Why NOLS post

“So, I recently met a guy who had graduated from the NOLS backpacking/climbing/outdoor school. Am I missing something, but did any of us go to school to learn how to backpack? Is it just a cool way to get a sticker on the back of your SUV?”

“Just a cool way to get a sticker!


8)”

“Im guessing that these kind of people are rich in cash but poor in friends.”

“Biz, looking for the stickers and hitting on the guys....... ;-)

(lol... I owe YOU, girl!)”

“Ahem. I could never compete with the master lizs...”

“So. Fess up. Who's been through NOLS training??? Is there some secret we should know? Was it worth it (quite pricey, I understand)?”

“Not me”

“Nope. I have a NOLS book though-"Cookery".”

“Its not just learning how to backpack but learning to lead and teach others about the backcountry.”

“I've been to NOLS. I would recommend it to anyone, it was fantastic. And yes I have a NOLS alum sticker on the back of my SUV.”

“What do you take away from your experience?”

“I have a friend who did NOLS. Loved it. Instucted and lead trips with them for a while. Wind River Range.


Biz . . .at the very least you'll hook up with a better class of hiker than the dirt farmers that hang out here.

(It's a christmas joke . ..seriously folks . .relax!! I had 16 oz of coffee and two Krispy Kreme donuts . .I am not responsible for my blatherings)”

“You take alot of things away from it, I learned alot not just about backpacking, but flyfishing climbing etc... Also everyone on my course had been backpacking bf some for years, It's amazing what there is too know just as far as tips that they give you. I enjoy backpacking much more bc of it.”

“what did it set you back?”

“yeah - There's no one I know who's done NOLS regardless of their level of previous experience that didn't think it was well worth it.”

“My 25 and over course (two weeks) ran me about 2500 not including travel and other expenses.

Check out www.nols.edu”

“woah, 2500 buks?

What are you doing hanging out here with the riff raf? Can't you call up your fellow NOLS alumni and hook up for backpacking excursions anytime?”

“I'm more a riff raf kind of guy.”

“I am honored then. So bison, now that we have this information about you, when are you going to lead a hike???”

“NOLS style. I hear you tackle whitewater, wrestle bears...”

“A riff raff kind of guy who posts to the 'farting like a bull' thread. You may work out here after all! :)”

“Wrestle bears? I've come close, but haven't had to resort to that yet.”

“biz... meet bison

bison... meet biz

(and remember, if it doesn't work out, I think the sticker lets you return him to the store for an exchange!)”

“I've always had the power and pleasure of screwing up things on my own without the benefit of instruction. But I learned how not to do a lot of things that way.”

“No, not NOLS. But I did the Life/Career Renewal course with Outward Bound a few years ago that changed my life.”

“Nols = National Outdoor Leadership School

Alt.

Nols = Novices Out Lost Somwhere”

“That is more psychological medicine then? Nature for the soul, etc??”

“NOLS = Need Only Lizs Smile :-)”

“I have a NOLS book. It's exceptional. I've been backpacking since the early 70's and learned a lot from the book. I refer to it still when I anticipate conditions I haven't been in or been in recently.

My son's friend got a NOLS course for HS graduation. After the course, he beat out hundreds of others to get a white-water rafting guide job.”

“Awwwwwwwww, snafu!!! lol”

“I took the dirt farmer course.”

“I looked at the wilderness medicine course once upon a time, but I couldn't afford it. Instead I got the first aid merit badge book from the Boy Scouts.”

“Our Boy Scout Council had a "High Adventure Team" long before it was a national thing. I took their "Backpack Awareness Course". It was 20 hours of instruction over three days and two weekend outings led by experienced backpackers, SAR, etc. Included gear, planning, leadership, mountain medicine, and LNT...among other things. It was great. In our council at least one adult on every backpacking trip has to have completed Backpack Awareness. I learned a lot.”

“BSA get's knocked around a little. But they generally do a pretty good job with the adult training, especially the high adventure stuff. The whole organization has changed a LOT since the 80's.”

“I looked over the NOLS website. Very impressive. Courses are taught at a level that you can get college credit. Price seems to be about $3150 for the basic courses right now. Includes a lot more than backpacking. Appears to include a lot of naturalist type stuff as well.”

“« wringing his hands »
Boy, the gear I could buy for $3,150 !!!!!”

“NOLS was just on OLN and was #1 out of top 10 adventure camps. Thought you might wanna know that tid bit of info...lol”

“snafu, I just saw that program, at least the NOLS part. That is something I will do one day. Maybe when I retire...”