Nols

Grandpa · 11-12-2011, 02:17 PM

I see NOLS is advertising on the right side of the page. We have run into NOLS groups on a couple of our hikes. From talking to the young people in these groups and seeing their enthusiasm, I would have definately tried to raise the money to send my kids on a course if I had known about it then.

Anyone else had any experience with NOLS? I wonder if they would take a fat old man on a course?

catspa · 11-12-2011, 03:04 PM

Or two of us? Supposedly they have some adult treks listed, but they cost 3-4000 bucks and they want you to use their gear.

I'm afraid if I had that kinda money, I'd buy more gear or take more trips for myself.

Parker

Grandpa · 11-12-2011, 03:39 PM

I knew about the $3-4000 but didn't know about the gear. The kids we saw all had great stuff, all 60-80 lbs of it. A month in the back country with everything they needed including climbing gear. They did get a couple of food drops during that time but everything else came with from the start.

oldsarge · 11-12-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandpa

I knew about the $3-4000 but didn't know about the gear. The kids we saw all had great stuff, all 60-80 lbs of it. A month in the back country with everything they needed including climbing gear. They did get a couple of food drops during that time but everything else came with from the start.

Sound like a fun time....wish I could afford that!

Refrigerator · 11-12-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandpa

I see NOLS is advertising on the right side of the page. We have run into NOLS groups on a couple of our hikes. From talking to the young people in these groups and seeing their enthusiasm, I would have definately tried to raise the money to send my kids on a course if I had known about it then.

Anyone else had any experience with NOLS? I wonder if they would take a fat old man on a course?

I have many experiences with them.....some I knew more than the instructors but many I learned techniques....Glacial, River crossings, Mountaineering.

Pathfinder1 · 11-12-2011, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandpa

I see NOLS is advertising on the right side of the page. We have run into NOLS groups on a couple of our hikes. From talking to the young people in these groups and seeing their enthusiasm, I would have definately tried to raise the money to send my kids on a course if I had known about it then.

Anyone else had any experience with NOLS? I wonder if they would take a fat old man on a course?

I've had no personal experience with NOLS. But, if my memory is good, just a few months ago a group of their teenagers, with no NOLS instructors present, were attacked and mauled by a grizzly during an Alaska trek. No Alaskan or other guides were present either.

News articles stated that nobody in the group used bear spray. I do not know if bear spray was carried or not.

I've always felt that something was wrong with that picture, though.

hummingbird · 11-12-2011, 07:42 PM

I've never heard of NOLS but now that I've looked it up, it sounds like a good thing. I hate the kids got hurt but I wonder if this was an anomaly instead of a normal thing.

Pathfinder1 · 11-12-2011, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hummingbird

I've never heard of NOLS but now that I've looked it up, it sounds like a good thing. I hate the kids got hurt but I wonder if this was an anomaly instead of a normal thing.

I doubt that the incident could be called "normal". And I wasn't there holding the light, either. But I stil feel than something was wrong with that picture.

No NOLS leaders present, no guide present, no firearm (which a guide would have carried), and bear spray APPARENTLY not accessible, or not carried at all. Some of the teenagers were BADLY mauled.

Only one weak link and the chain breaks.

However, we learn from our experience (I hope), and NOLS may take steps to minimize a recurrance. Lets hope so.

SweetSassyLady · 11-12-2011, 08:15 PM

Oh I would hope so too. You want to teach the kids to be safe in all of the ways you can think of. I know you can't teach them everything but you can teach them to think, that's the best weapon you can have. I hope they are doing well.

catspa · 11-13-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SweetSassyLady

...you can teach them to think, that's the best weapon you can have.

This is so true. And part of thinking is considering the possibility of a bear attack (in Alaska, of all places) and your options should it happen.

If NOLS has a policy of denying students the means of self-defense, I'd call that a big hole in their thinking.

Parker