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National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

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gustafari
Posts: 726 - Karma: 50
anybody else here a NOLS alumni? did my first trip this past summer and it was fuckin rad. easily the best experience of my life. let this thread be dedicated to all who have done a NOLS trip and know exactly what i mean when i say it was the best experience of my life.
Oct 2 2011 10:49AM
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malonius_funk
Posts: 2249 - Karma: 1,500
my brother did the month long course in the snake river canyon. said it was very hard but also very humbling. where did you do your's?
Oct 2 2011 10:53AM
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gustafari
Posts: 726 - Karma: 50
i did the wind river wilderness course in wyoming. definitely difficult at time but it really puts you in your place and it's the most rewarding experience ever.

to all who haven't done NOLS i would highly recommend it
Oct 2 2011 11:00AM
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Dsnov832
Posts: 102 - Karma: 12
A kid just died on the Himilayan mountaneering trip, and a bit ago they had bear attacks on the alaska trip, not a great year for them..
Oct 2 2011 11:19AM
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malonius_funk
Posts: 2249 - Karma: 1,500
wait wait he did the wind river one in wyoming. i think i got my rivers mixed up. do you know a kid named Dan Malone?
Oct 2 2011 11:38AM
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PopsicleStand
Posts: 6890 - Karma: 147
A bit expensive for my taste. They look cool so im not going to trash them, but there is no way I could have ever afforded to go on one. I actually saved 3000$ of my own money and went on a 3 month adventure when I was 18, I consider it money well spent, and I had similar experiences.
Oct 2 2011 11:41AM
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Bart.Man
Posts: 1742 - Karma: 1,952
Never done NOLS but I attend a NOLS certified highschool with a number of adventure programs. Currently in adventure guide as a Senior. And yes, every trip rocks my socks. Im currently looking at going through the adventure ed. program at Fort Lewis college in Durango, CO and I'm way stoked for that possibility.
Oct 2 2011 11:48AM
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gustafari
Posts: 726 - Karma: 50
nahhh he must've done one at a different time than me
Oct 3 2011 10:06PM
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,591
bump.

Anyone have experience with IWLS? It is a similar program but the thing that draws me to it rather than NOLS is that they offer a 24 day backpacking trip in tanzania, where as NOLS only offers a semester long program.
Aug 6 2013 2:37AM
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SamtheEagle
Posts: 1658 - Karma: 713
I liked mine when I did it but after a few years I realized it made me a cocky and pretentious asshole about being in the outdoors. From talking to other NOLS alum it has secured this idea in my mind that people who do NOLS courses believe they are more knowledgeable and better at stuff than others when in reality many people who learned from their own experiences are much more competent in the outdoors.
Aug 6 2013 3:16AM
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Dhane
Posts: 3866 - Karma: 1,722
Im a NOLS grad, and now im graduating college with a degree in adventure education. hoping to work with them in the near future as they are experimenting with some programs here in in NH. its an incredible program, people dont appreciate stuff like this anymore. and to the person who mentioned the bear attack in AK, my buddy was actually LOD of the group that got attacked. pretty insane stuff hearing firsthand what actually went down. NOLS is a stellar organization though, they handled that incredibly well and i have nothing but respect for them.
Aug 6 2013 9:36AM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
its a just way for privileged trust fund kids to boast that they know more about the outdoors then you do.

I mean, who the fuck would pay that kind of money to go camping and get a boyscout badge??
Aug 6 2013 9:42AM
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Dhane
Posts: 3866 - Karma: 1,722
100% false statement
Aug 6 2013 11:24AM
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SamtheEagle
Posts: 1658 - Karma: 713
idk i kindof agree with him man and I am a nols grad
Aug 6 2013 2:22PM
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iFlip
Posts: 4543 - Karma: 19,132
My interaction with NOLS was very positive. They fed me a pancake breakfast in an attempt to recruit staff. I didn't sign with them, but the pancakes were delicious!

Truthfully (well, the above was truth as well), I believe that NOLS is an excellent way for someone with little outdoor experience to experience the outdoors in an immersion type situation. You will learn many skills along the way and have a great time. For someone like myself who grew up in the woods, NOLS would be trivial, a waste of time, and far less of an experience than a trip I plan myself.

That said, a NOLS course will allow you to successfully plan trips yourself in the future. You will know what to expect, have the skill-set, and hopefully have your eyes opened to a new, outdoors world.
Aug 6 2013 4:17PM
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MYNAMEISCARSON
Posts: 153 - Karma: 588
i really want to do one of the backpacking trips. anyone done one?
Aug 6 2013 6:17PM
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Nacho+
Posts: 3748 - Karma: 7,791
I just got back from an adventure corse last week. Coolest thing ever. We hiked in Idaho for 2.5 weeks, then rafted the salmon for 10 days.
Aug 6 2013 7:55PM
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MASkier
Posts: 657 - Karma: 704
What is the point of NOLS? Not hating, but from what I see 90% of the trips are things you and a few friends with limited outdoor experience could do.
Aug 7 2013 2:07PM
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