NOLS Alumni Magazine - The Leader Fall 2019

THE LEADER NOLS ALUMNI | FALL 2019 | VOL. 35 NO. 1

The Value of a Good Pair of Boots 14 NOLS’ Role in the Career of a CEO 16

The Same Sun: Finding My Place in the Outdoors 18

Lessons from an Alumni Horsepacking Expedition 20

From the Chair

THE LEADER November 2019 • Volume 35 • No. 1 Published twice a year in April and November.

EDITOR

Anne McGowan DESIGNER

Kacie DeKleine ALUMNI RELATIONS DIRECTOR

I

am pleased to announce that the NOLS Board of Trustees has selected Terri Watson as our next president. Terri will be the sixth person to lead the school since its founding in 1965, and is the first woman to do so. She will assume her new role on Jan. 1, 2020.

After a nine-month search, during which we considered more than 300 candidates, the board unanimously concluded that Terri’s background, skills, and experiences are exactly what the school needs to continue as the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment.

Terri comes to NOLS from LightHawk, a national conservation nonprofit based in Colorado, where she has served as CEO since 2015. Her deep experience in nonprofit management, education, and conservation in multi-faceted organizations with international reach has uniquely prepared Terri to address the complex needs of the school today.

Terri started her NOLS journey as an instructor in 1990. She worked full time in a variety of operational roles until she departed NOLS as the Southwest Branch Director in late 1997. She became a NOLS Wilderness Medicine instructor in 1999 and continues to teach several courses each year. It’s this unique combination of external nonprofit success and firsthand understanding of NOLS’ culture and core values that will help her shape success at the school. The Board looks forward to envisioning the future of NOLS with Terri at the helm.

I would personally like to thank our presidential search committee chair, Greg Avis, and all members of the search committee for their tireless effort and contribution to this important next step for the school. I am also appreciative of the support provided by our partners at the national search firm, Issacson, Miller, who brought their mission-driven ethos to our search process and delivered a quality pool of candidates.

With our 55th anniversary on the horizon, this announcement marks an exciting and extraordinary time for the school. Please join me in welcoming Terri back to the NOLS family!

Marc Randolph Chair of the NOLS Board of Trustees

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Rich Brame NOLS PRESIDENT

John Gans CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Brad Christensen EDITORIAL BOARD

Sandy Chio Molly Herber Brooke Ortel

Postmaster: Send address changes to NOLS 284 Lincoln St. Lander, WY 82520 The Leader is a magazine for alumni of NOLS, a nonprofit global school focusing on wilderness skills, leadership, and environmental ethics.

It is mailed to approximately 74,000 NOLS alumni. NOLS graduates living in the U.S. receive a free subscription to The Leader for life.

The Leader welcomes article submissions and comments. Please address all correspondence to leader@ nols.edu or call 1-307-332-8800.

Alumni can direct address changes to alumni@nols.edu or 1-800-332-4280.

For the most up-to-date information on NOLS, visit www.nols.edu or email admissions@nols.edu.

The Leader is printed with soy-based inks in Los Angeles, Cal., on paper using 10 percent post-consumerrecycled content. The Leader is available online at www.nols.edu/leader.

Cover photo: Matt Hage

EDUCATE

ENGAGE

Teach the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate uncertainty.

Recognize the wild that every person faces.

Meet Terri Watson | Q&A with NOLS’ New President

4

NOLS in Action | NOLS and Climate Change: Conversations Lead to Action

Curriculum | Surviving an Avalanche

24

5

Looking Back | The Washington Post Magazine Covers NOLS, 1983

25

Featured Location | NOLS Teton Valley

6

How To | Sleep Outdoors This Winter

26

Staff Profile | Lori Karker

7

How To | Enjoy Winter Outdoors (More!)

27

Alumni Profile | Kenna Kuhn

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28

Alumni Profile | Katy Trahan

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Book Review | Alaska: Illustrated Guide for the Curious Gear Review | Mountainsmith Mayhem 45 Backpack

29

Nutrition | Cheese Bombs

30

Alumni Trips | Sea Kayaking in New Zealand and Backpacking in Bhutan

10

Featured Course | Affinity Courses

11

Alumni in Action | Taking the Classroom Outdoors

12

Recognition | NOLS Awards

13

EXPOSE

14

16

Push people to experience the uncertain.

14

Feature | The Value of a Good Pair of Boots

16

Feature | NOLS’ Role in the Career of a CEO

18

Feature | The Same Sun: Finding My Place in the Outdoors

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Cover Story | Lessons from an Alumni Horsepacking Expedition

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ENGAGE

MEET TERRI WATSON | Q&A WITH NOLS’ NEW PRESIDENT

By Anne McGowan Development Communications Coordinator

Terri Watson is a pilot, NOLS Wilderness Medicine instructor, former NOLS Southwest program director, recent director of a conservation nonprofit—and NOLS’ newly named sixth (and first female) president.

Terri, who will step into her new role on Jan. 1, took time recently to answer a few not-soserious questions about herself.

If you could do anything at all for a day, what would it be?

Become fluent in all known languages.

That would include animals and extraterrestrials, both of whom I very much would like to speak with.

What’s your favorite book?

I’m a voracious reader of all genres. An early childhood favorite was The Chosen

by Chaim Potok about a friendship across cultures. The Harry Potter series took me totally off guard because the writing created such rich, complex imagery in my mind’s eye. One of my all-time favorites is Shackleton’s Boat Journey by F.A. Worsley because of the massive understatement of an epic journey.

What makes you laugh?

Absurdity. The antics of animals. And really bad puns/corny jokes.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

A pilot, and the person who picked the music that went with movies and TV shows. I got to do one for a living. The other, well, I admit to creating scores in my head while people-watching or gazing out the window of a plane or train.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Lasagna, with a big crunchy salad and lemon meringue pie for dessert. True confession: my mom makes this every time I visit, much to the rest of my family’s chagrin.

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What is your favorite sport to watch or play?

Pickleball, of all things. We’ve really gotten into it as a couple, have traveled and competed nationally, and met an entire community of new friends over the past few years.

Do you collect anything?

Rocks. I’ve collected them since I was a kid, and still do. Most are small stones that are part of my travels or an experience. It’s a weird thing—I can pick up any one of them and tell you where it came from and what we were doing when I pocketed it. It’s a collection that wouldn’t mean much to anyone else, but to me, they capture memories of times and places.

When do you feel truly “alive”?

When I’m in a quiet place, surrounded by the majesty of the world around me, whether the big-open ice of Antarctica, an endless sea stretching to the horizon, a mountain meadow with peaks looming overhead, flying across the earth on a bluebird day. Those times when you feel both very small, and very much a part of— those are the times I feel truly alive.

What makes a good life?

Having family and friends to share it with, in the fun times and the hard times. Add ice cream sandwiches and it’s perfect.

Anne McGowan Anne grew up camping and hiking with her family in Pennsylvania. A Wind River Wilderness - Prime grad, she left newspaper publishing to write about all things NOLS.

ENGAGE

NOLS IN ACTION | NOLS AND CLIMATE CHANGE: CONVERSATIONS LEAD TO ACTION

By Aaron Bannon Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Director

Hikers in the Engano Valley region of Patagonia. Sanne Hilbrich

F

olks in western Wyoming were greeted by a special visitor in August, as Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) made the rounds to talk about climate change. A third-term senator, Whitehouse has made climate change his signature issue. And, as he seeks to engage his fellow senators, he is meeting them where they are: exploring their home turf, engaging with their constituents, and examining the realities of climate change as seen through the eyes of local business interests.

In his five-day tour, Sen. Whitehouse spent a full day in Lander, home of NOLS’ World Headquarters and our Rocky Mountain location. He took time to engage with a select NOLS panel, including the NOLS president, interim operations director, environmental stewardship and sustainability director, research manager, alumni director, and a seasoned NOLS instructor.

While NOLS operations are frequently adapting to changes on the ground rooted in climate-level shifts, this was a rare opportunity to discuss those impacts and consider the greater scope of how climate change affects NOLS.

Outgoing NOLS President John Gans identified climate change as the number one challenge facing incoming President Terri Watson. Interim Operations Director Rachael Price reinforced that concern with a laundry list of current operational challenges, and augmented that with permanent changes we’ve introduced to adapt to the new normal.

Glacial recession, Alaska heatwaves, longer wildfire seasons, and extensive beetle-killed forest landscapes all affect how NOLS runs courses and how instructors navigate landscapes. The NOLS instructor present shared the engagement he and other instructors have, as well as the priorities of NOLS students; impacts from climate change are a major concern for these parties. In the end, it was clear that not only is it important for NOLS to engage in the policy discussion, but also that we have a unique climate change story to tell.

Senator Whitehouse inserted insights into the discussion, and into the future he sees for energy-dependent states like Wyoming. Whitehouse expressed his belief that the shift away from fossil fuels will be sudden. He predicted there will be

a tipping point and it will be very rapid.

When this comes, states like Wyoming, so dependent on fossil fuels, will be most acutely affected. The senator pointed to economic groups that are sounding the alarm on climate change. Whitehouse anticipates a market crash, and a systemic global crash, will ultimately catalyze the shift.

NOLS is leaning into the conversation Sen. Whitehouse began. The environmental stewardship and sustainability department is developing a policy position paper that will clarify our stance for our program supervisors and instructors. It’s gearing up to work with the education department to empower the development of effective climate-change curriculum from the ground up. And it’s developing advocacy tools for location staff, instructors, and students alike to join in the climate change discussion in an empowering way.

As NOLS adapts to a changing environment, it will work with and through staff and faculty to engage, and it will leverage its voice as much as possible to inform the global climate change discussion. Watch Sen. Whitehouse’s “Time to Wake Up” climate speech to the U.S. Senate about his trip to Wyoming and his conversation with NOLS representatives at www.nols.edu/timetowakeup.

Aaron Bannon Aaron Bannon, NOLS Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Director, is NOLS’ voice for public lands.

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Molly Hagbrand

ENGAGE

FEATURED LOCATION NOLS TETON VALLEY

44° N, 111° W

By Kaylan Scott Development Stewardship Coordinator

P

aul Petzoldt cut his teeth scrambling in and around the Teton Valley.

At 16 years old, in cowboy boots and blue jeans, he became the youngest person to summit the Grand Teton in 1922, and inspired his subsequent career as a legendary alpinist, revolutionary outdoor educator, and founder of NOLS.

At NOLS Teton Valley, students are briefed, outfitted, and rationed, then travel to a variety of wilderness classrooms, including the Absaroka Mountains, the Salmon River, the Wyoming Range, and Yellowstone National Park. Housed in a decommissioned church, NOLS Teton Valley serves students June through September and December through March, offering backpacking, rafting, canoeing, and kayaking courses in the summer, and backcountry skiing, splitboarding, and avalanche training in the winter.

In summer months, 14- to 15-year-old Adventure students make up the bulk of Teton Valley students, along with Prime

course students ages 23 and older. Winter season highlights include spring break courses for students ages 16–18 and 18–22, plus a 21-day Winter Outdoor Educator course—the longest winter course in the NOLS catalog.

Whether winter or summer, skis or raft, NOLS Teton Valley courses are rugged, fun, and unforgettable. But, regardless of the skill you choose to pursue, we strongly suggest NOLS wind pants over denim.

Kaylan Scott Kaylan learned on her Spring Semester in New Zealand that all meals should begin with onion and garlic. She spends her free time hiking, climbing, skiing, reading, and cooking.

Go beyond the beach—make this spring break one to remember!

NOLS Teton Valley offers backcountry ski and snowboard expeditions for high school students ages 16–18 and college students ages 18–22. Take your ski or snowboard skills out of bounds and, along the way, learn avalanche assessment and the art of winter camping.

If you’re craving a warm-weather adventure, NOLS Mexico and NOLS Southwest offer a range of spring break courses for you!

Paddle clear blue water in the Sea of Cortez and camp under starry skies. Learn to rock climb at Arizona’s famed Cochise Stronghold, exploring the area’s granite domes and winding desert canyons.

New this year: Choose from 14 spring break courses offered from early March to mid-April.

Visit nols.edu to apply today.

Wilderness Medicine Quiz QUESTION | Signs and symptoms of severe hypothermia include: a) Shivering and walking, b) A person with blue or pale skin who can move slowly, c) No shivering, inability to walk, d) Lethargy and apathy Answer on page 30.

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ENGAGE

STAFF PROFILE | LORI KARKER

By Brooke Ortel Writer

N

OLS Wilderness Medicine Admissions Officer Lori Karker is a returned Peace Corps volunteer, Wilderness First Responder, and avid backpacker, runner, and climber. Lori also happens to be profoundly Deaf, and her first language is American Sign Language.

She discovered her love of the outdoors at Camp Courage, exploring the lakes and woods of northern Minnesota with fellow Deaf and Hard of Hearing campers. Lori said that “this was the pivotal moment when I realized I belonged in the outdoors and could share this experience with other Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.”

The common misconception about Deaf people, she explained, “is that because we can’t hear, we can’t be out there in the wilderness. While people think hearing is essential to being safe in the wilderness, we Deaf people have adapted different ways to ‘listen’ and be outside.

We enjoy the outdoors as much as everyone else does—we just do it differently.”

After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in international relations, Lori earned her Wilderness First Responder certification with NOLS—one of the few outdoor organizations that provides ASL interpreters for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.

She recalled, “NOLS made it possible for me to have equal access to learning about wilderness medicine. This reinforces their mission that anyone can learn about the outdoors and be a leader, regard-

less of our different abilities.”

Shortly after earning her Wilderness First Responder certification, Lori joined the Peace Corps. For two years, she worked as a Deaf educator and educational consultant in New Amsterdam, Guyana. As a Peace Corps volunteer, Lori taught Deaf and Hard of Hearing students ages 5–18, covering topics ranging from literacy to basic first aid.

She also developed curriculum for the regional Deaf education program.

When she returned to the U.S., Lori found herself drawn back to NOLS. Inspired by her interest in outdoor education, she moved to Lander, Wyoming, to work at the school’s world headquarters. She also became a passionate advocate for inclusion and accessibility in the outdoors.

Lori recently produced a series of educational videos for NOLS Hybrid WFR recertification courses on how to communicate with patients and fellow responders who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing or who speak another language.

She’s also in the midst of launching the Inclusive Outdoor Project, an educational resource hub with guidelines on how to include all people in the outdoors, particularly the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

Lori believes that “inclusion is the key to sharing outdoor experiences together.

The outdoors is for all of us to explore and discover more about ourselves—just like I did.”

Check out inclusiveoutdoorproject.org to learn more.

Lori Karker believes inclusion is key to sharing outdoor experiences. Courtesy of Lori Karker

Brooke Ortel Brooke is a runner and writer who enjoys finding adventure in the everyday. True to her island roots, she loves sunshine and that salty ocean smell.

Wilderness Quiz QUESTION | Who was the first park ranger in the United States?

Answer on page 30.

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ENGAGE

ALUMNI PROFILE KENNA KUHN

By Kenna Kuhn NOLS Grad & Ambassador

G

“Tolerance for adversity, comfort with self, and commitment to a better world ... are important threads in the fabric of any successful life.”

rowing up in northern California, access to the outdoors was so normal in my community that I took it entirely for granted. So, after graduating early from high school in 2015, it seemed only natural to add tramping around on a NOLS packrafting course in Alaska to my six-month-long outdoor to-do list. It was during that 30-day expedition that I saw firsthand the importance of a high tolerance for adversity and an unwavering commitment to a better self and a better world. I have since then worked hard to weave those lessons into my life.

After completing my NOLS course, for instance, I started my freshman year at the University of Denver in Colorado, and immediately noticed a gap separat-

Kenna Kuhn pauses to take in the view. Maddy Marshall

8 | THE LEADER

ing students—primarily those of color, women, and low-income students—from the incredible Rocky Mountains west of us. I was vocal about this gap and in just a few weeks, the university’s backpacking club, called DUBC, a new organization with virtually no members, fell into my lap.

By the end of the fall of my freshman year, I was president. For me and my co-president, two-time NOLS alumnus T.J. Polite, it was a no-brainer that this organization had to create access for and build confidence in those who have historically lacked it, and foster a meaningful relationship with the outdoors to create stewards for our natural spaces. Our annual funding was less than $500 but, despite university pressure, we remained steadfast about not charging member fees (when comparable clubs on campus had a $60 initiation fee), no alcohol, no drugs, a focus on competency, and never charging more than $25 per trip. This meant a lot of crowd-funding, grant writing, and an immense amount of creativity and volunteered time.

Now, three years later, DUBC has over 1,000 members and runs dozens of threeday long backpacking trips every fall and spring. In my time, I was able to accomplish numerous personal goals, including leading two all-women’s trips and hosting a month-long competition encouraging people to get outside, whether that was on campus or in two-feet-deep powder in the

mountains. There’s no end to the process of bridging the divide between people and the outdoors, but I am incredibly proud of the organization that DUBC has become.

Now, I look forward to bringing the skills I learned from NOLS and DUBC to new opportunities. Tolerance for adversity, comfort with self, and commitment to a better world apply not only to wilderness settings and outdoor endeavors, but are important threads in the fabric of any successful life. Fighting for relationships, battling illnesses, and overcoming unexpected change take pages from the same book as paddling water I’m not comfortable in, long days bushwhacking with bear sightings and mosquitos, and rationing food between four hungry young adults (let’s be honest—it’s hard!). Ultimately, these skills have equipped me to be the best version of myself, and lit an intense passion for the outdoors within me. I’m forever grateful to NOLS for that.

Kenna Kuhn Kenna is a NOLS Ambassador from California who’s committed to making adventure meaningful on a larger-than-self scale. She’s particularly loyal to Colorado and pesto pasta.

ENGAGE

ALUMNI PROFILE KATY TRAHAN

By Aimee Newsom Alumni Relations Coordinator

D

r. Katy Trahan’s interest in the outdoors was born long before her love of medicine. She spent early childhood summers fishing and hiking in the Shenandoah Valley with her grandparents and learned to sail on the Chesapeake Bay as she got older. Katy eventually went on to earn undergraduate degrees in English and geologic engineering in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she continued to explore her outdoor surroundings.

Unexpectedly, a college job at a local hospital changed her entire trajectory.

“Sometimes I think careers choose you,” admits Katy, who now works as a trauma surgeon in North Carolina.

When her husband encouraged her to sign up for a Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals course in 2017, Katy wasn’t entirely sure what she would gain from a NOLS education. By this point, she already had 15 years of experience in general surgery and emergency room trauma bays under her belt.

Despite her wealth of experience, Katy quickly learned that the work of operating rooms was very different from the world of first responders. “As physicians,” she says, “we are very reliant upon our nurses, our labs, our equipment. We don’t understand the limitations that our first responders are facing. It is easy to be judgmental rather than grateful.”

Katy was also blown away by many of her

“As physicians we are very reliant upon our nurses, our labs, our equipment. We don’t understand the limitations that our first responders are facing.” fellow WUMP coursemates: medics from Antarctica; search-and-rescue nurses who flew helicopters and rappelled down to their patients; professionals who dealt with the harsh conditions of Mount Rainier or Denali National Park. “Wow,” Katy remembers thinking, “My job’s nothing compared to this!”

Katy describes her NOLS course as both humbling and eye-opening. She believes it helped improve her skills as a physician, since she can now “listen [to first responders], speak a similar language, and appreciate what they have done in the field to bring me these patients.” She has since become a wilderness medicine instructor herself and taken courses with FEMA in mass casualty. Mass casualty medicine, she says, is similar to wilderness first aid. “It is doing what you have to do.

It is taking immediate action in situations where you may not have definitive care for several hours.”

Katy is still an avid outdoorswoman who loves to travel and explore with her husband and their five teenage daughters. Two of Katy’s daughters have taken NOLS Wilderness First Aid courses thus far. Along with recommending wilderness medicine to fellow physicians, she also believes wilderness medicine “is awesome for kids and teens. Not only do they get outside, they get off technology and they are empowered by learning useful skills.”

Students practice wilderness medicine skills. Carl Stone

Aimee Newsom Aimee always chooses tea over coffee and never leaves home without a book. She loves exploring Wyoming with her husband Rob and their Great Dane, Dunkin.

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ENGAGE

ALUMNI TRIPS

I

nterested in a NOLS adventure but can’t take weeks off work?

Looking for a way to share your NOLS experience with non-grad friends and family? Consider a NOLS Alumni Trip! We offer backcountry excursions throughout the year for our alumni and their guests.

NOLS Alumni Reunions We loved meeting so many of you at our fall 2019 reunion events in Boulder, Chicago, New York City, Washington DC, St. Paul, and Salt Lake City. Thank you for bringing your enthusiasm for NOLS, your shared love of the outdoors, and your friends and family members! Reunions are a fantastic way to build local NOLS communities nationwide. We hope you had as much fun as we did, and we look forward to seeing you at a spring 2020 reunion. Stay tuned for upcoming dates and locations!

Featuring top-notch instructors, these trips cater to the interests and maturity levels of participants. Family-friendly options are available for grads with kids, too! For more information or to sign up, call 1-800-332-4280 or visit www.nols.edu/alumni.

1. Sea Kayaking in New Zealand DATE | February 2–8, 2020 COST | $2,495 (includes pre- and post-trip lodging) We’re ditching tents for this lodge-to-lodge coastal kayaking trip on New Zealand’s South Island, allowing you to paddle light boats and minimize time-consuming boat loading. NOLS has kayaked along this stunning coastline for years, but this is a pilot trip for our alumni programs.

Moderate

Difficult

Sea kayaking can be tiring, but ending each night in a hotel or lodge adds comfort.

2. Backpacking in Bhutan DATE | February 3–14, 2020 COST | $5,395 (includes round-trip flight to Bhutan from Bangkok) Join NOLS on our first culturally-immersive trip to Bhutan and explore the enchanting “Land of the Thunder Dragon.” You’ll hike gradually to 15,600' using horses to carry the bulk of the gear, with the base of Chomolhari (24,000') as your goal. You’ll visit villages, farms, and people who thrive in the valleys of the Himalaya.

Moderate

Difficult

High altitude and elevation gains make this a physically demanding trip.

Peyton Weigel

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10 | THE LEADER

2

Yangphel Adventure Travel

Justin Forrest Parks

FEATURED COURSE AFFINITY COURSES

By Justin Forrest Parks Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager

I

n April, NOLS hosted its first ever Southwest Leaders of Color Expedition (SLE), a space specifically created for People of Color and People of the Global Majority. Eight POC/PGM-identifying individuals traveled to New Mexico’s Gila National Forest, located on Apache and Mogollon ancestral lands, to embark on a nine-day backpacking trip with their instructors, Jorge Moreno, NOLS development officer and Latino Outdoors leader, and Rosemary Saal, NOLS field instructor and Outdoor Afro leader.

This course looked and operated slightly differently than our typical NOLS course. Like all NOLS expedition courses, the crew hiked long days with heavy backpacks, cooked on Whisperlite stoves, and pitched Megamid tents every night.

What differed, though, were their views and relationship with time, arriving and leaving camp later to allow for important discussions and shared laughter, and a natural prioritization of conversations surrounding race, ethnicity, culture, and intersectional identities.

Over the past few years, I’ve come to love this quote from Dr. Crystal Jones: “There is a significant difference between ‘all are welcome here’ and ‘this was created

with you in mind.’” As People of Color and of the Global Majority, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer individuals, and members of other marginalized communities, we exist in worlds not created for us or with us in mind. Using “affinity spaces,” like NOLS’ Southwest Leaders of Color Expedition, members of these communities are able to engage in the “glorious act of world building,” as Mary Ann Thomas, a member of the SLE, called her course. That means they are able to play, explore, and learn in spaces created for them by individuals who identify similarly and have a shared understanding of their lived experience and various parts of their identity.

NOLS is excited to continue exploring ways we can offer courses that serve as affinity spaces in the outdoors, and leverage the extraordinary power of spaces “created with you in mind” to help empower individuals and communities whose histories and experiences in outdoor environments have been questioned, downplayed, and/or erased.

Amanda Machado, a member of the SLE, wrote in her blog that “for nine days, we had the space and privilege of building our own little POC world together, in this little slice of earth we walked on. For once,

we controlled what was talked about and what was prioritized. We made the culture and we made all the rules.”

Ever since the first all-women’s NOLS course in 2010, these affinity spaces have continued to be some of our most requested courses. We currently have 13 women’s courses for 2020 and are additionally releasing two POC courses and seven LGBTQ+ courses for 2020.

We want to continue empowering our students and instructors to create the worlds that they want to see, and explore how we can leverage our leadership curriculum and extensive knowledge of outdoors spaces to provide them with additional tools to turn their visions into realities.

Justin Forrest Parks Justin Forrest Parks is a passionate outdoor enthusiast and community advocate. His mission in life is to promote, encourage, and celebrate diversity in the outdoors.

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ENGAGE

ALUMNI IN ACTION | TAKING THE CLASSROOM OUTDOORS

By Brooke Ortel Writer

A

ndrew Bobilya didn’t aspire to be a professor. He didn’t plan on going into academia. But, like many expeditions, his career didn’t follow exactly the path he expected.

In fall 1994, Andrew hopped on a plane headed for Baja California, Mexico.

An education major at Montreat College, he was looking forward to a month of sea kayaking on the Sea of Cortez.

He’d grown up on the water, tracing his passion for the outdoors to childhood canoeing trips in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters. For him, leaving the classroom behind to paddle Baja’s sparkling blue bays was a dream come true.

It was also an opportunity to build lasting leadership skills. Looking back on the experience, Andrew recalled, “I was a fairly quiet and reserved person, and still am, but my NOLS course helped stretch me. You couldn’t slip away and fly under the radar.”

Instead, he rose to the occasion, developing leadership skills he uses every day as an associate professor and Program Director of Parks and Recreation Management at Western Carolina University. In 2018, he received the Wilderness Education Association’s annual Outdoor Educator Award for his outstanding contributions to the field.

Andrew credited his NOLS course with “providing a foundation for how to create positive group culture and provide students with appropriate levels of challenge,” as well as how to support them along the way.

From classroom instructor and academic advisor to expedition leader and mentor, Andrew wears many hats at Western Carolina University. He’s taught everything from backpacking, rock climbing, and winter camping to classroom courses like research methods and expedition management.

Andrew believes that “freedom to struggle, fail, and receive feedback in a supportive community” is key to learning. It’s the kind of culture he found on his NOLS expedition and strives to replicate with his own students—both in the field and in traditional classroom settings.

Recently Andrew helped found the Outdoor Adventure Learning Community at Western Carolina, a program designed to help first-year students adjust to university life. He enjoys working with new, less experienced students, joining in the excitement when they complete their first hike or paddle their first rapid.

Getting outside and encountering new challenges together allows students to build community—and confidence. As Andrew knows from experience, lessons learned in the outdoors are often just as applicable to frontcountry life.

“As simple as it sounds,” he said, “when the going gets tough, in whatever the context, we know that there’s so much more in us than we might think in the moment.”

It’s something Andrew realized on his NOLS course and took to heart. And it’s something he strives to pass on to his own students.

Brooke Ortel Brooke is a runner and writer who enjoys finding adventure in the everyday. True to her island roots, she loves sunshine and that salty ocean smell.

Andrew Bobilya talks with a student during a climbing class. Courtesy of Andrew Bobilya

12 | THE LEADER

ENGAGE

RECOGNITION | NOLS AWARDS Anne Magnan, NOLS Custom Education Director 2019 In-Town Staff Award Recipient

NOLS Custom Education Director Anne Magnan came to NOLS as a semester student in 2006, proclaiming she’d never purposely slept outside a night in her life. Since then, she’s worked in a variety of NOLS departments—marketing, field staffing, and custom education—always learning, always successful. Responsible for 1,400 custom education students, Anne demonstrates curiosity for leadership, mentorship, and education, and epitomizes what it is to be a lifelong learner.

Elicer Romero, NOLS Patagonia Logistics and Facilities Assistant 2019 In-Town Staff Award Recipient

Working for NOLS since 2004, NOLS Patagonia-based Elicer Romero’s commitment to doing everything well—while also having fun and being nice—shines through everything he does. Elicer began his career at NOLS as a seasonal campo worker, and is now a NOLS Patagonia logistics assistant, driver, and facilities assistant. Time and time again, Elicer has stood out for role modeling excellence and commitment, his exceptionally high work ethic, flexibility, sense of fun, and creativity.

Graham Prather, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor 2019 Wilderness Medicine Instructor Award Recipient

NOLS Wilderness Medicine instructor Graham Prather originally came to NOLS in 2010 as a Wilderness First Responder student. He took the Wilderness First Responder Instructor Training course in 2015 and, in the four intervening years, has taught 62 classroom courses for NOLS Wilderness Medicine. Graham is known for his professionalism, inclusivity, work ethic, humor, and ability to engage his students.

Shari Kearney, NOLS Instructor

2019 Master of Outdoor Education Award Recipient In 1981, Shari Kearney took both summer and winter instructor courses, and also worked her first course.

She has worked in the field every year since, except for 2016 and 2018, when she worked for NOLS in other capacities. Shari has 402.8 NOLS field weeks—that’s 133 expedition courses. The Master of Outdoor Education Award recognizes NOLS faculty with over 400 weeks of teaching for NOLS. Shari is the twelfth person named to this elite and impactful group for her exemplary service to our students and the NOLS mission.

Domenic Bravo, Professor at University of Wyoming 2019 Stewardship Award Recipient

NOLS recognized Domenic for his work as Professor of Practice for the University of Wyoming’s Haub School for Environment and Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation and as the former Administrator for Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails. Domenic’s efforts expanded outdoor recreation opportunities across the state, encouraged young people to get outside, and sought to work with partners like NOLS to create a shared vision for the outdoor recreation industry.

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THE VALUE OF A GOOD PAIR OF BOOTS

By Anne McGowan Development Communications Coordinator

14 | THE LEADER

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former award-winning television producer, director, cinematographer, and now an airline executive, Bill Sweney is a two-time NOLS alumnus who cherishes his NOLS experiences—and an unlikely memento from his courses.

Bill enrolled on his first NOLS course in the summer of 1971, after his senior year at Williams College. With his brother and a friend, he drove from Massachusetts to NOLS Rocky Mountain in Lander, Wyoming, camping along the way at drive-in movie lots because they were free.

“I had $4,000 to my name that summer,” Bill recalled. “I’d already spent $3,300 on a brand-new Jeep to drive to NOLS for my Mountain Guide course. That left me $700 to get to Wyoming and back, and to pay for tuition and gear.”

He’d budgeted $50 for boots.

“I went into the school store to buy a pair,” Bill said. “The old shopkeeper came up to me, put his finger in my belly, and exclaimed loudly, ‘Three hundred pounds!’”

No, Bill responded, taken aback, “I’m only 240 pounds.”

“Well, with a NOLS pack on your back, you’ll be 300,” the snowyhaired shopkeeper boomed, and briskly led him over to a shelf where $150 Lowa Civetta boots were on display.

“No,” Bill again replied, “I’d rather have these,” pointing to the $49 boots on a lower shelf. “I only have $300 after paying tuition and driving from Boston, and I have to get back home after my course,” he explained to the older gentleman.

The burly shopkeeper wasn’t having it.

“Your parents won’t let you get stranded in Iowa,” he reasoned.

“They’ll wire you more money if you need it to get home.”

He convinced Bill, at “THOSE COURSES GAVE 6'8" and 240 pounds, that he have the best boots ME THE CONFIDENCE TO should money could buy. So, Bill FACE VARIOUS CHANGES forked over half of his cash for the Lowa Civettas.

OF JOBS, MATRIMONY, Weeks later, well into course, it was announAND EVEN CAREERS.” the ced there’d be a guest lecturer that day, speaking about low-impact camping. Out from behind a rock walked their lecturer, who strode over to Bill and asked, “How those boots doin’, Mr. 300-Pounds?”

The guest speaker was, of course, Bill’s unexpectedly savvy boot salesman, NOLS founder Paul Petzoldt.

“In the store, I had no idea who he was, or why he was manning the store that day,” Bill said, but he’s glad he heeded Paul’s advice: he finished the course in those Lowas, and then took them on his next NOLS course in 1973, a Denali Expedition. “They went halfway up Denali before I had to change into extreme-weather boots on the glacier,” Bill said.

After many years and many miles, Bill recently retired the heavy leather boots in favor of a pair almost four pounds lighter. And at the

Bill Sweney on Denali in 1973. Courtesy of Bill Sweney

suggestion of his kids, the old Lowa Civettas now serve as planters for flowers at Bill’s home.

They’re not the only thing he holds on to from his NOLS experiences, though.

“Those courses gave me the confidence to face various changes of jobs, matrimony, and even careers, knowing that around the corner is a new adventure—not to be feared, but to be embraced,” he mused. “That, I think, is the real lesson of NOLS to me. That and good boots!”

Anne McGowan Anne grew up camping and hiking with her family in Pennsylvania. A Wind River Wilderness - Prime grad, she left newspaper publishing to write about all things NOLS.

Bill’s boots now serve as flower pots on his property in Jackson, Wyoming.

Courtesy of Bill Sweney

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NOLS’ ROLE IN THE CAREER OF A CEO

By Dan Kenah Development Officer

16 | THE LEADER

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Chad Robins’ Semester in the Rockies included some challenging kayaking runs. Courtesy of Chad Robins

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round the world, NOLS graduates apply skills they learned in the backcountry to their lives and their careers. From life-saving first aid to the first year-long voyage in space, lessons in leadership and teamwork have helped equip our community to accomplish big things. Now Chad Robins, a 1995 Spring Semester in the Rockies grad, and his brother Harlan have started Adaptive Biotechnologies, a company that sequences the human immune system, with diagnostic and treatment potential beyond our imagination.

Chad’s finance background didn’t lay the groundwork for understanding the intricacies of the immune system or genetic sequencing.

He didn’t know how to roll a “EACH PERSON HAS TO kayak when he was 21, either, lesson learned after too EXCEL IN THEIR OWN amany swims in the 45-degree water of Utah’s Green River.

TALENTS AND, AT THE But he chipped the ice off his SAME TIME, WORK WELL dry suit, emptied his boat snow, and practiced his AS PART OF THE TEAM.” of combat roll with a NOLS instructor over and over until he had it. While he still doesn’t work on the lab side of Adaptive’s business, he can speak to the technical aspects of their work because, like his kayak roll, he saw what he needed to learn and got it done.

Before co-founding Adaptive, Chad worked in investment banking and real-estate finance. He said his background is critical experience to do the job he does now but, “what differentiates going forward is the ability to connect, to negotiate, to manage, to set culture.”

An organization needs to set the tone from above, he said, but that must be reinforced from the bottom up. “Hire individuals who know what they have to do and do it well, but who will also enrich the whole team and push you to reach further,” he said.

Chad sees his role as chief culture officer. “Culture is dynamic,” he said. “You have to refresh and hire for culture every year—people

who can carry the banner and be the cultural leaders of that year’s class.” Thinking back on his course, he sees parallels in that the instructors were there to guide and train, but it was the dynamic of the group that made his course—and the NOLS experience—so special.

So how do you bring people’s respective styles and skills together effectively? “Find and celebrate those strengths,” Chad said. It’s paramount to provide the resources and the time to let people be who they will, like forming a craft club, as some staff have done at Adaptive.

It leads to a better place because it provokes more thought and exchange. Trying to recapture the feeling from his 100 days in the mountains, he recalled overwhelming independence juxtaposed with unbelievable teamwork.

“Each person has to excel in their own talents and, at the same time, work well as part of the team.”

Throughout his career, Chad has drawn on the model he first learned at NOLS—bring together people who can learn and do their job well, and support them in forming community and working as a team. At Adaptive, where they’re revolutionizing medicine, the formula still works.

Dan Kenah Dan is a 2006 Baffin Island grad who came to the NOLS Development office in 2016 from Jackson, Wyo. While most comfortable on skis or in front of a piano, he’s excited to climb and explore the Winds.

Chad Robins, his company’s “chief culture officer,” cut the ribbon at Adaptive Biotechnologies’ grand opening. Courtesy of Chad Robins

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THE SAME SUN: FINDING MY PLACE IN THE OUTDOORS

By Kristen Lee Former Custom Education Fellow

18 | THE LEADER

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n ancient Chinese philosophy, there’s a concept of non-linear time, of events and progression wrapping themselves in a spiral, rather than upwards on an x- and y-axis. Whenever I am outside, I’m shown how this truth shows up around me.

It’s like the cycle of water, through a stream, and drunk into my body; the cycle of nitrogen, through the insides of microbes in the soil, and the building blocks of my thick, dark hair; the cycle of carbon, through the air I blow into my sleeping pad, and in the stream’s trout.

Growing up in the suburbs of the Piedmont Region of North Carolina, my mother and I planted bitter melon and yard-long beans.

A first-generation immigrant, I ate these fruits and vegetables whose seeds originated in southern China. Molecules of carbon and nitrogen time-traveled across the planet to land in my mouth. I watched my grandparents walk around the middle-school track, exercising in the late summer coolness. Growing up Chinese American for me meant being outdoors was intertwined in how we ate food, how we served our bodies, and how we woke up by stepping outside and letting the sun say hello on our skin.

The first time I spent more than one night outside was in high school. I remember the discomfort of my shoulders, centipedes crawling in my sleeping bag, waking up before the sun and watching it rise from Table Mountain in Pisgah National Forest. This, my introduction to the backcountry, felt different from being outdoors near my home. For the first time, spending time outside required preparation, technique, and expertise. I forgot about the depth of my suburban backyard, realizing how little I knew of this new outdoor world.

As I backpacked more and longer, I separated my life at home from my life on adventures. The outdoors I experienced planting seeds in my front yard became sepa“I BELIEVE OUR IDENTI- rated from the trips I took to national parks.

TIES ARE INTERTWINED This separation meant show up as my WITH HOW WE EXPERIENCE Ifulldidn’t self either at home THE OUTDOORS AND THAT or outside it. In many ways, this was built on THE EARTH CAN GIVE US the dichotomy created growing up in a WISDOM IF WE’RE OPEN TO from Chinese household in RECEIVING IT.” an American country.

Only more recently am I realizing the sun that warmed my grandmother’s skin is the same one that rose at Table Mountain. The soil where we planted beans comes from the same place as the soil the centipedes of Pisgah National Forest live in. It’s possible to be Chinese and American, rather than Chinese or American—and not only possible, but this intersection makes me who I am.

Some combination of working with plants in my childhood and hiking outside in my young adult years led me to working for NOLS as a Fellow, NOLS’ program for creating structured pathways for

Kristen Lee and her mother share time outside. Courtesy of Kristen Lee

People of Color to become instructors. In some spiraling way, outdoor experiences continue to appear in my life, rendering me a gardener close to home and a first-generation immigrant exploring a landscape my ancestors never set foot on.

I believe our identities are intertwined with how we experience the outdoors, and that the earth can give us wisdom if we’re open to receiving it.

Kristen Lee Kristen Lee is a former Fellow with NOLS Custom Education. She gets excited about the weather and sharing fun facts. She enjoys cooking with others, learning new things, and drawing.

Kristen Lee hiking in the mountains. Courtesy of Kristen Lee

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LESSONS FROM AN ALUMNI HORSEPACKING EXPEDITION

By Whitney Johnson NOLS Grad 20 | THE LEADER

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ou know, there’s just something about a horse. Close your eyes and imagine one—delicate nostrils flaring, a snort. His etched, curved ears swivel to catch a sound and deep, liquid eyes lock with yours, inquisitive, skeptical. Flittering tufts of mane catching the breeze lift off the regal arch of his neck. The deep chest, rippling shoulders, and chiseled hindquarters flex as he wheels on hind legs, tail lifted high, billowing behind. The horse seems suspended, slowing the rush of a busy world for just a moment.

Now, and even as they were immortalized in cave paintings, these creatures represent wildness, freedom, and spirit. There is something indefinable, inarticulable, that captivates us and draws us to this symbol of power and grace.

Being able to sit astride a horse imbues us with those qualities, too.

The relationship created between human and horse brings out our highest relational selves. The boundaries blur between wildness and domestication, between freedom and constraint. We are forced to engage with trust, curiosity, kindness, generosity, and courage. The more we put in, the more we see it mirrored for us in the horse.

There’s an ongoing joke in my family about me and horses. For maybe longer than I’d like to admit (uh … still), a horse has been on my Christmas list, my birthday list, my life’s vision list. As a kid, I had a realistic perspective; I knew that a horse with a big red bow around its neck wouldn’t show up in my backyard on Christmas morning. But it never hurts to hope, right?

My sister, who’s four years older than me, started taking riding lessons when she was quite young. I was mesmerized, watching from between the white boards of the arena’s fence as she and her steed, Bay Rum, trotted around the perimeter. It was those qualities—freedom, wildness, spirit—that captured me then as they continue to now. On the best days, at the end of the lesson, someone would lift me up to sit behind her, and we all would walk around the ring. Looking at the world spreading out around me from the back of that horse, my arms wrapped around my sister’s waist, paired with a deep sense of fullness and as much gratitude as a child can muster…

“SUCH SIMPLE PLEASURES, that stuck.

Luckily, my parents BUT AT THE SAME TIME, were able to provide lesfor me, too, and so EXAMPLES OF THE DEPTH sons horses became one of OF CONNECTION AND RICH- my passions as a young girl. A number of factors NESS OF SHARED EXPE- distanced me from this of my life narrative RIENCE IN JOY, SORROW, part later: adventures through AND CHALLENGE.” college, a Fall Semester in the Rockies with NOLS, years working seasonal jobs in outdoor ed, and a short master’s degree program that landed me a job teaching in Leadville, Colorado. That passion sat dormant, nestled in the back of my mind.

I found out the hard way that public school teaching wasn’t for me. I struggled with the system and my role (but that’s a whole different story) and searched for some kind of out. Longing is weighty, whether it’s for

Students and instructors rest in the shade. Courtesy of Whitney Johnson

something we can name or not. It was that same sense of longing—like the pendulum of a grandfather clock towing on your heartstrings—that led me to NOLS in the first place. My NOLS semester in 2009 allowed old passions to regrow and bloom, and new ones to take root, and here was the chance for it to happen again on a NOLS Alumni Horsepacking trip.

It’s funny that even after years working in rations and logistics for NOLS I could still feel nervous driving into Three Peaks Ranch in Pinedale, Wyoming last summer.

But, of course, turning down the drive, I was swept up in the rhythms and flows of the place, its people, its creatures.

Ranch staff, instructors, and participants exchanged hot, hearty handshakes and dusty hugs, inhaled sweet smells of hay and horse, and exhaled laughter.

The kitchen and campground were sites of camaraderie that afternoon and evening as all of us settled in and had the chance to meet. Over the next two days spent at the ranch, we would do a lot of learning and practicing skills related to our fellow teammates—the horses—and how to care for and thrive with them. This was no ordinary day at my childhood barn. As much preparation and planning as we did for ourselves, we also needed to do for the horses.

All of these new factors helped to even the playing field for those of us who had experience with horses and those who didn’t.

Ranch life begins early and ends … not that early. But

Whitney Johnson and Dakota at NOLS Three Peaks Ranch. Courtesy of Whitney Johnson

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Students learn herd dynamics at NOLS Three Peaks Ranch. Zach Snavely

have no fear, there is always a pot of coffee on at Three Peaks! After a breakfast of steaming eggs, bacon, and sautéed veggie burritos and a first round of coffee, we were introduced to horse psychology 101, covering fight or flight instincts, herd dynamics, and horse communication. Want to know what your horse is saying when he pins his ears back against his head? Want to be able to anticipate what your horse will do when it catches sight of some really scary thing (a cow)? This morning’s for you.

We sat on pins and needles waiting to learn who our partners were to be. Getting matched up with your ride horse feels a little bit like partner-work activities in middle school. I hope I get a pretty one. I hope I get a smart one. I hope I get the best one. I’m going to tell you some secrets, though: they’re all pretty (like, really pretty), so smart at being in the backcountry and hauling you and your gear around, and they’re the absolute best if they’re your partner!

“Whitney and Dakota!” I walked with my instructor Curtis into the corral with halter ready. Dakota was a handsome dappled blue-grey, confidence and intelligence shining in his eyes. He was a patient teacher while I learned to groom, saddle, bridle, mount, go, steer, stop, and dismount. We were both rewarded with a sunset ride through sage and wildflowers. Staring between the ears of a horse, squinting as the sun emblazoned the earth gold, the boundaries began to break down a bit. The horse, so magnificent and unknown, somehow became a little less horse, and I somehow became a little less tied to the bounds of humanhood.

22 | THE LEADER

And so, with a little more awe, we settled into the rhythm of the ranch and the pace of learning. In the rest of our time at the ranch, we covered saddling pack horses, packing panniers, throwing loads, hitching loads, leading pack horses, and hobbling horses. We ate delicious meals, mapped our routes, contracted with our groups, planned some special food additions to our regular ration (hello, alumni course!), got gear, packed, and loaded trailers for our departure to the backcountry the next day.

What is a NOLS Alumni horsepacking expedition? It’s listening to Steve sing Italian love songs to his ride horse, Wanda; laughing with Steve and Izzy in the tent every night as we debate the merits of given cryptids; eating fresh-caught, breaded, and fried fish a la Chip. It’s falling asleep and waking up to the melodious tinging of belled horses; picking fresh currants and serving them up them up with cheese, crackers, and a glass of wine; jumping into the most beautiful, fresh swimming hole on a hot afternoon with Curtis while the horses graze nearby. It’s walking through dew-covered grass in rubber boots, kicking over piles of poop on the way to catch horses; rolling out and rolling in horse fence with Zack; the smell of a salty, sweaty horse and damp leather. It’s getting out of the tent to pee, seeing the eye of a giant animal, and realizing, in peals of laughter, that it’s only a reflector on Chip’s tent in the distance; watching Kelsey re-shoe a horse on trail; chatting about the upcoming winter and the fit of my ski boots with Tom. It’s a whiskey, currant, brown sugar syrup over Chip’s buttermilk pancakes; jokes about Marty the horse’s ’80s-style bangs; Izzy’s sketches of horses and skulls and flora at the campfire. It’s multiple rounds of coffee in a group kitchen; shared biscuits and snacks; long chats with Amy about life’s purpose and meaning while filling dromedaries; reaching the top of a mountain pass with Kelsey for the first time.

It’s the horses at the core. They are each day what NOLS strives to help each of us be. Selflessly and generously, they give of themselves for our utility, pleasure, and purpose. Their work ethic allows us mobility—

EXPOSE the freedom to travel where and how we choose. Without knowing what to anticipate around the next bend, in the middle of a creek crossing, or at the top of a steep incline, our horses forge ahead with great courage and curiosity. They are role models in stepping outside the familiar and comfortable, standing face to face with a herd of cows, and acting with remarkable grace under pressure. With the support of their herd behind them and trust in the rider on top, they will break trail over deadfall, stepping delicately, bending and flexing so as not to take out a rider’s knee or a pannier, adapting to the terrain and partner.

Horses have long provided companionship, partnership, friendship, and simple joys—certainly the ones I’ve had the privilege of spending time with have gifted me that. Over the course of eight days with Dakota, these facets developed in new, more profound ways than I ever expected.

Because of his willingness and ability, I was able to experience myself and the world around me in new ways. He gave me the gift of true presence and rootedness, showing me how and rewarding me for it. He was able to reflect back the trust, courage, vulnerability, and hard work like a mirror and lend me the horse’s spirit, power, and grace in exploring a mountain range that already holds such a special place in my heart.

It’s easy to remember watching the herd gambol through the tall grass in the afternoon sun, the swaying feeling of Dakota’s long, relaxed walk from the saddle, the friendships and community that developed.

Such simple pleasures, but at the same time, examples of the depth of connection and richness of shared experience in joy, sorrow, and challenge.

I was reminiscing about this trip while returning from the horse rescue where I now volunteer. Upon arrival home, I shuffled out to the mailbox and found a card from my parents inside. “Maybe it’s time to ask for a pony again” it said, surrounded by green glitter and alongside a pink-hoofed horse.

The joke lives on.

But, you know, there’s just something about a horse. And, it never hurts to hope, right?

Whitney Johnson Whitney is a former teacher and outdoor educator currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in social work. You can find her playing in the mountains with her dogs, still pining for a horse of her own.

NOLS herd enjoys a meadow at the end of a day. Courtesy of Whitney Johnson

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CURRICULUM | TIPS FOR SURVIVING AN AVALANCHE

By Anne McGowan Development Communications Coordinator

Decision making is a key factor in avalanche survival. Courtesy of Kate Koons

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ow do you survive an avalanche?

First, don’t get caught in one. While that may sound cavalier, avalanche survival depends on good decision making, said Kate Koons, NOLS instructor and professional training coordinator for the American Avalanche Association. Making choices that lessen chances of getting caught in one is the best way to survive.

“Ten or fifteen years ago, avalanche education was about why avalanches happen,” Kate said. “Now, we talk about decision making, about the human factor.”

That includes choosing your backcountry ski partners wisely, she said, partners who have complementary risk tolerance to yours, but also a full set of rescue skills. Be comfortable talking honestly with them; speaking up when you notice the wind has shifted may affect the safety of the group. Have a trip plan that includes everything from a time

24 | THE LEADER

frame to who’s carrying what gear. Then stick to the plan. She also recommends debriefing after every outing. “Be sure to talk over the day. It helps inform decisions going forward and it helps people get comfortable speaking up.”

But what if you’ve done all that and the worst happens?

If you see an avalanche start, you can attempt to ski out of it. Plan your escape as you’re scoping the line. “Most times, you’ll be kicked off your feet,” Kate said, “but it’s worth trying.”

If you are caught up in one, she offers these tips: 1. Fight like hell. Think “I’m not going to die today.”

2. Try to swim to the top of the debris.

3. Get rid of anything that will drag you down. This includes ski poles, skis (many are now designed to pop off ), and backpacks (though some

research indicates a backpack may protect your spine).

4. Stick your hand up, or at least in the direction you think is up. Searchers will look for visual cues like a hand thrust up through the snow.

5. Create an air pocket by holding your hands, arms, or elbows in front of your face before the snow stops moving. When it stops, the “snow locks up like cement,” Kate said, likely too late to carve out air space.

Try not to panic.

Advancements in gear may make a difference. These include avalanche airbags, which keep the wearer above the snow, and the Avalung, a long tube with a bivalve intake box that pulls air from the snowpack and sends CO2 into an exhaust port. “Most people caught in an avalanche will die of asphyxiation,” Kate said. “An Avalung buys you a little more time.”

If you can practice deploying your airbag, that helps your chances as well.

Many case studies show that people aren’t always able to reach the handle in a high-pressure situation. While statistics show the efficacy of both the Avalung and airbags, Kate doesn’t use either, relying instead on experience and judgement.

“I have low risk tolerance,” Kate said.

“I believe in being prepared, having a plan, and being informed.”

Anne McGowan Anne grew up camping and hiking with her family in Pennsylvania. A Wind River Wilderness - Prime grad, she left newspaper publishing to write about all things NOLS.

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LOOKING BACK | THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE COVERS NOLS, 1983

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n August of 1983, an issue of The Washington Post Magazine devoted almost all of its ink to one topic: NOLS.

A dozen stories, long and short, were penned by staff writer Chip Brown, who joined the 30-day course at its first re-ration. Under the cover title, “The Testing,” he described the challenges and joys of the NOLS Wilderness course in the Pacific Northwest, its eight students—Steve Ackerman, Fred Hamerman, Lee James, Eric Johnson,

Robert Michner, Stuart Miller, Amy Salot and Ellen Thompson—and their instructors, Melly Reuling and Jim Roepke. He told of misread maps, wrenched knees, dinners of falafel casserole, and Earl the Weather God.

“The great outdoors lured them to scale new heights,” Chip wrote of the students, “but so did the promise of self-discovery.”

Fred Hamerman, who loaned us his copy of the Aug. 28, 1983 edition of The

Washington Post Magazine, remembered Chip as friendly, very energetic, and eager to do his part.

“He carried a heavy pack, hiked the trails, and slept in a tent like the rest of us, so his presence wasn't the least bit disruptive,” Fred recalled. “The article came out very soon after I returned home, which was a real thrill. It gave people a vivid, firsthand look at how exciting and rewarding the month-long trip was for all of us.”

—Anne McGowan

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HOW TO | SLEEP OUTSIDE THIS WINTER

By Molly Herber Creative Project Manager

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t’s not hard to stay warm during the day when you’re hitting the slopes or snowshoeing through aspen groves, but what about when it’s time to sleep? Follow these tips to stay warm when you’re not moving.

Pack Proper Gear Your tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad are crucial pieces of your nighttime warmth system. Winter camping isn’t the time to skimp on gear!

Tent: Choose a tent with sturdy poles, a spacious vestibule, and a domed shape.

Four-season tents offer the best protection from wintry wind and cold, with sturdier poles and thicker, double-walled fabrics than a three-season tent. A domed shape prevents snow from collecting on top.

Sleeping Bag: Check your sleeping bag’s temperature rating to make sure it’s rated for at least 10–20 degrees below the low-

est temperature you expect to encounter. You have two options for materials: down or synthetic. Down has the highest warmth-to-weight ratio, but it doesn’t insulate when wet. While synthetic is a little heavier, it will continue to insulate when wet.

Also, make sure the sleeping bag fits you well, meaning there’s space for you to move around but not too much; your feet don’t compress the toe of your bag; and the neck baffle, hood, and zipper are all snug but not tight.

Pad: Your pad will insulate you from the cold, icy ground as you sleep, so make sure it’s long enough that your whole body is on it. You don’t want to lose heat through your feet if your pad is too short or through your shoulders if it’s too narrow.

Fill the Gaps: If your sleeping bag has a lot of empty spaces, stuff them with extra

layers. The more empty space in the sleeping bag, the more space your body has to warm up.

Eat a Snack Your body keeps warm by burning the calories from drinks and food. Make sure you eat a proper dinner, and before bed, eat a high-calorie snack to give your body something to burn as you sleep.

Make a Hot Drink Bring a hot water bottle into your sleeping bag with you for some added heat. You can even put the bottle in the bag before you go to bed to pre-heat it!

Layer Up Make sure you’re wearing enough layers to stay warm all night, including long underwear and fleece top and bottom layers. All should be dry, including your socks, base layers, and hat. Avoid wearing puffy, insulating layers. Your sleeping bag keeps you warm by filling up with your body heat and containing it, so if you wear too many layers that keep the warmth in, the sleeping bag won’t do as much insulating. Wear a layer on your head and neck, too.

Exercise If you’re warm when you get into your sleeping bag, it will be easier for you to stay warm all night. You don’t want to get sweaty, but you do want to be toasty!

Molly Herber

Sleeping outside in winter brings rewards. Eli Cherner

26 | THE LEADER

Molly loves the smell of her backpack and does her best writing before 7:00 a.m. When she’s not scouting the next post for the NOLS Blog, she’s running and climbing on rocks in Wyoming.

EDUCATE

HOW TO | ENJOY WINTER OUTDOORS (MORE!) We checked in with some seasoned NOLS wintertime pros and asked for their best cold-weather tips. Their recommendations: Freeze coconut milk into ice cube trays and apply liberally to hot drinks (hot chocolate + coconut = liquid macaroon) and soups.

—Emily Ledingham

Stay adequately hydrated and fed with periodic snacking and drinking. Keeping the internal furnace full of fuel is a great way to maintain warmth in the winter environment.

—Will Stubblefield

Be a baby: Zinc oxide is a great sunscreen in any environment, but particularly nice in winter. You can buy some pretty expensive sunscreens, or you can buy it in the infant section of the grocery store as a diaper cream.

It's the same stuff, costs less, and works just as well.

—Kyle Drake

Bring two hats—a super light wool or polyester (aka a Nordic ski hat) and a warmer thicker wool or fleece one. A hat is light, easy to stuff in pocket or top of pack and lets you adjust insulation as daytime temps or energy output changes.

—Abby Warner

Layers! It’s easier to manage body temperature by taking off and putting on various layers instead of just one huge layer.

—Clair Smith Take thermos hot drinks with you on your day ski or overnight. Heck, just fill it with hot water and take some good hot drink fixings along! A bit of tea or hot chocolate might just make someone's afternoon!

—Marco Johnson A puffy skirt is a wonderful layer you can put on and take off without worrying about your shoes. Wear it on your walk to work or after a backcountry ski ... it's so easy.

—Clair Smith Don’t sweat! Wear breathable layers and if you’re exercising, take off layers before you start to overheat and get sweaty.

—Will Stubblefield

An extra pair of gloves might do you, or your mates, a world of good should yours or theirs get soaked.

—Marco Johnson Keep contact lenses and sunblock in a base layer pocket so that they don't freeze.

—Emily Ledingham Keep lip balm with sunscreen in every pocket of every layer so as you change layers you don’t have to remember to swap stuff in your pockets.

—Abby Warner Drink water, don't put it on your skin: In cold environments, use oil-based skin products instead of water-based products. The oil protects your skin by locking in moisture and lasts longer in the wind and cold.

—Kyle Drake

NOLS.EDU | 27

EDUCATE

GEAR REVIEW | MOUNTAINSMITH MAYHEM 45 BACKPACK

By Robin Larson Field and Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Program Supervisor

I

had the opportunity to test the Mountainsmith Mayhem 45 backpack while instructing on NOLS Alumni trips in Iceland last summer. This backpack was comfortable to wear, lightweight, easy to pack, and helped me stay organized.

Robin crosses a river wearing the Mountainsmith Mayhem 45 backpack. Travis Welch

Here are some reasons why I think this pack is awesome: • The Mayhem was the perfect size for hut-to-hut hiking. With 45 liters of space, it’s large enough for a weekend trip and I never felt tight on space.

Unfortunately, it isn't big enough for a 30-day NOLS expedition!

• The back-panel padding is incredibly comfortable and soft. It is designed to allow airflow along your back, which kept me cool on hot hiking days.

• There are two mesh pockets on the hipbelt which are perfect for storing snacks and other items you want easy access to. The hipbelt pockets were big enough to hold my wind-shirt, which made switching layers a really quick process.

• While I was skeptical at first, I grew to love the top zippered opening.

This allowed for easy access to items in the pack. There are also two organizational pockets on the lid that are great for storing quick access items like water treatment and sunscreen.

• The pack is overall lightweight and incredibly durable. I think it might be the first pack I’ve used in a long time

that I didn’t put a hole in during the first few days of use!

In a perfect world: • I wish the hipbelt pockets closed.

I worried things might fall out of the mesh pockets when I took the pack on and off. That being said, I never had anything fall out.

• It would be ideal if the hydration pocket was a bit bigger. I had to fight to fit my hydration bladder in the pocket when it was full.

If you’re looking for a pack for weekend adventures, I’d encourage you to check out the Mountainsmith Mayhem 45. It carries loads well and is really comfortable to wear!

Robin Larson Robin is a NOLS Wilderness Medicine and field instructor, and the NOLS Wilderness Medicine program supervisor. She has been working for NOLS since 2008.

Who Is This?

Do you recognize this person? The first ten people to contact us with the correct answer will receive a prize in the mail.

The answer to the summer issue's "Who Is This?" is Allison Janney, a 1976 NOLS Wind River Wilderness grad and award-winning television, film, and theater actress. Allison has won an Academy Award, seven prime-time Emmy Awards, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe. Allison has also hiked the Winds and probably made pizza in a Fry-Bake.

28 | THE LEADER

CALL OR EMAIL | 1.800.332.4280 | ALUMNI@NOLS.EDU

EDUCATE

BOOK REVIEW | ALASKA: ILLUSTRATED GUIDE FOR THE CURIOUS

By Julia Neumann Former Alumni Intern

A

laska: Illustrated Guide for the Curious began as a 40-page booklet on the flora and fauna of the Rocky Mountains. Well, sort of.

Authors and NOLS instructors Nikki Mann and Jeff Wohl created that Rocky Mountain booklet as a handout for a presentation at a NOLS Faculty Summit. They didn’t expect a book would come of it, let alone a book on Alaska, but that 40-page Rocky Mountain booklet turned into an 80-page booklet as their knowledge expanded. Students and instructors alike at NOLS Rocky Mountain began looking to this booklet for quick help identifying the plants, animals, and landscapes around them.

The local success of this little publication caught the attention of NOLS Alaska Program Manager Ashley Wise, who contacted Nikki and Jeff and asked if they would create something similar for NOLS Alaska. The authors certainly felt this would be a challenge; they weren’t as familiar with Alaska as they were with the Rockies. But their anxieties didn’t last long, and they excitedly began work on the Alaska project in 2014.

The final product, Alaska: Illustrated Guide for the Curious, was published last summer. Some of the first lines in the book begin, “There are no special tools. You don’t need a degree or intensive training.

You don’t have to carry anything extra. All you need is your curiosity ... Always keep your sense of wonder and excitement.”

These lines set the tone for the rest of the guide book. Upon first glance, the book is inviting, as opposed to guidebooks that can feel intimidating. Flip through the pages and you’ll see colorful, captivating illustrations of everything from glaciers to fish species to animal tracks to

berries. The book is separated into ten easy-to-navigate sections: Bear Safety, Tracks, Bird Language, Birds, Fish, Marine Life, Ecology, Trees, Plants, and Winter. These divisions, the eye-catching headers, and detailed illustrations make this guidebook an incredibly educational and accessible tool for understanding the Alaska landscape. Nikki explained that she was not an illustrator by choice, but she saw how illustrations could convey exactly what she wanted them to, more than photographs could.

More traditional guidebooks may leave you feeling overwhelmed with information. Not this one. “We saw the need for a resource to make people curious and excited, without leaving them feeling bogged down,” said Jeff. This book is meant to provide a little more than just the basics, hoping it will inspire curious individuals to “do more” with the landscape and continue to explore, according to Jeff.

I completed a 30-day NOLS sea kayaking course in Alaska in 2015, and I can say with certainty that this book would have been a wonderful resource to have.

My coursemates and I had several useful guidebooks with us, but I can imagine how natural it would have felt to pull out Alaska: Illustrated Guide for the Curious was written and illustrated this guide to learn more about everything by NOLS instructors. Blaire Bancroft I was seeing around me.

I highly recommend Alaska: Illustrated Guide for the Curious to anyone who is just that—curious. The Alaskan landscapes and ecosystems offer much to explore and learn, and this book makes it Julia Neumann a bit easier to do just that.

Julia is a Southeastern Alaska Sea Kayaking grad

Meanwhile, what’s next for Nikki and a senior at Connecticut College. She is a lifetime and Jeff ? That Rocky Mountain booklet member of the Otago University Tramping Club and from earlier is on deck to become a bound is happiest in any kind of boat. guidebook in the near future!

NOLS.EDU | 29

EDUCATE

NUTRITION | CHEESE BOMBS Adapted from the NOLS Cookery

Ingredients

Recipe

• ¾ cup flour

Mix the first five ingredients to make the batter. Add water until mixture is thicker than pancake batter but thinner than biscuit dough. Cut cheese into 1-inch squares about 1/2 inch thick. Dip cheese in batter. Fry quickly on both sides in hot oil. Serve plain or with picante.

• ¼ cup powdered egg • ½ to 1 Tbs. or 1 packet broth • Seasoning of choice • ¼ tsp. baking powder

Note: Possible seasoning combinations include 2 tsp. soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. dry mustard, and garlic; garlic, hot sauce or cayenne, and chili powder; or chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce.

• Water • ½ cup cheddar or Jack cheese • Oil for frying • Picante (optional)

1 serving= • Calories 470 • Carb (g) 30 • Protein (g) 27 • Fat (g) 26 • Fiber (g) 1

Cheese Bombs are among many good things that begin with “cheese.” Connor Tobin

Wilderness Medicine Quiz ANSWER | c) No shivering, inability to walk.

Wilderness Quiz ANSWER | Harry Yount—Harry was hired in 1880 to enforce the prohibition on hunting in Yellowstone National Park. In addition to these duties, he acted as a guide and escort for visiting officials.

30 | THE LEADER

Brad Christensen

THANK YOU! Chilly weather, fleece pullovers, and skis are all signs of the holiday season.

It’s also the season to say thanks.

Your support today expands our scholarship programs tomorrow. Thank you.

NOLS.EDU | 31

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DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT

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for NOLS Wilderness Medicine

Your gift today will be doubled by a match to help us train more EMTs.

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