A large group of students jump into the air together in an area overlooking Utah's canyons.

NOLS Custom Education

Canyonlands Backpacking Leadership Expedition

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Brian Hensien
Course participants help each other navigate through a narrow canyon.

Canyonlands Backpacking Leadership Expedition

April 24-May 7, 2021

All levels of outdoor experience are welcome: whether you’re a first-time camper or seasoned backpacker, you’ll find new challenges in Utah’s canyonlands. 

Backpack through the dramatic landscape of the canyonlands, surrounded by towering redrock formations. Explore narrow slot canyons and wade through canyon ponds on the way to your next campsite. Fall asleep under starry skies listening to wind blowing through pinyon pines. On this expedition, you’ll start with the basics, like cooking on a camp stove and reading a map. You’ll also participate in a guided leadership progression with the support of experienced instructors. As you gain confidence in your outdoor skills, you and your coursemates will take on more decision-making responsibility under your instructors' mentorship. From planning hiking routes to navigating new terrain, you’ll find opportunities to develop your personal leadership style throughout the course. Expect to return from the canyons inspired and ready to lead at home as well as in the outdoors.

The foundation of the course is built upon NOLS’ essential expedition skills of effective communication, problem-solving, positive influence, and strategically delivering results.  Participants navigate the technical and environmental challenges of field-based learning in the wilderness by getting out of their comfort zones, adapting to a steadily evolving set of scenarios, committing to group over self and learning by collaborating with others.

Details

  • Start/End: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Fly in/out: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Gear Provided: tarps, cookware and other group gear. 
  • Mileage: 30-40 miles
  • Course Tuition: $3,800
  • Tuition Deposit: $100 deposit due with course application.
  • Equipment Deposit: $200 to cover any necessary gear rentals or purchases. Any money that is not used will be refunded.

Enrollment, paperwork, and tuition due date is March 15, 2021.

COVID-19 Information

Cancellation Policy for cancellations related to COVID-19:

  • If you need to cancel due to direct impacts of COVID-19 within 75 days of your course start date, you can receive a 100% tuition credit for a future course or a 75% refund, up to the start date of the course. Direct impacts of COVID-19 may include: you or an immediate family member becoming infected with COVID-19, you have been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 infected individual, or travel restrictions such as stay-in-place orders where you live or border closures prohibiting you from getting to your NOLS campus. NOLS consistently reviews our policies in light of the changing pandemic and reserves the right to update this policy at any time.
  • For students separated from a course due to COVID-19 illness, they will receive a non-refundable 50% tuition credit.*
  • If you need to cancel your enrollment for any other reason, standard NOLS cancellation policies apply.
  • If NOLS suspends a course in the field due to COVID-19 developments (ie. travel restrictions, local stay-in-place orders, etc.), the school will provide a prorated tuition credit.
  • If NOLS cancels your upcoming course due to COVID-19 related impacts or restrictions, we will provide 100% transfer, credit or refund.

NOLS recommends that all enrolled students purchase tuition protection and travel insurance to protect their investment and guard against unforeseen circumstances. NOLS will not reimburse travel or other related third-party costs due to any COVID-19 cancellations.

Cancellation Policy for cancellations not related to COVID-19:

If you cancel or leave for any reason we will retain the non-refundable deposit or the following percentage of tuition, whichever is greater:

  • Between 15 and 29 days prior to the course start date, NOLS will retain 25 percent of the course tuition
  • Between 8 and 14 days prior to the course start date, NOLS will retain 50 percent of the course tuition
  • Less than 8 days prior to the course start date or after the course has begun, there will be no refunds
A course participant prepares to lower themself into a canyon while canyoneering in Utah. Two course participants look out over a sweeping view of Utah's canyons.