…Zac Adair, our co-founder and executive director, recently asked one of our courseparticipants why they signed up for a particular outdoor adventure. “It was a photo thatappeared on your website of a guy on top of a mountaintop with the blue skies above theglaciers in the background.” Picture yourself here. It’s a common tactic in…

…Years ago, I was working in wilderness-based setting with a group of gang members who were attempting to break away from the often-violent lifestyle in which they found themselves. During a break our programming, I asked a loaded question. “Anybody want to tell me about their tattoos and what they mean?” The 30 or so…

…How do I get the patient care experience I need to get into medical school if I’m not a doctor? Discover ways to get hands on experience now….

…This is the last post in our four-part series on trends to be aware of in outdoor and adventure-based experiential education. In Part 1, we covered DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Part 2 focused on restorative practices. And Part 3 called attention to trauma-informed learning.  Here in Part 4, we’re wrapping up the series with…

…As you’ve probably heard or read, last month was the hottest June our planet has ever experienced — topping a prior record set in 2019. In fact, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the nine hottest Junes ever occurred over the past nine years. In addition, extreme heat creates crispy conditions, and…

…When it comes to wilderness medicine, theres so much more than tree branch splints. Explore the world of wilderness medicine with NCOAE!…

We like to take backcountry cooking to the next level at NCOAE – Check out a few of our favorite recipes to keep yourself energized!…

…NCOAE explores the full history of wilderness medicine, including it’s origins, key developments, and the future of wilderness medicine….

…Over the past couple of decades, outdoor adventure enthusiasts have developed a growing obsession with speed — fastest climber (ascent/descent), fastest cyclist, fastest downhill skier or snowboarder, fastest BASE jumper. Fastest, fastest, fastest.  Whether you actively compete in one or more of these categories or prefer a less competitive approach to human-powered outdoor activities, you’re…

…Little in the wilderness experience quite compares to sitting around a warm campfire after a day on the trail. Crackling embers, shimmering luminescence, and radiant warmth have an almost primal attraction.  When you take advantage of our teen leadership expeditions, adult leadership expeditions, or our high school summer semester, you’ll experience many campfires. Whether you’re…

…According to some emergency medical professionals, including one of my early mentors, every emergency medical service (EMS) call involves a search. Even in urban settings where we’re given a home address for a patient, we need to confirm the location, find it, and gain access to the patient. And even after arriving at the right…

…Most healthcare professionals, including some pediatricians, would rather treat adults than children. That should come as no surprise. If you’ve ever had to draw blood from a young child, you know how heartbreaking it can be for everyone in the room. Maybe in the building. Those screams can be dramatic! The emotional pain we feel…

…Safety first! That short phrase has been a mantra in outdoor adventure and education for as long as I can remember. In wilderness medicine, safety is also, and obviously, a top priority.  It’s counterintuitive, but the first person you need to protect is yourself, along with other members of your team. Rushing into a scene…

Here at the National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education (NCOAE), we’re especially proud of our Women’s Wilderness Initiative, which enables women of nearly all ages to ditch the spouse, the kids, the job and the college coursework for a full seven days and — instead of all that — focus on themselves. Notice we…

…They say man only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make things stop. To that short list, we’d like to add the Banks Fry-Bake Pan — a truly lightweight frying pan that’s perfect for cooking — and baking — in the backcounry. Fact is we take at least one…

…It’s a well-known fact that one outdoor education industry standard for trip leaders, wilderness guides and backcountry educators who work on multi-day expeditions, is that you have to have a current and up-to-date Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training. How you satisfy that requirement is up to you. Traditionally, the only way to earn the WFR…

…Months of planning and organizing have brought success! We recently completed our first program abroad — an expedition to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal with a group of South Korean high school teens. South Korea-based Apex Global Leadership Center (AGLC) joined with us for this adventure-based spring break program that emphasized leadership education. Traveling in the…

…“Did you ever consider thinking like farmers think,” asked my wife, Christine, over breakfast the other morning. And by “you,” she meant guides, outdoor/adventure educators and those folks who love to explore the outdoors. I answered her question with a shoulder shrug and a grunt, which meant I didn’t understand the query. So Christine patiently…

…Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education, we go to great lengths to guide our students through a variety of wilderness settings for education and instruction in all things that are adventurous and fun in the outdoors. But occasionally it’s nice to kick off one’s hiking boots, pull your feet up on…

…More and more individuals, families and outdoor organizations are going to great lengths to enjoy wilderness experiences in our national forests, but with this exploding trend, how are we addressing the impact on natural resources? What does the future hold for outdoor recreation areas and natural setting outdoor classrooms? As professional members of the outdoor…