National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Semester in the Pacific Northwest

Get outside the traditional classroom and find new adventures in the striking landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. Take time for your future and grow your leadership skills as you explore quiet coves, dense forests, and rugged mountains. Summit soaring peaks while mountaineering in the North Cascades. Sail a keelboat through the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia, Canada. Go climbing at world-class sites and paddle a sea kayak across sparkling blue waters. Learn about local ecology and earn an industry-respected Wilderness First Aid certification.

Whether it’s your first time camping or you’re already an experienced outdoors person, expect to challenge yourself each day. Start with the basics, like cooking on a campstove and reading a map. Then, move on to more advanced topics, like completing a multi-pitch climb, piloting a keelboat, or using tide charts to help plan a coastal hiking route.

Along the way, participate in a guided leadership progression, gradually taking on more decision-making responsibility as the course and your skills progress. Practice good communication as you work with your team to sail to the next campsite or navigate thick forest. Develop your risk management and problem-solving skills as you lead a rope team across a glacier. Build lasting relationships, and return home with the confidence to lead in your community and beyond.