National Outdoor Leadership School Commences Spring Training For Historic African American Expedition To Denali

LANDER, Wyo., April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) will run Expedition Denali, the first predominantly African American expedition ever to attempt to summit North America's highest peak, Denali in Alaska. In preparation for their 2013 expedition, team members will kick off their training this May in California's Sierra Nevada, where many will meet for the first time. Expedition Denali team members include diversity champions, change leaders in the youth and outdoors movement, educational reformers, writers, photographers, business leaders, and mountaineers who have made historical ascents.

"This expedition will provide a large platform for this incredible team of outdoor role-models to bring diversity to the forefront of the outdoor conversation and inspire today's youth, especially those of color, to become tomorrow's adventurers," said Bruce Palmer, director of admissions, NOLS.

"While the Expedition Denali is historic in its mission and commitment to inspiring African American youth, NOLS graduates are unanimous in describing every NOLS course as life changing and momentous," added Palmer. "Everyone can experience the lessons of NOLS, even as soon as this summer."

NOLS was the first commercial outfitter on Denali and has run courses on the mountain since 1971. NOLS operates the Denali expedition like any of its other courses, training participants to become technically versed in mountaineering skills while they acclimatize and running participants through the leadership progression in the process. As a result, by the end of the expedition, participants who merely "followed" the instructors become leaders themselves.

Recently recognized in The Harvard Business Review for invaluable life and business lessons gleaned by students on rugged expeditions, NOLS is dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of leadership training to participants of all ages and skill levels through its diverse selection of outdoor expeditions worldwide. NOLS alumni range from motivated high school, college and graduate students to NASA astronauts, the U.S. Naval Academy, Fortune 500 executives and more.

NOLS courses are designed to inspire and build the next generation of leaders and trailblazers, and the wide variety of summer courses in destinations ranging from the Rocky Mountains to Alaska, to the Yukon, Amazon and Scandinavia are now accepting applications. With activities ranging from mountaineering to climbing, backpacking, kayaking, rafting and sailing, the courses last anywhere from less than two weeks to a full semester with college credit available for the ultimate competitive edge among college applicants.

All of NOLS summer courses offer an incredible natural setting, lifelong lessons, and an unforgettable experience. NOLS leaders have identified five key principles—practice leadership, lead from everywhere, behave well, keep calm, and disconnect to connect—that they take directly into today's business world. Some NOLS summer course highlights include:

• Explore the Rocky Mountains in the original and most popular NOLS course, backpacking through the Wind River Wilderness.
• North Cascades Mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest.
• Just for 14-15 year olds, Salmon River Backpacking and Rafting Adventure in Idaho.
• Located in the far northwest corner of Canada, Yukon Backpacking and Wilderness Canoeing.
• Amazon Basin River Expedition in Brazil.
• Scandinavian Sea Kayaking and Backpacking in Norway.

EDITORS Please Note: High-resolution photos and videos available here

About the National Outdoor Leadership School:

Founded in 1965 by legendary mountaineer Paul Petzoldt, NOLS is the leader in wilderness education, providing awe-inspiring, transformative experiences to more than 15,000 students each year. These students, ages 14 to 70, learn in the wildest and most remote classrooms worldwide—from the Amazon rain forest, to rugged peaks in the Himalaya, to Alaskan glaciers and Arctic tundra. Graduates are active leaders with lifelong environmental ethics and outdoor skills. NOLS also offers customized courses through NOLS Professional Training, and the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS is the leading teacher of wilderness medicine worldwide. For more information, call (800) 710-NOLS (6657) or visit www.nols.edu.

CONTACT: Toby Baird
[email protected]
415.392.1000

SOURCE The National Outdoor Leadership School