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National Outdoor Leadership School - Index

National Outdoor Leadership School - Nols - Index

SEMESTER IN THE
SOUTHWEST
ASemester in the Southwest will give you a
unique glimpse into the American Southwest's
living desert. Your notions of a barren,
sandy desert environment will be forever changed
as you discover this place alive with plants and
animals like coyote, javelina, mountain lions,
peregrine falcons, mesquite and cactus. The dif-
ferent sections on this semester will take you
from the rushing waters of the Rio Grande to the
ponderosa pine forests of the Gila Range. You
will find yourself jamming your fingers and feet
into granite cracks and crawling on your hands
and knees through decorated limestone caves.
Along with natural history, you'll also discover
the desert's rich human history and have plenty of
time to travel through the areas once inhabited by
these ancient cultures. In this land of constant sun,
backpacking, caving, climbing and canoeing will
prepare you for an independent student expedition
as the grand finale of your semester.
Rainbow Weinstock
Above: Instructor and Southwest Assistant Director Lindsay
Nohl tops out on a multi-pitch climb at Cochise. Left:
Caving is an otherworldly experience and the Semester in
the Southwest is the only place at NOLS to experience it.
Your skills and confidence will grow with each passing day as you paddle down the legendary Rio Grande.
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
The Gila Range in New Mexico, the first designated wilderness area in the U.S., or the
rugged mountains of the Galiuros in southeastern Arizona will be your classroom for the
backpacking section. Both destinations offer varied terrain and beautiful surroundings while
you hone your backcountry living skills.
CAVING
This section explores the extensive underground world near the famous Carlsbad Caverns in
New Mexico or the brilliant caves in southeastern Arizona. You'll have a unique chance to
marvel at an underground wilderness environment few people ever see or even know exists.
ROCK CLIMBING
The Cochise Stronghold, a land of towering granite domes, is one of the best climbing locations
in Arizona. As you hone your climbing risk management and judgment skills, you'll
move at your own pace from the fundamentals of top-roping and anchor building to more
complex techniques like multi-pitch climbing.
CANOEING
You'll paddle down the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas, where water has carved
out spectacular canyons in the Chihuahuan Desert. You'll learn how to read whitewater, practice
river rescue techniques, and experience scouting rapids while safely identifying hazards.
INDEPENDENT STUDENT EXPEDITION
Upon successful completion of the previous sections, you'll have the opportunity to apply all
of your accumulated knowledge by planning and executing an autonomous student expedition.
Heading out in either the Galiuros or Gila, this is the highlight of the Southwest semester.
DETAILS FALL SPRING
Age and Length: 17 & Over ? Average age: 20 ? Duration: 88 days
Offered fall, spring
Tuition: $10,750 (fall); $10,625 (spring)
Course start/end: Tucson, Arizona
Fly in/out: Tucson, Arizona
College Credit: 2 hours Biology; 2 hours Environmental Ethics; 4 hours Leadership Techniques; 6 hours Skills Practicum;
2 hours Risk Assessment
Dates and Sections: page 111
www.nols.edu ? (800) 710 - NOLS ? admissions@nols.edu 83
Ashley Wise
SOUTHWEST