Alaska Packrafting and Backpacking - 18 to 22 only

Alaska Adventure: 16 Days of Wilderness, Leadership, and Exploration

Are you ready for an exhilarating backcountry expedition through Alaska’s rugged alpine wilderness? Imagine hiking diverse ecosystems one day and navigating pristine rivers and lakes the next. This NOLS course is designed for those drawn to the challenge of towering, snow-capped mountains and the raw beauty of the wild. Alongside a group of peers, you’ll develop essential wilderness and leadership skills while earning academic credit through a nationally recognized program in outdoor education, leadership, and conservation. This course unlocks transformative growth while creating authentic and fun experiences.

You’ll set out into the remote wilderness with your peers and expert instructors, alternating between trekking on foot and rafting through pristine waters. Guided by seasoned educators with extensive wilderness experience, you’ll develop practical skills in a dynamic, hands-on outdoor classroom. Along the route, golden birch trees will frame the Susitna River, and valleys will be awash with fields of lavender lupines. Nearby, herds of caribou cross the icy shallows of Watana Canyon, while moose wander along the edges of Terrace Lakes. Bears, wolves, and wolverines roam this rugged, breathtaking tundra. You’ll navigate the wilderness with confidence, hiking, rafting, and climbing with the skill of an experienced alpinist.

Develop Packrafting and Wilderness Skills in Alaska’s Untamed Wilds

You’ll be fully immersed in this ecosystem, making your way off-trail through shrub thickets, gravel river bottoms, and over immense boulders carved by centuries of erosion. You’ll learn packrafting, a skill born from the spirit of adventure and exploration, that lets you reach remote landscapes otherwise inaccessible. By carrying your packraft and paddling gear inside your backpack, you’ll combine hiking and paddling to navigate wild, rugged terrain in a way that challenges limits and embraces discovery. You’ll build essential skills in whitewater rafting, hiking, and self-rescue. Along the way, you’ll gain a deeper respect for the power and beauty of wild Alaska and create memories that last a lifetime.

Challenge Your Limits, Discover Yourself

Alaska is the peak of the world, where modern life feels small against the ancient scale of the earth. This course pushes you toward the highest peaks of the known world and beyond the boundaries you set for yourself. NOLS builds skills for life. Resilience, teamwork, and confidence that fuel personal growth, elevate college applications, and lay the foundation for lifelong success. Together, with your peers, you’ll be challenged to make thoughtful, informed decisions and navigate real-time challenges. NOLS students return with a profound respect for the power and beauty of wild Alaska, along with memories that last a lifetime.