What a whirlwind! We have finally made it back from our incredible semester at NOLS. 94 days in the field and we have both lived to tell about it. I anticipated having more opportunities to update our blog while we were transitioning between sections, but that clearly did not happen. Instead, I'll have to fill in the gaps now. In order to attempt to convey our experience, I'm going to select one summative photograph from each section and write a little info about each. Tonight, I'll begin with our first section, backpacking in the Wind River Range of Wyoming...
During our 9 days in the Winds, we did a ton! We hiked for miles, summitted peaks, baked pizzas, read topographical maps, navigated harsh terrain, bush-wacked, climbed boulder fields, dealt with snow, and made tons of fires. But one of the most meaningful things that occurred during our first section was making connections with each other. We were taught the basics of outdoor education and how to survive in the backcountry, but more importantly we started to get to know each other and laid the foundation for the friendships that we now can't imagine living without.
The above photo depicts Angela, our course leader, teaching us how to bake a pizza in the backcountry- something I had never dreamed of prior to NOLS. We started by making a "dough baby" in a bag out of flour, seasoning, and yeast and then letting the dough rise for 10-15 minutes. In order to maintain the proper temperature, someone gets to put the dough baby under their layers near their belly, thus the "dough baby". Once the "baby" is ready to be born, you knead it and lay it out in a fry-bake and bake it up. We even made our own tomato sauce, then covered the top with cheese and fried summer sausage. What a treat! We use the same process to make bread, cinnamon rolls, and my personal favorite, cheesy garlic bread.
It was truly a privilege to get to hike and camp in the Winds. Unlike many of the natural areas that we have previously visited, the Winds are seemingly untouched by human visitors. We only saw three people the entire time we were on our journey and two of them were seen the first day near the trailhead. We were constantly surrounded by pristine lakes and streams and mountainous boulder fields.
I was quite apprehensive about this first section, seeing as the longest camping trip I'd previously been on had only been five nights, but my fear quickly subsided. Out there, I learned to use a whisper light stove, read a topographical map, navigate off-trail and push my body beyond comfort while still enjoying myself. And boy, let me tell you what, sometimes it was challenging! However, with the help of three wonderful instructors and many incredibly encouraging friends, I began to feel comfortable leading a group off-trail through the wilderness. The foundation laid during our first nine days stuck with us through the subsequent sections. We were challenged to develop our own moda (style) and travel with it throughout our journey. Because, even though it's not the front country doesn't mean you can't still be stylish!
During our 9 days in the Winds, we did a ton! We hiked for miles, summitted peaks, baked pizzas, read topographical maps, navigated harsh terrain, bush-wacked, climbed boulder fields, dealt with snow, and made tons of fires. But one of the most meaningful things that occurred during our first section was making connections with each other. We were taught the basics of outdoor education and how to survive in the backcountry, but more importantly we started to get to know each other and laid the foundation for the friendships that we now can't imagine living without.
The above photo depicts Angela, our course leader, teaching us how to bake a pizza in the backcountry- something I had never dreamed of prior to NOLS. We started by making a "dough baby" in a bag out of flour, seasoning, and yeast and then letting the dough rise for 10-15 minutes. In order to maintain the proper temperature, someone gets to put the dough baby under their layers near their belly, thus the "dough baby". Once the "baby" is ready to be born, you knead it and lay it out in a fry-bake and bake it up. We even made our own tomato sauce, then covered the top with cheese and fried summer sausage. What a treat! We use the same process to make bread, cinnamon rolls, and my personal favorite, cheesy garlic bread.
It was truly a privilege to get to hike and camp in the Winds. Unlike many of the natural areas that we have previously visited, the Winds are seemingly untouched by human visitors. We only saw three people the entire time we were on our journey and two of them were seen the first day near the trailhead. We were constantly surrounded by pristine lakes and streams and mountainous boulder fields.
I was quite apprehensive about this first section, seeing as the longest camping trip I'd previously been on had only been five nights, but my fear quickly subsided. Out there, I learned to use a whisper light stove, read a topographical map, navigate off-trail and push my body beyond comfort while still enjoying myself. And boy, let me tell you what, sometimes it was challenging! However, with the help of three wonderful instructors and many incredibly encouraging friends, I began to feel comfortable leading a group off-trail through the wilderness. The foundation laid during our first nine days stuck with us through the subsequent sections. We were challenged to develop our own moda (style) and travel with it throughout our journey. Because, even though it's not the front country doesn't mean you can't still be stylish!
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