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NOLS Summer Semester in Alaska

NOLS Summer Semester in Alaska

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NOLS
4.56 · 9 reviews
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NOLS

 4.56 · 9 reviews
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Location
  • United States of America
Length
4 - 12 weeks
Program Tags
Adventure Travel After College College Credit Hands-On Learning Post-High School Wilderness
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, 529 Plan eligibility

Program Details

Activities
Backpacking Kayaking Mountain Climbing
Timeframe
Summer
Housing
Tent
Primary Language
English
Age Min.
17

Pricing

Starting Price
16800
Price Details
Financial aid available! You can also use 529 Savings Plan or AmeriCorps credits. Earn up to 15 college credits through The University of Utah, Western Colorado University, or Central Wyoming College.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Some Equipment Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers
Apr 28, 2026
Aug 13, 2024
Wish List
23 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Spend your whole summer in Alaska’s wilderness. Over 75 days, you’ll sea kayak through Prince William Sound, backpack across remote tundra, and learn mountaineering skills on glaciated peaks. Three sections, three skill sets, and nearly three months of living entirely in the backcountry under Alaska’s midnight sun.

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Video and Photos

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Summer in Alaska
View from a sea kayak
Students being resupplied by bush plane
Bush plane flying away after resupply

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Program Highlights

  • Wildlife you may see: caribou, moose, Dall sheep, wolverines, black and brown bears, and wolves
  • Skill selections: sea kayaking, backpacking, and mountaineering
  • Average group size: 12 students / 3 instructors
  • Earn transferable US College Credit

Program Reviews

4.56 Rating
based on 9 reviews
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  • 5 rating 88.89%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 11.11%
  • Housing 4.45
  • Support 4.55
  • Fun 4.55
  • Value 4.55
  • Safety 4.55
Showing 9 - 9 of 9 reviews
Zoe
33
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

MEGA semester in Alaska

Apr 1, 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.

185 people found this review helpful.
Helpful

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

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

Valentina Rojas Gutierrez

Program
NOLS Summer Semester in Alaska
Job Title
Director of Strategic Enrollment
Valentina is an enrollment and recruitment professional at NOLS, specializing in building meaningful connections with students and partners while guiding them through the admissions journey. She is passionate about expanding access to outdoor education and delivering a thoughtful, student-centered enrollment experience grounded in strong communication and service.
Woman smiling at the camera in the wilderness

What is your favorite travel memory?

Going to Turkey with my mom! I love seeing new places and trying new foods, but the highlight of the trip was going on a hot air balloon ride with her. I also love going to national parks and enjoying the outdoors. Living in Utah allows me to connect with so many different types of outdoor activities, skiing being my favorite one of all!
 
 
 

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Absolutely! I try to have a NOLS "Expedition Behavior" mentality on my daily life; serve the mission and goals of the group, treat everyone with dignity and respect, be kind and open hearted, and model integrity by being honest and accountable. This has allowed me to show up better as a leader and have a deeper appreciation of what our students learn on the field!
 
 
 

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Every NOLSie (aka former NOLS student) I've met says that their course was life changing. I particularly love the stories of students who became instructors due to their experience. Also, students who took their first NOLS course as a 13-14 year old, and came back to take a semester/year course with us. Seeing students come back for another course just solidifies that what we offer is truly special.
 
 
 

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I am going on a sea kayaking course in Baja, MX. But I'd also love to do a backpacking course in India, a horse-packing course in Patagonia, or sailing in New Zealand. I want to go to places that are completely different from what I know, and how cool is it that our students get to see all these amazing areas in a course!
 
 
 

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

What makes NOLS unique is the way we combine wilderness expeditions with meaningful leadership growth. Students just don't learn about leadership, they practice it every day in real, often challenging environments. My team makes me proud everyday because of the service they are providing students and their families!
 
 
 

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Being student-centered always! We were founded by Paul Petzoldt and his mission was to bring students to the outdoors and engage the leader within. As long as we are constantly remembering the why of what we do, NOLS will continue to be the leader in outdoor education. And making sure that as an organization we are embodying Expedition Behavior!
 
 
 
 

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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