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NOLS Semester in Alaska

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Summer in Alaska

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About

Your semester in Alaska includes everything from forested coastlines to the snow and ice of the high mountain peaks to the tundra and rivers in between. In the long days of the northern summer, you'll have plenty of time to learn about and travel through wild Alaska.

Hiking takes you to the continent's largest assemblage of glaciers and its greatest collection of peaks over 16,000 feet in elevation.

The mountaineering section travels even further into this area and is an ideal training ground for learning to live and climb on snow and ice.

Finally, you will spend over three weeks sea kayaking in Prince William Sound. Amid all this activity, you can also expect an extensive environmental studies curriculum, giving you a unique perspective on some of the world's most stunning wilderness.

After honing skills and leadership for 75 days at NOLS Alaska, you can be confident traveling in a variety of wilderness settings.

Highlights
  • Wildlife you may see: caribou, moose, Dall sheep, wolverines, black and brown bears, and wolves
  • Course sections: sea kayaking, backpacking, and mountaineering
  • Average group size: 12 students / 3 instructors

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Questions & Answers

Reviews

100%
based on 5 reviews
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  • Housing 9.2
  • Support 9.8
  • Fun 9.6
  • Value 9.6
  • Safety 10
Showing 1 - 5 of 5
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Leah
Female
Alaska
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

experiment

Aug 3, 2015

Living with the same 11 peers for seventy days forced me to clearly state my expectations. NOLS is a great place to fail. After growing up in Alaska, I have not felt as safe in the Alaskan wilderness as when I was with my NOLS instructors. This trust allowed me to reach for my comfort zone in terms of physical and emotional demands. With whom else can you loose your way in the Alaskan wilderness and have very little consequence? NOLS changed the way I live.

What would you improve about this program?
More readings. More lessons on what to do when things go wrong.
Default avatar
Asa
Age:
26
Male
Boulder, CO
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Life Changing

May 6, 2015

My semester in Alaska in 2013 was most likly the highlight of my life thus far. It changed me inside and out, and was a catlyst to many changes in my life. I would strongly encourage anyone even remotely considering it (and those who aren't yet) to do it. I could not have asked for anything better.

Default avatar
Andrew
Age:
26
Male
Biddeford, Maine
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Experience

Apr 8, 2015

My experience was amazing. waking up early and moving all day is the best. Every day is eventful and new. A semester in a tent was the coolest experience ive ever had. The meals were great and included a wide variety of options.

What would you improve about this program?
The bear protocol was really strict, this kinda took away from the ability to have self reflection time.
Default avatar
Jack
Age:
26
Male
Los Angeles, California
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Leading a Rope Team for the First Time

Apr 7, 2015

During my NOLS Semester in Alaska, I was given the chance to lead a rope team over glacier travel. It was one of the most incredible experiences and will stick with me forever. The instructors were all great and very motivating. They pushed you to your maximum ability and taught you so much about the outdoors.

What would you improve about this program?
I think that my NOLS semester was one of the best experiences of my life. That being said I think that NOLS Alaska could improve by letting the students know what section they are going to start with before they arrive on the NOLS grounds.
Default avatar
Zoe
Age:
26
Female
Madison, WI
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

MEGA semester in Alaska

Apr 2, 2015

The semester I spent in Alaska was the best decision I have ever made. With a group of 11 students and 3 instructors, we spent 23 days sea kayaking then 48 days backpacking and mountaineering. Though some days were long and taxing, the experience was one I couldn't have gotten anywhere else. Some highlights included river crossings, getting food drops via bush plane, summiting mountains, ice climbing, repelling into crevasses, kayaking with whales, and meeting unbelievably cool people -- this program is the best and I highly recommend it.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Derrick Warren

Program
NOLS Semester in Alaska
Job Title
Hiking and Kayaking Instructor
Derrick is from a little country at the bottom of the world known as New Zealand (a.k.a., the place where they filmed The Lord of the Rings). He holds a bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation with a major in outdoor education and his postgraduate study was in secondary education. Derrick is a NOLS hiking and sea kayaking instructor during the busy season and a high school outdoor education teacher in the offseason.

What position do you hold at NOLS and why do you like working there?

headshot

Derrick: I’m a hiking and kayaking instructor for NOLS. One of my favorite things about my job is that I get to explore some of the most beautiful and remote places in the world for weeks on end. You form great connections with the people in your group and during these extended periods of travel you learn a lot about yourself and the natural world around you.

How does your organization differ from other ones in the industry?

Derrick: NOLS offers a truly unique experience to its students. There are not many organizations in the world that take you into such remote places for months at a time. They give you the opportunity to lead sections for your expedition empowering you to take charge of your experience and make the most of your time in the wilderness.

What is the level of cultural immersion your gappers receive?

Derrick: In NOLS New Zealand part of any standard semester is a cultural immersion trip with the native people, the Maori. Students get to spend time in the tribal marae, which is the meeting house and central point of a tribal community. They get to experience the songs and stories of the people as well as travel to areas in nature that hold cultural significance to the local people of the land. After finishing this cultural section students enter the field with a deeper connection to the environment they will be living in.

How does going on a gap year with NOLS prepare young people for college?

Derrick: NOLS is a leadership school that teaches students very important life skills that are transferable to their everyday lives. Problem-solving, conflict resolution, tolerance for adversity and uncertainty are some of the very important skills that NOLS students develop on a course.

These skills, in my opinion, allow NOLS graduates to make the most of their experiences at college, as they are equipped to deal with any challenge college life throws at them.

What is one common misconception about taking a gap year?

Derrick: I’ve noticed that when people say they are going on a gap year people assume that time is being wasted, and that you could be doing other more constructive things, such as studying.

In my opinion, the gap year experience provides you with the time to find yourself and have incredible experiences that help to shape who you are as a person. These experiences exploring the unknown are unquantifiable and become memories that you’ll never forget.

About NOLS

NOLS is a nonprofit global wilderness school that will help you step forward boldly as a leader. We believe that anyone can be a leader; it's our role to provide the environment and training to help you discover your full potential. We do that in classrooms close to home and in remote wilderness areas around the world. We're an organization with...

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