What You Learn from Living Outdoors for Three Months

Photo by Samuel Kirsh.

Environmental journalist Sara Sneath reflects on the life-changing three months she spent in the Rockies on a NOLS outdoor educator semester this fall. As she backpacked, climbed, and skied across the western U.S., she faced her fears and rediscovered a “sense of play.”

“I lived outdoors for three months in the Rocky Mountains last fall. Many nights, I skipped the tent and slept under the stars. Each time I awoke at night, Orion would appear farther along his westward hunt across the sky.

I had signed up for a three-month outdoor educator course with NOLS, a nonprofit global wilderness school. During the daytime, I hiked, climbed and rappelled—until the winter hit. Then, I skied and shoveled snow. It was cold. It was hot. It was exhausting and awakening. It was soothing and scary as heck.”

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