Outdoor schools

“Im in my last year of high school and I'm wanting to persue a carrer in wilderness guiding, I would love to know if anyone knows of any good schools in Canada or in the Western United states. Please help me out ,my time is almost up to send away applications.”

“Xtreme -- do a search for schools that have an outdoor recreation & leadership option in their phys. ed. departments. That used to be an option, probably still is, at Northern Michigan University -- knew a few people that went through it and are now either guides or running their own gear shops. NMU is right on Lake Superior, and backed by lots of wild country.

There is a college in Prescott, AZ, that is very outdoor oriented, though it may be a two-year school. Northland College in Ashland, WI, is very outdoor and natural science oriented.”

“I'd be interested in what you find from your search Mr.Xtremepacker!”

“Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to know what it is will break you
I don't know which way the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time has come around
Don't wanna see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye”

“You're probably going to have to be certified at least as an EMT-B before you can think of anyone hiring you to do guide-work.”

“That's true, even ridge runners and trail crews on the AT need to be certified.”

“The notes above on EMT training brings up the question of whether you need college as such to be a guide. Alternative schools or organizations may supply much more focused education and training in the skills and knowledge that is most desirable. Maybe look at NOLS for backcountry training, one of the medical associations to get wilderness EMT certification, ACA for paddling instructor training and swiftwater rescue. Alpine organizations for mountaineering certification.

Heck Xtreme, put your own education together. Lots of options. Find out what you need. There is a place either teaching it or allowing hands-on apprenticing through work these days in the outdoor recreation field.”

“Xtreme, where have you been? Its April, colleges traditionally send acceptance letters the first of April! Does your school have a counselor? Find out!

Kids these days......................”

“Learn some outdoor skills that you can teach or use. Learn rock climbing, backcountry skiing, whitewater boating, handling stock (like horses, mules, llamas) hunting, fishing, cooking, music, story telling and EMT too. Become an extravert. Get a job with and outfitter and learn on the job. School can help with the management and marketing stuff but you need a product to sale. That product is giving people a good time in the boonies. Don?t expect to get rich.”

“Xtreme - I know exactly where you're comin from. I went on a NOLS course last summer and am going to the Wilderness Medicine Institute this August to get my W-EMT certification. As far as college is concerned, I think I'll be at Colorado College next year, either that or McGill U in Montreal (just got in thursday!!). Both places have good outdoor programs. U Vermont has a great one too. There's also Northland College in Wisconsin "the school of the environmental liberal arts." I'm sure they'll have some programs that'll work.”

“I would seriously look into getting a college degree in an outdoors related field. I'm currently living with one rock climbing guide and one rock climbing intern who is also a park ranger at Yosemite NP. They both have outdoor related college degrees and the intern is in graduate school for risk management. Both of them are using the senior thesis / grad school thesis internship as an "in" into the business. Basically they are using the guide service for experience and the contacts and the guide service is using them for free research, ie. risk management, juvenile outreach, marketing, etc.”

“Do reserve military, teachers all the basic/advanced orienteering skills, teaches leadership, you will learn basiv first aid, some survival and basic outdoor skills. That leaves most of your time free for other schools etc... I personally believe that the skills needed to be an effective guide are more easily learned by experience versus a class.”

“See this Website


Wilderness Awareness”