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
Mountaineering Courses Promise Epic Treks
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Mountaineering Courses Promise Epic Treks

Backpack through Washington’s North Cascades for 29 days, on a mountaineering course offered through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).
Kim Freitas February 2020 1 min read
Fall Semester Grad Savors the Outdoors
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Fall Semester Grad Savors the Outdoors

Liam Tuveson participated in an adventure of a lifetime as part of a fall semester program with the National Outdoor…
Kim Freitas February 2020 1 min read
Lessons from Patagonia’s Culture of Sharing
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Lessons from Patagonia’s Culture of Sharing

Stagg traveled to Patagonia this spring on his International Professional Service Semester (IPSS) assignment to work with NOLS in Coyhaique,…
Kim Freitas February 2020 1 min read
Expedition Denali Completes Climb Safely, with Good Style
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Expedition Denali Completes Climb Safely, with Good Style

Expedition Denali Completes Climb Safely, with Good Style
Casey Adams February 2020 1 min read
Students Learn Wilderness First Aid
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Students Learn Wilderness First Aid

Students and community members at Luther College took a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course, led by the National Outdoor Leadership…
Kim Freitas February 2020 1 min read
Eight Month-Long Adventures You Can’t Miss
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Eight Month-Long Adventures You Can’t Miss

Perhaps you’ve decided to take a year off from the daily grind. or maybe your career allows you to work…
Kim Freitas February 2020 1 min read
NOLS Rocky Mountain Offers Local Scholarships
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NOLS Rocky Mountain Offers Local Scholarships

NOLS Rocky Mountain Offers Local Scholarships
Casey Adams February 2020 1 min read
NOLS Partners with Sierra Club in Support of Veterans
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NOLS Partners with Sierra Club in Support of Veterans

NOLS Partners with Sierra Club in Support of Veterans
Casey Adams February 2020 1 min read
National Park Service and Denali National Park Support Expedition Denali
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National Park Service and Denali National Park Support Expedition Denali

National Park Service and Denali National Park Support Expedition Denali
Casey Adams February 2020 1 min read

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