to our world. - NOLS

SEMESTER ON THE
Borders
THERE’S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, THIS IS ONE
of the most geographically diverse semesters at
NOLS. Your adventure will begin in the desert
Southwest, a land of cactus and javelina, and as
winter subsides you will move north, to the lush
Pacific Northwest with its snow-covered peaks
and forested islands. During the only spring
semester that combines both desert travel and
maritime skills, you’ll experience a wide variety
of adventures that will allow you to be a wellrounded
wilderness traveler on land and sea.
You’ll begin at NOLS Southwest in Tucson,
Arizona, for wilderness first aid, backpacking,
and climbing, and then transition to NOLS Pacific
Northwest outside Seattle, Washington, for sailing
and sea kayaking. From scaling a rock wall
in Arizona to slicing through the waters of British
Columbia, you’ll have the time of your life and see
just how versatile the NOLS curriculum is.
Thirty-six-foot Catalina keelboats will be both your transportation and your home on your sailing section. Smuggler
Cove, British Columbia
WILDERNESS FIRST AID (WFA) Hosted by the Wilderness Medicine Institute of
NOLS, this 16-hour section covers first aid specific to wilderness emergencies and is essential
for anyone spending extended time in the outdoors.
BACKPACKING Whether hiking in Arizona's rocky Galiuro Mountains, with rugged
cliffs and natural springs, or New Mexico's Gila Range, the first designated wilderness area
in the U.S., you will learn the essentials of backcountry living and soak up life outside.
ROCK CLIMBING Arizona’s Cochise Stronghold promises warm, sunny weather and
enough climbing routes to keep you roped up and cranking hard. The area’s tall domes
make it an ideal base from which to learn top-roping, anchor building, climbing movement,
and even multi-pitch skills.
Alan Neilson
SAILING The coastal sailing section takes place in the northern reaches of the Strait of
Georgia and Desolation Sound in British Columbia, Canada. You’ll learn how to sail and
navigate 36-foot keelboats, each carrying a group of students and an instructor. On-water
classes include boat handling, charts, coastal navigation, and seamanship.
Josh Beckner
Student Sean Bryant stays hydrated in the deserts of
the American Southwest. Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
Facing page: Southwest rock climbing sections start
with the basics: top-roping, belaying, and movement.
Cochise Stronghold, Arizona
SEA KAYAKING You’ll paddle the remote waters of British Columbia’s central coast on
this section, visiting pristine sandy beaches, majestic fjords, ancient moss-covered rain forests,
and remote islands and sea caves. At the same time, you’ll learn a range of technical
skills, from basic to advanced sea kayaking strokes to weather awareness and knowledge of
tides and currents. Whales, sea lions, and wolves are just a sample of the wildlife you could
see on this amazingly wild waterway.
DETAILS
SPRING
Age and Length: 17 & Over • Average Age: 21 • Duration: 86 days
Tuition: $13,465
Optional College Credit: 4 hours Biology, 2 hours Environmental Ethics, 2 hours Leadership Techniques, 6 hours
Skills Practicum, 2 hours Risk Management
Dates: page 106
50
www.nols.edu • (800) 710-NOLS • admissions@nols.edu