NOLS Blog
Stories from the field
Advice, stories, and inspiration from the wilderness
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…
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Renowned Astronomer Jill Tarter Says Eclipse Reminds Us We’re Earthlings
Tarter said she’s seen two other total solar eclipses in her life but she chose to see this one in…
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Genius Tips to Master Campsite Baking
A week into her NOLS class in the wilderness, Katherine Boehrer experienced the biggest shock of the trip, at dinnertime.…
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How to Ford a River
To learn how to safely ford a river, we called Marco Johnson, a NOLS field instructor who for over 30…
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Outdoor Recreation Bolsters Wyoming’s Economy with $5.6 Billion Annually in Consumer Spending and 50,000 Jobs
Outdoor recreation in Wyoming generates $5.6 billion annually in spending, contributes a whopping 50,000 jobs, and $514 million in state…
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Veterans group uses the outdoors, mountaineering to prevent suicides
When the Iraq combat veteran Andrew Collins realized every time he felt lost, or the noise grew louder in his…
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Getting Kids Into the Outdoors Starts in the Backyard
A guy who’s required to know all of them is John Gans, the executive director of NOLS, which teaches survival…
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NOLS Joins “We Are Still In” Paris Agreement Coalition
On July 17, 2017, NOLS joined the “We Are Still In” coalition of Paris Agreement supporters within the United States.
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Should You Become a Wilderness First Responder?
Many park rangers, guides, and outdoor enthusiasts become wilderness first responders, a certification offered by the National Outdoor Leadership School…
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How To Be a Nature Lover Without Leaving a Footprint
In 1990, the Forest Service contracted with NOLS to create low-impact pedagogy and training. From this work emerged Leave No…
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