NOLS Blog
Outdoor Leadership Programs for High School Students: Why Wilderness Matters
Parents searching for summer opportunities face an overwhelming marketplace of camps, programs, and experiences. Sports camps, academic enrichment, traditional summer camps, leadership programs—the options seem endless. But among all the choices, one category consistently produces deeper, longer-lasting outcomes than the rest: outdoor leadership programs for high school students. These programs combine the transformative power of…
Why Teens Need Leadership Skills: A Guide for Parents
Every parent wants their teenager to succeed—good grades, college acceptance, a fulfilling career. But there's something that predicts ...
Ship’s Log: Sailing in Greece’s Ionian Sea Alumni Trip
Photo by Nick Braun After a few days of moderate winds, good introductory sailing and island exploring while ...
Teen Gap Year Programs: Adventure-Based Options for Before College
The traditional path says: graduate high school, start college immediately, don’t look back. But a growing number of families and college admissions advisors are questioning this formula—and discovering that what looks like a detour often becomes the most valuable part of the journey. Gap year programs for teens have moved from the fringe to the…
Best Backpacking Trips for Teens: Wilderness Adventures That Build Character
Something happens when a teenager shoulders a pack, leaves cell service behind, and walks into the wilderness. Something that organized sports, academic programs, and traditional summer camps—though these experiences have their benefits—simply cannot replicate. Backpacking trips for teens offer more than adventure. They offer transformation. And for parents searching for experiences that genuinely change their…
Leadership Programs for High School Students: What Parents Need to Know
Your teenager stands at a pivotal moment. The skills they develop now—how they handle challenges, work with others, and step up when it matters—will shape their path through college, careers, and life. But here’s what many parents discover too late: traditional classroom settings rarely build the kind of leadership that matters in the real world.…
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…
Case Study: Injury on the Grand Canyon
The Setting You’re on day 12 of a 21-day Grand Canyon expedition, enjoying a well deserved stretch of flat water, staring at the canyon walls and not paying attention to what’s downstream. While enjoying the last of your morning coffee, you hear someone cry out from a nearby raft. You look over and see a…
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 tools NOLS instructors use to incorporate leadership ideas and activities into courses. What is the Leadership Educator Notebook?Filled with activities, lessons, prompts, frameworks and quotes, and edited by Zach Taylor, Liz Tuohy, Phoebe Gebright, and other members…
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.
Camping Recipe: No-Bake Energy Nuggets
These no-bake snacks are an easy recipe to keep in your fridge so that, when it's time for your next adventure, you don't need to scramble for a snack.
Decision-Making Traps to Know and Avoid
When you know your tendencies, you can avoid the traps that come with making decisions based on incorrect or incomplete information.
Make Your Gear Have Multiple Purposes
Packing enough to be prepared without going overboard and letting your worries hijack your decision making takes practice.
The Alaskan Tundra Jumpstarts New Adventures
Alum Dave’s NOLS course jumpstarted a new life of activity and adventure—at age 49.
Camping Recipe: Potato Pancakes
Fill up for breakfast or dinner with this tasty camping recipe for potato pancakes.
How to Create a High-Functioning Team in the Outdoors
For first-time trip leaders or seasoned explorers, here are some tips to encourage a high-functioning team on your next excursion.
How to Fix Your Outdoor Gear
Fixing outdoor gear isn’t complicated, as long as you have a few of the right tools.
