Articles

Instructor Expeditions of 2018
Learn about the personal expeditions NOLS instructors undertook in the mountains, rivers, and frontcountry for professional development in 2018.
Why You Should Take a Wilderness First Aid Course
Do you enjoy recreating outdoors? Here are the top 7 reasons why you should consider to taking a NOLS Wilderness First Aid course.
Brave, Not Perfect
NOLS grad Mairin Rogers shares what she learned on her Semester in Baja about being brave rather than constantly trying to achieve perfection.
Case Study: A Blow to the Head
Test your knowledge about caring for patients who may have head injuries with this wilderness medicine case study.
NOLS
“There Is No Limit:” A Kenyan Mountain Guide Advances Her Wilderness Training
Kenyan mountain guide and medic Carol Wanjiru shares her journey on a NOLS course for East African outdoor professionals.
9 Wilderness Medicine Acronyms You Need to Know
So many abbreviations, so little time! Take a look at these need-to-know acronyms for wilderness medicine.
Discovering My—Slightly Strange—New Normal on a NOLS Gap Year
Tricia shares her story of a gap year filled with glacier walks, ABBA songs, and Kiwi slang on a Semester in New Zealand.
Consultation with NOLS Risk Services: A 5-Step Risk Management Review
Check out our 5-step process to performing a thorough risk management review tailored to your organization.
Learning Expedition Behavior With Kids: Winter Edition
Winter is ripe for lessons in expedition behavior (EB) for everyone, especially kids.
NOLS
Andrew Bobilya: Taking the Classroom Outdoors
Now an associate professor at Western Carolina University, NOLS grad Andrew Bobilya still treasures the lessons he learned on his Baja sea kayaking course.
Case Study: A Backcountry First Aid Mystery from the ’80s
Test your knowledge with a case study based on a real event in the '80s where Wilderness First Responders aided a hiker suffering from weakness and lethargy.
Wilson Cheung
Everything You Need to Know About Winter Camping
NOLS instructor Katie Oram shares everything she knows about winter camping—we mean everything.
NOLS
The Places that Scare You: First Ascents on Patagonia’s Northern Icefield
NOLS Instructor Willy Oppenheim describes the difficulties and exhilaration of a stunning first ascent of two peaks in Chilean Patagonia.
NOLS
Case Study: Is That Frostbite?
The patient commented that their toes have been cold and numb all day, but thought they could get by until getting into their sleeping bag. Read the full case study to see what you know about frostbite.
A New Map: A NOLS Grad’s Journey to Walking Again
While recovering from a devastating injury, Jim Harris found himself returning to key life lessons he learned as a teen on a NOLS backpacking course.
Best of NOLS Instagram in 2018
Your favorite photos of wilderness, friendship, and leadership from the NOLS Instagram account in 2018.
Your 8 Favorite Wilderness Medicine Posts of 2018
As 2018 wraps up, our team gathered this year’s most popular wilderness medicine topics from the NOLS Blog.
Aj Musnivki
Leading in the Avalanche Safety and Education Industry
NOLS instructor and American Avalanche Association executive director Jaime Musnicki talks about her career in the outdoor industry.
Meeting the Experts: NOLS Winter Instructor Kate Koons
Skiing and winter camping are the bread and butter of NOLS winter instructor Kate Koons
New Perspectives on Risk Management: WRMC 2018
The WRMC is about community as much as it is about improving risk management practices, as NOLS staffer Day Scott writes.
Do NOLS Even (and Especially) If You’re Scared
In the middle of a semester of complete chaos, Olivia Hewitt decided to take a NOLS course and writes about why you should do a NOLS course even - and especially if - you're scared
NOLS President John Gans Announces Retirement
John Gans is NOLS' longest-serving director and his tenure has been notable for strengthening the school and prioritizing the well-being and needs of students.
Help Your Friends Love NOLS Alumni Trips
NOLS alumni give advice for taking friends and family on a NOLS alumni trip.
Real-Life Scenario: Stuck on a Climbing Route
NOLS instructor Jake Blackwelder tells the story of a rescue on a rock climbing route in Moab, Utah.

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