Stories

Carolyn shares the letter she wrote to herself on a one-night solo near the end of her Semester in New Zealand.

Parent Shelli Johnson writes about what it was like for her son to go on a 30-day NOLS course

An instructor team heads to North America's largest wilderness to explore new rivers and mountains by packraft.

Looking back with a critical eye, I can see the poetry of the experience I had in Alaska. Dramatic, refreshing, limit-pushing poetry.

We found ourselves in a boat pulling away from the only dry land we could see. It looked like a normal city neighborhood had been built in the middle of a lake—all due to Hurricane Harvey

Covered with white glaciers, Denali towers incredibly high above all the other Alaska Range peaks and the surrounding green tundra.

Call it a microadventure or a day out of the house—just get out and explore what’s around you.

Alum Dave’s NOLS course jumpstarted a new life of activity and adventure—at age 49.

After dropping my pack and pulling out a much-needed Snickers bar, I sat on the ground and tried to digest what had happened over the past few days.

2017 NOLS Summit speaker and instructor Eric Boggs shares how storytelling is a powerful way to teach leadership.

Surgeon Katy Trahan levels up her medical training on a Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals course with NOLS.

NOLS instructor Rumi Kodama reflects on a canoeing seminar in Canada—and the intersections between growing her whitewater skills and confidence.

A NOLS instructor recounts adventures from a rock climbing trip in Chile and Argentina that highlighted the importance of positivity in the face of adversity.

NOLS Wilderness Medicine instructor discusses the mental challenges of emergency medicine and raises awareness of PTSD for first responders.

On a family trip in Utah, NOLS grad Shelli Johnson suddenly found herself using her Wilderness First Responder skills at the scene of a serious accident.

A NOLS instructor applies his teaching skills to a river expedition with his family on the Salmon River.

A NOLS Wilderness Medicine grad shares how her first aid training became critically important when she encountered an injured climber on a weekend trip.

A NOLS instructor reflects on how a rock climbing seminar inspired her to keep learning.

NOLS mountaineering grad Will Harrison shares tips on adjusting to city life and incorporating lessons learned outdoors to life at home.

NOLS grad Carolyn Highland reflects on how learning tolerance for adversity on an outdoor semester in New Zealand translates to challenges at home.

A NOLS Wilderness First Aid grad shares the story of how his first aid training helped him when a friend was injured in a mountain biking accident.

NOLS grad Haley Peel found the challenge she was looking for on a mountaineering course in India—and learned some lasting lessons along the way.

A NOLS alum reflects on the life-changing experiences he had while hiking, kayaking, and sailing on a semester in Baja California, Mexico.

Four NOLS instructors share the experience of leading a group of friends and family on a rafting expedition in the Grand Canyon.