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…
Articles
NOLS Alumni Skiing Under Sweden’s Northern Lights: Trip Report with Dirk Kramer
In March 2024, two groups of NOLS alumni ventured into Sweden's Arctic winter. Although they faced the cold, the kind…
Articles
Rothberg-Birdwhistell Exploration Fund: Climbing Alaska’s Mount Fairweather
Thanks to the Rothberg-Birdwhistell Exploration Fund for NOLS Instructors, John Sims and Brian Sarge set out in the spring of…
Expeditions
Packrafting Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Essential Packrafting Skills
This beginner’s guide to packrafting basics covers everything from essential gear to paddling and self-rescue skills. Prepare for your next…
Articles
The 2023 Denali Science Expedition
During the summer of 2023, NOLS instructor and PhD candidate Emma Erwin led a scientific expedition in the high peaks…
Articles
Case Study: Heat Cramps on the Rio Grande
On a paddling trip in Big Bend National Park, a participant starts having leg spasms. What do you do?
Articles
What is Packrafting?
What is packrafting? Learn the unique history of this adventure sport and what makes it so awesome for exploring water…
Wilderness Medicine
How to Prevent Altitude Sickness: From Acute Mountain Sickness to Severe Altitude Illness
Learn how to prevent altitude sickness with NOLS wilderness medicine courses. Take a proactive approach to your next mountain adventure.
Articles
Case Study: Burn in the Backcountry
A student gets a hot water burn deep in the backcountry. What do you do?
Wilderness Medicine
How to Prevent Hypothermia in Cold Climates
Take a proactive approach to your next adventure. Learn how to prevent hypothermia, manage cold stress, and be prepared for…
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