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Featured Course | Summer Semester in the Rockies
By NOLS
Find adventure in the Rockies next summer!
Do you dream of seeing the sky ablaze with cotton-candy colored sunsets, feeling the warmth of the campfire, and taking in the aroma of the backcountry pizza cooking upon it, mingled with the pine and sage that surround you?
This scene is only a sliver of what awaits you while finding another piece of yourself atop the world-renowned Rocky Mountains on a NOLS Summer Semester in the Rockies.
You will embrace new challenges as you backpack through Wyoming’s snow-capped Wind River mountains, climb granite crags, and paddle whitewater rapids on the Green River. Wake up to the sound of breeze in the pines, then cook breakfast on a camp stove with a group of new friends. Spend time in the sun summiting rugged peaks and rock climbing at world-class sites. Ripple the water as you fly fish on clear alpine lakes and learn about local ecology while you hike over stunning high-mountain passes. You’ll explore beautiful and remote wilderness areas, work hard, and laugh a lot.
On each section of the 68-day course— backpacking, climbing, and river travel— you’ll start with the basics, like reading a map, tying knots, and developing your paddle technique. When you’re ready, you’ll move on to more advanced topics, like navigating off trail, building climbing anchors, and scouting rapids.
Along the way, you’ll expand and hone your unique style of leadership skills. You’ll grow your problem solving and risk management skills as you lead a river crossing. You will practice good communication while belaying a coursemate or working together to pilot a raft through a rapid. You’ll learn effective conflict resolution and how to support your team in different roles in the majesty of the Rocky Mountains. And you’ll return home with the confidence to lead in the outdoors, in your community, and beyond.
