Spend 50 days skiing and paddling your way through some of the most compelling terrain in the American West — from Wyoming’s winter backcountry to Idaho’s Salmon River, with a 10-day WFR in between.

Your semester runs in three sections. The winter section takes place in one of several mountain ranges in Idaho and Wyoming where you’ll travel on backcountry touring skis or splitboard, while pulling a sled filled with all the gear you’ll need. You’ll sleep in snow shelters you build yourself, make powder turns, learn the fundamentals of backcountry travel and avalanche education, and earn a Recreational Level 1 Avalanche and Avalanche Rescue certification.

photo by: Molly Hagbrand

The second section is a 10-day Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification at NOLS Teton Valley — 80 hours of patient assessment, CPR, and evacuation decision-making taught by NOLS Wilderness Medicine faculty.

The third section puts you on the Salmon River in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness — the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 — learning to read water, run Class II-III rapids, and execute swiftwater rescue techniques. Depending on water levels, time of season, and permit availability, you may travel by canoe, kayak, and/or raft.

photo credit: NOLS

You’ll live in small cook groups throughout, rotating teammates as the course progresses, honing your leadership skills in each section. Whether you’re building proficiency for future personal trips or pursuing year-round employment in the outdoors, you’ll leave with five valuable certifications and the field experience to back them up.

photo by: Molly Hagbrand