Spend 21 days immersed in the backcountry of Wyoming’s Wind River Range, a world-class climbing destination. You’ll spend 8-10 days backpacking into remote climbing zones and 10-12 days on the rock, alongside other 16- and 17-year-olds.

You’ll start with the fundamentals of wilderness living — cooking, navigation, Leave No Trace principles, and bear protocols — alongside the basics of climbing: knot tying, rope handling, belaying, protection placement, anchor building, and rappelling.

As you build proficiency, you’ll move into lead climbing fundamentals, multi-pitch routes, and self-rescue techniques. Climbs on this course can be several hundred feet long and take a full day to complete. You’ll carry 50-65 pounds into the backcountry, hike through grizzly country, and establish your own camps for three to five days at a time in terrain that few people ever reach.

The NOLS leadership curriculum is woven into every day, and as competence builds, instructors hand more responsibility to the group.

Weather in the mountains is unpredictable — cold, snow, and high winds can arrive any month of the year. The community you build will help carry you through the harder days.

You’ll leave with a solid foundation of climbing and wilderness travel skills, leadership experience, and friendships built through three weeks in Wyoming’s Wind River backcountry.