Wyoming’s Wind River Range with NOLS

NOLS is the National Outdoor Leadership School; an organization that, since 1965, has taught people how to thrive outdoors, and be effective, ethical leaders. I learned about NOLS from one of my close friends, who was a student with with them as a young adult. It’s apparent that the experience shaped who he is today, and he speaks so fondly of his 30 days of backpacking through bear country in Alaska, and the lessons he learned along the way.

A NOLS course sounded to me like an extreme, extended version of “Outdoor Ed”— that week in the 5th grade when all the kids in my school district went to a camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains to learn about trees, birds, banana slugs, and were forced to do the terrifying “night hike” back to camp alone in the dark. I loved the idea of a week of learning outside, but I ended up hating outdoor ed. And not because I hated the outdoors, but because I went to school in a town with snobby, rich, white kids (things that I was NOT). When I wasn’t completely ignored, I was judged for not fitting in. I have a distinct memory from one morning in the dining hall, when I drank the remaining milk from my breakfast cereal by raising the bowl to my mouth— the way I’d learned to drink soup from my Asian father. Two perfectly groomed blonde girls scoffed at me in disgust, and one scolded, “That’s Rude.”

Not all of my childhood experiences in the outdoors were socially traumatic. Often in the summer my parents would take me and my sisters to Lake Tahoe to go camping, which for many years was my favorite place (favorite thing in my whole world, really). Fast forward twenty-five years— with all of my life experience and places I’ve been— and I’m back to loving simple camping trips to the mountains more than anything else… and ready for an extreme do-over of “Outdoor Ed”.

But after looking into it, I concluded that, sadly, a NOLS course wasn’t for me. Their month, or semester long courses seemed mostly geared toward 16-23 year olds, and the cost far exceeded my budget for a trip (30 days of backpacking in Alaska is $5000, a semester runs $12k).

Then this year, the Covid pandemic halted all of my travel plans. I had to say bye-bye to an exciting trip I had planned to Uzbekistan and Central Asia in May, and doubted that I would be able to go anywhere for the rest of the year. Prior to Covid, I was in the best shape of my life; hiking 2-3 days a week, lead climbing indoors and out, and getting more confident backpacking and surfing. Now, with Covid, I was limited to only walking on the sidewalk in my neighborhood, and the mere thought of leaving the house filled me with anxiety (what if my car breaks down and the tow truck driver gives me Covid!?).

At some point during quarantine I looked into NOLS again. I dug a little deeper on their website, and discovered that they actually offer adult courses (they’re shorter, but for that reason slightly more affordable). A few of the adult courses really interested me; rock climbing in Arizona, backpacking in Wyoming or Alaska, mountaineering in Washington’s North Cascades. There was no way of knowing how long the pandemic would last, but I thought that maybe by mid summer or fall, NOLS would be operating some of these courses. I had come to think differently about the cost of a course, and how it wouldn’t just be paying for a trip, but also an investment in my personal growth. I would gain valuable knowledge, practical skills, and a renewed and expanded confidence in myself (and how can you put a price tag on that!?) I have been very fortunate to be consistently working, and forced into saving rather than spending during the pandemic, so that helped.

I had a hard time deciding which course to apply for, but I ultimately settled on backpacking in Wyoming because of it being relatively close to home, but a place that I knew little to nothing about (I have never spent time anywhere in the Rocky Mountains). I was very lucky with the course I selected, because due to travel restrictions and other Covid disruptions, NOLS cancelled all summer/fall courses except for those operating out of their headquarters in Wyoming. Had I chosen any of the other courses I was interested in, I would have been out of luck.

Rather than the novel that I’d surely write to try to sum up our two weeks on the trail, here is a short and sweet recap written by one of my peers (and now good friends) from the course, Sarah “Cricket” Zettler:

“Beginning on July 26, 2020, also known as Covid Summer, 11 strangers [along with 3 instructors] backpacked through the Wind River Range in the Wyoming backcountry. For 13 days they traveled for a total of 44.75 miles. Terrain included pine forest; yellow, purple, blue, red-dotted wildflower meadows; sticky marsh; mossy river crossings; trout-filled lakes; rocky mountain peaks; and dusty trail for a total elevation gain of 4940 feet. Days were filled with obtaining back country skills such as: rock-climbing, fly-fishing, cooking for peers, orienteering, map-reading, tent and proper camp set-up, scouting, off-trail hiking, bear fence erection, tree and plant identification, learning about the region’s history, leadership classes, evacuation procedures and first-aid, character building opportunities, reflection time, backcountry bidet conversations, and mafia games.

This horse-supported course with Jim, the horse whisperer, and Bandit, the mosquito chomper, also had opportunities to water the horses and learn about some horse-packing skills. Within the first few days, students feared for their lives as they scrambled out of the meadow and into the woods during a lightning storm. Perched on backpacks as they counted between flashes and booms, ice pellets called gropple falling around them, they learned storm protocols, praying skills, and a new hire in life when one survives a thing like that.

In addition, two students needed to be evacuated due to health concerns, and after working through some miscommunications—also a life skill they further developed on this course—they were able to come together to get the two to the front country. This miscommunication led to positive group reflection, positive personal reflection, and an opportunity to grow as a community.

In the end, although they were dusty, dirty, greasy, matted, unkempt, unshaven, unshowered, thirsty, hot, freezing cold, wind-blown, exhausted, giggly, scared, hungry, smelly, wet, bloody, twisted (ankles), and bandaged, they came out of the Winds inspired, smiling, and finally able to embrace each other (on day 14 of their Covid quarantine) at the very end of their course. Sadly and happily, the only bear they experienced were bear hugs as they said goodbye. On August 8, 2020, 11 strangers converted to friends went back to the front country and their individual lives, richer for this wild, wonderful, wilderness experience.”

AND NOW, THE PHOTOS…

Cell phones and other technology are not allowed on NOLS courses, and there’s no access to electricity to recharge batteries should I have brought a digital camera. I decided to bring only one camera; my favorite compact film camera, the Fuji Natura S.

Hiking with instructor Dara and Eli, Cricket and Summer.

After a long 10 miles day, we finally find the rest of the group at Cross Lake.

Our camp above Cross Lake for a few days. Layover days are a rare treat, we we get to stay put for a few consecutive days.

Our horsepacker Jim with Willie, Zorro, Mike, & Laurie, who carried our extra gear and food rations, although we still had to hike with 40-50 lb backpacks.

Me fly fishing at Middle Fork Lake, where I caught my first fish!

Sunset at a small lake somewhere above Middle Fork Lake

Eli and Chris swimming at a (COLD) lake with no name at 9,987’ elevation

One of our pack horses in the campsite before sunrise (either Mike or Laurie, I can’t tell the white ones apart)

Taking a moment to meditate after climbing an unnamed peak