Brad Christensen
Meet new challenges and develop as a leader. On this river expedition, you’ll explore over 100 miles of the breathtaking canyons of Utah’s Green River, the birthplace of whitewater boating. Challenge yourself to paddle a kayak, paddle raft, and oar rig. Run rapids after learning to read the bends in the river and speed of the water. Deepen your understanding of local ecology as you spend weeks in the wilderness. You’ll start in calm water to master the basics of paddling, then progress to quicker-moving water. This will prepare you for rapids with names like Disaster Falls and Hells Half-Mile.
Photo credit: Lauren Bally
Photo credit: Scott Eubank
This course is about more than whitewater paddling—you’re also going to focus on building the skills to be a leader. Every day will offer you opportunities to be in a different leadership role. You’ll learn about decision making as you assess rapids, communication as you work on conflict resolution, and tolerance for adversity when the weather gets challenging. Experiences like these will help you form your own personal leadership style. With these experiences, you’ll be ready to lead wherever you find yourself.
Photo credit: Lauren Bally
Photo credit: Scott Eubank
“My perspective, my experiences, and everything about me were different and I thought I was just an ordinary, teenage, Mexican-American girl, but this course taught me that I am so much more than that.... It has changed the way I approach people and life. I learned that my perspective is so much more valuable than I thought it was. I have experienced things that others only dream of in their nightmares, and NOLS helped me realize that because of this, I have so much to offer the world.”