Expeditions

Wind River Mountaineering

Pursue your climbing dreams in the rugged peaks of Wyoming’s Wind River Range. Starting with the basics, you’ll build the skills to complete technical peak ascents with your team.

Duration

30 days

Age

16+

Overview

About this course

Find new challenges climbing mountains

Head to Wyoming and explore the mountains. On this course, you’ll travel through Wyoming’s Wind River Range learning the basics of traveling and climbing in the mountains. Whether you’re camping for the first time or an experienced backpacker, this course will have new challenges for you. Spend days traversing snowy glaciers. Climb high passes and explore lodgepole pine forests. Learn about local ecology as you see the terrain change from green meadows to steep granite crags. As you travel, you’ll learn fundamental mountaineering skills like belaying, rappelling, climbing technique, and building anchors in snow and rock. Then, when your group is ready, you’ll take these skills and try to climb some of the famous peaks of the Wind River Range, which might include an attempt on Wyoming’s tallest mountain, Gannett Peak.

In addition to the focus on mountaineering, you will also learn leadership. Making decisions about a route with your group will teach you about communication. Hiking through valleys and across rivers will be your chance to learn tolerance for adversity. Living in a tight community with your team will introduce you to group dynamics. You’ll be in a different leadership role every day, finding out what your unique style is and how your style supports the team. At the end of this course, you’ll walk away with real experiences that will help you be a leader no matter where you find yourself.

Resources

Resources & downloads

Schedule

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Free course guide

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  • Detailed daily objectives and skills progression

  • Complete packing & equipment checklist

  • Sample student journal from Unaweep Canyon

  • Pre-course preparation guide

From

$7,450

Tuition varies by location. Financial aid available.

Duration

30 days

Location types

Lander, Wyoming

Equipment Deposit

400

Academic Credit

Start/End

Lander, Wyoming

Fly In/Out

Riverton, WY (RIW)

Course Session Dates

No Course Sessions enrolling.

What graduates say

Trusted by professionals worldwide

“The nature of the course forces you into the moment, requiring you to be in touch with your surroundings, and focused on the task at hand. Instead of being attached to your phone, you’re focused on the weather patterns, or the snow conditions. This is an awareness that I think is easily lost outside of the wilderness.  There are too many distractions that draw people away from making the most of the present.”

— Winslow Crane M., NOLS Wind River Mountaineering grad

Financial aid & Scholarships

NOLS supports a variety of outside financial aid options:

  • AmeriCorps
  • 529 College Savings Plans
  • Veteran's Benefits (only for courses fully in the state of Wyoming)

Ready

Ready to get certified?

Find a WFR course near you, talk to an admissions advisor, or request a free catalog to learn more about NOLS Wilderness Medicine.