Welcome to the celebration of 55 years of wilderness education and 30 years of NOLS Wilderness Medicine! This video takes you on a journey of our rich history, beginning in 1965, a time of significant social change, where our charismatic founder, Paul Petzoldt, founded the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) with a vision to nurture leaders who knew how to live responsibly in the wilderness and teach others to do the same​​.

Since then, we have been teaching students on mountaintops, on water, in canyons, and in classrooms, all while upholding the legacy that made NOLS a leader in outdoor education​​.

In 1990, the Wilderness Medicine Institute was born in a small Rocky Mountain town, and it has since educated more than 200,000 individuals in all 50 U.S. states and 46 countries around the world, imparting knowledge on how to provide care for the ill and injured in remote, resourcescarce environments. This year marks the 30th anniversary of NOLS Wilderness Medicine, a legacy we are immensely proud of and eager to celebrate​​.

Join us as we look back on the impact our community has had, from serving patients in the COVID19 pandemic to leading across industries, advocating for sustainability and wild places, increasing outdoor access, and raising the standards of risk management​.

As a nonprofit, we rely on the energy and generosity of donors to support scholarships, further wildland protection, and develop cuttingedge curriculum. We invite you to give to NOLS today. No matter the size, your gift helps ensure the world has the leaders it needs for these times​.

Stay connected with us and share the love! https://www.nols.edu/en/about/resourc...

Volunteer with a local Search and Rescue group, engage on local issues of sustainability, and explore resources from NOLS to continue your wilderness education. Join the NOLS Alumni Group and share your stories about your course or how your skills have grown since then—we want to hear and share them with the community​.

Take a gap year with us: https://www.nols.edu/en/gapyear/