In the mid 1960's Paul Petzoldt saw the need for a school that specifically trained people to be skilled outdoor leaders and educators. For a couple of years, Paul had been working at the Colorado Outward Bound School as their Chief Instructor and had first hand experience with the limited pool...
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In the mid 1960's Paul Petzoldt saw the need for a school that specifically trained people to be skilled outdoor leaders and educators. For a couple of years, Paul had been working at the Colorado Outward Bound School as their Chief Instructor and had first hand experience with the limited pool of instructors. Hence, he founded the National Outdoor Leadership School on March 23, 1965, in Sinks Canyon near Lander, Wyoming. The original facility was located at the Rise of the Sinks where the Sinks Canyon State Park Headquarters is found today. On June 8, 1965, the first NOLS students were issued food and gear. They were loaded into stock trucks and driven to the trailhead at the Hidden Valley Ranch where they were dropped off to spend the next month in the Wind River Range. That summer, there were three wilderness courses consisting of approximately 100 male students.
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Nols is an educational organization with its roots in extended wilderness expeditions-believing that long stays in wild places are vital to understanding both the natural world and ourselves.