NOLS Blog

Stories from the field

Advice, stories, and inspiration from the wilderness

MACHU PICHU

Backpacking the Vilcabamba Valley to Machu Picchu Alumni Trip: Inaugural Trip Reflection

An Interview with Kellsie Forbes, NOLS Alumni Trips Manager Where did the idea to create an alumni trip to explore the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu come from? Jorge Anhalzer, a NOLS instructor from Ecuador, and his friend Sam Husley, a NOLS instructor who lives in Peru, proposed it last year. It’s such a spectacular place. Most of our alumni…

Kellsie Forbes August 2026 5 min read
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All Alumni Expeditions Gap Year Gear Leadership Wilderness Medicine
From the Sears Tower to the Adirondack Mountains
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From the Sears Tower to the Adirondack Mountains

From the Sears Tower to the Adirondack Mountains
Lindsay Yost June 2015 1 min read
The Backpack: Home Away from Home
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The Backpack: Home Away from Home

The Backpack: Home Away from Home
Molly Herber June 2015 1 min read
Educator Expedition: Skills to Paddle the Great Blue Sea
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Educator Expedition: Skills to Paddle the Great Blue Sea

Educator Expedition: Skills to Paddle the Great Blue Sea
Molly Herber June 2015 1 min read
Educator Expedition: Cutting Edge Avalanche Training
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Educator Expedition: Cutting Edge Avalanche Training

Learning about avalanches in the Tetons on a Level 3 Avalanche Course
Jesse Quillian May 2015 1 min read
Exploring Alaska’s Brooks Range with My Camera
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Exploring Alaska’s Brooks Range with My Camera

Photo essay on paddling and backpacking in Alaska's Brooks Range
Alex Phillips May 2015 1 min read
From A Gap Year to Yahoo! Sustainability
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From A Gap Year to Yahoo! Sustainability

Yahoo!, Inc. global director for energy and sustainability strategy Chris Page connects her NOLS gap year experience in Baja with…
Karly Copeland May 2015 1 min read
Prevention and Self-Awareness: Medicine and Leadership Intertwine
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Prevention and Self-Awareness: Medicine and Leadership Intertwine

Prevention and Self-Awareness: Medicine and Leadership Intertwine
Tod Schimelpfenig May 2015 1 min read
Educator Expedition: Reading the Rapids on the Colorado River [Video]
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Educator Expedition: Reading the Rapids on the Colorado River [Video]

Educator Expedition: Reading the Rapids on the Colorado River [Video]
Molly Herber May 2015 1 min read
Joint Perspective: International Educator and NOLS Parent on 21st Century Education
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Joint Perspective: International Educator and NOLS Parent on 21st Century Education

A parent with international experience weighs in on the values of wilderness experiences
Alex Phillips May 2015 1 min read

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