
Telling your friends about the peak you climbed or the rapid you ran are the things you want to bring home from the backcountry—not a foodborne illness.
