NOLS Blog
Case Study: Dental Emergency while RaftingÂ
A member of your rafting party loses a tooth partway through a 4-day trip. How do you respond?
Case Study: Sea Kayaking SlipÂ
photo credit: Liz Schultz The Setting You are enjoying an amazing day of paddling on Prince William Sound ...
Gap Year Pros and Cons: Solo vs. Group
Taking a gap year can be a transformative experience that expands your horizons, fosters personal growth, and unlocks ...
Trip Report: Inaugural NOLS Alumni Climbing Trip In Greece
In May of 2025, the Inaugural NOLS Alumni Greece Climbing Trip traveled to the Greek island of Kalymnos, one of the most famous climbing destinations in the world. Our small but mighty group of alumni and NOLS instructors climbed, swam, staged breathtaking photo shoots, practiced climbing skills, visited nearby islands, sampled the best spinach pies…
Exploring the World and Finding Yourself: The Power of a Gap Year After High School
Discover the power of taking a gap year after high school—adventure, cultural immersion, and self-reflection highlight this transformative experience.
Case Study: Embedded Tick while Backpacking
In the Appalachian Mountains of New York you friend notices that they have an engorged tick on their leg. How would you apply your wilderness medicine skills in this scenario?
Instructor Spotlight: Caeden Greene
A NOLS experience can truly be a transformative experience for a young person’s life, and that was certainly the case for field instructor Caeden Greene. In high school, Caeden embarked on a 30-day Waddington Range Mountaineering Expedition (WAD), long known as one of NOLS’ most rigorous courses. The WAD expedition had such a profound effect…
Case Study: Jellyfish Sting in Paradise
Ouch! Your friend gets stung by a jellyfish while you're out surfing. How do you respond?
Through the Diamond Heart of Brazil: Our Next Alumni Adventure!
Lush valleys, waterfalls, ancient ruins, and diamonds can all be found in Brazil’s Chapada Diamantina National Park, the backdrop for one of NOLS’ newest alumni trips. Murilo Bellese and Moaci Dantas, the trip’s primary architects, share a little more about the trip and what makes it special. Looking out over Chapada Diamantina National Park. Photo…
27 Considerations for a Wilderness First Aid Kit
There’s no such thing as the perfect first aid kit, so you should consider your needs and build a kit that meets them.
DIY Composting
Instead of contributing organic matter to a landfill, try composting with a few simple steps. It’s easier than you’d think!
Gap Years: Why Most Adults Say, ‘I Wish I’d Done That’
A gap year with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), has a focus on leadership and outdoors skills in the most awe-inspiring locations in the world.
Kayakers Finish Expedition Down Elk River
Kearns went on a trip with the National Outdoor Leadership School down Utah’s Green River. There, he met Swisher and the two hit it off.
Thriving as Women Boaters on the Main Salmon River
Thriving as Women Boaters on the Main Salmon River
NOLS to Match AmeriCorps Education Awards (Americorps – 2016)
NOLS to match AmeriCorps Education Awards
How to Find the Best Campsites in the US
Marco Johnson, Field Staffing Director at NOLS outlines how to pick the best campsite. His tips include: explore the nearby area, go in the off-season and more.
Forest Kindergarten Teacher Trained at NOLS
She pursued continuing education courses with the National Outdoor Leadership School. That coalesced into the Kindergarten Forest program at Antioch School.
Ugly Boxes Doing Beautiful Things: How You Can Do Sustainability
Ugly Boxes Doing Beautiful Things: How You Can Do Sustainability
Quantifying the Unquantifiable: What I Learned after a Week in the Wilderness with the Archer School for Girls
Quantifying the Unquantifiable: What I Learned after a Week in the Wilderness with the Archer School for Girls
