No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men

NOLS Rocky Mountain (RM) welcomes Steven Brutger the new Program Supervisor to the branch.  Steven first participated in a semester long program at NOLS Patagonia in 2002.  Since then he completed his instructor course and became a NOLS instructor working at various branches in NOLS Teton Valley, NOLS Southwest, and NOLS Mexico.  An avid outdoorsman, Steven has lead hiking, climbing, and sea kayak programs.

He moved here to Lander from Bozeman, Montana in December and is excited to be working in his new position.  One of his first upcoming tasks will be proctor briefing this coming Tuesday.  On further note, Steven rocks out to “The Gourds” and is an unmatched Connect Four competitor.

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Into the Darkness

    In the gathering gloom students marched up Sinks Canyon, breaking trail through thigh-deep snow as Orion’s Belt grew brighter overhead. If there was anyone around to see, they would have noted bobbing headlamps at the end of the line stop, then cut off cross country or deep into the trees as each group of rescuers was peeled off and sent to find their scenario.

    The prospective EMTs had spent an afternoon managing medical patients in another mass casualty incident, getting more experience with the incident command system and more tastes of the complexities they may encounter in EMS – cranky patients, rescuers who become ill, medevac pilots who don’t speak English, and a frantic plumber breaking into radio traffic.

    After a day spent training in the pleasant Wyoming sunshine of late winter, the students were cut loose on their first night rescue to manage trauma and medical emergencies in harsh winter conditions. They were given a hands-on lesson in prolonged patient care in an inhospitable environment; a reminder that after the adrenaline drops off and the excitement tapers, rescuers must continue to care for their patients as well as for themselves.

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Spring is a Coming

NOLS Rocky Mountain (RM) welcomes sunny weather, the end of sub-zero weather, and three new interns for the winter/ spring season of the NOLS Rocky Mountain Internship.  Coming from the various corners of the country these interns will use their knowledge and skills to complete various projects, help outfit and prepare incoming students, and share their background experience with the NOLS community. 

City slicker Sandy Bandhu might appeared to have felt overwhelmed after leaving his hometown of New York City, but quickly adjusted to the pace that is Lander, Wyoming and is excited to climb the surrounding mountains.  Lindsey Dostart of the Pacific Northwest left behind her Birkenstocks, rainy weather and says hello to snow showers, bright blue sky, and granite peaks.  Finally, there is Jared Pangretic of the state of the Great Lakes Michigan, who just completed a month long Baja Sea Kayaking course and looks forward to finding the perfect pair of snakeskin boots and mountaineering opportunities.

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Vintage NOLS article in Mother Earth News

Some of the equipment may have changed, but the NOLS education students get today is the same T.J. Watkins describes in his 1988 article on wilderness schools for Mother Earth News. Check it out--whether you're considering a course and want a detailed account, or just want to take a moment to appreciate how far backcountry gear has come in the last 20 years!

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The Fog of Chaos

Screams set the backdrop to the garbled radio message from the rattled first responder. A bridge collapse had plunged six hikers into the icy Popo Agie river. Within minutes the WEMT class from Lander, WY was on the scene. Despite the panicked urging of the injured, the rescue team refrained from rushing blindly into the incident. A crew was dispatched to evaluate the situation as the Incident Commander organized the strike teams and logistics personnel. Rescuers soon entered the scene to care for the injured and extricate several patients from the river.

After spending a little more than a week learning emergency medicine, the students of the Lander WEMT were introduced to their first Mass Casualty Incident. In addition to treating massive head trauma, a femur fracture, an open pneumothorax and other injuries the rescuers found themselves working in deep snow and cold water.

Up to now the students have learned in the controlled environment of the classroom, with hands-on skills presented in straightforward scenarios. Now they have been confronted with stress, and the fog of chaos they may encounter in the real world.

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Minturn will forgo his senior year | IndyStar.com

Link: Minturn will forgo his senior year | IndyStar.com.

Check out this  interview with Ted Minturn, a champion swimmer, percussionist and top student. He is graduating early to participate in a NOLS Fall Semester in the Rockies.

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February WEMT course

We are nurses and Wilderness First Responders; firefighters and outdoor educators; those new to wilderness medicine and those who have been teaching it for years.  And we are newly arrived for the WMI WEMT course stationed at Sinks Canyon Center just outside snowy Lander, WY.

I have been looking forward to this course for years . . . since, in fact, my first WFR with Buck Tilton back in Pitkin, CO many years ago.  Time and circumstances finally came together to allow me to join in the fun.  We seem to have an eager crew of 25, undaunted by the vast amounts of information and practical skills slammed on us like a fire hydrant.  Our hearty instructors, Jess and Dave, keep us awake and oriented even through continuous eight hour days of class-time--a none too shabby feat keeping the interest of folks unaccustomed to being in a classroom with walls and a roof.  Of course, our mandatory play time for scenarios outside breaks up the day nicely.  Clinicals start this weekend.  And soon, we will all be up to speed, flying through patient assessments like old pros, I have faith.

Hopefully, like my WFR's before, our group will find common bonds and common ground over our 4 weeks together.  We are, after all, saving each other's lives every day.

posted by Ben Tettlebaum, WEMT student

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Notes from the field

NOLS Rocky Mountain (RM) Outdoor Educator Semester students are in the midst of their first section: an 80 hour Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course at the NOLS RM Three Peaks Ranch in Boulder, WY.  Joining them on the course are students from all over the states including a few NOLS HQ employees. 

Aaron Bannon, NOLS Wilderness Advocacy Coordinator and WFR student, reports from the field.

As our Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course churns through day seven, spirits are high, the learning curve is intense, and the snow is deep. For six of the last seven days, for eight hours a day or more, we have been learning to keep injured people alive and treat their maladies in the foothills of the rugged Wind River Mountains. The Three Peaks Ranch is an ideal setting for mimicking conditions in the backcountry. Below are some students’ impressions from the first few days of the course.

“What I am impressed with is the enthusiasm of all the students and instructors. Everyone not only wants to be here but also wants to learn, which makes for a dynamic environment. Very nice, I like.” Andy McKicctrick, Montana

“Its awesome to find so many people to work on the same desire to become a wilderness first responder. During our first scenario it was NEGATIVE 20 outside. It really got us going and we realized that anything can happen while in the wilderness.” - Brad Gannon, Ohio

“I just learned in our last class how to stabilize a broken femur with a Thermarest, towels, a ski pole and some webbing. Who needs modern medicine when you have a Thermarest?” Brittany Goble, California

On WMI courses, students gain confidence in their skills by learning through scenarios.

As you can see, there is no shortage of personality in our scrappy band of WFR trainees. The positive, spunky attitude makes our eight-hour days feel a little bit shorter, and our time doing scenarios in the cold, deep snow a little warmer.

-Aaron Bannon

Photos courtesy of Marco Johnson

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Huddle up. . .Tele power!

NOLS Rocky Mountain Semesters 1 and 2 begin their semester with a 2 week winter section.  Snow caves, quinzees, customized snow kitchens, tele turns in backcountry powder, massive mugs of cocoa. . .are just a few of the skills and good times these semester students will experience.  Stay tuned for more tales of their semesters and our 4 other spring semesters.

Spring Semester in the Rockies (SSR) section 2 below.  Click on the photo for more pictures including SSR 1.

Instructors Matt Lloyd and Jesse Quillian

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Focus the Nation

On January 31st, NOLS joined with millions across the country in the Focus the Nation initiative, a national teach-on on global warming solutions.

The day began with NOLS Bus visits to local Lander schools. Marketing Rep Jess was all smiles...

...and the kids were, too!

In the afternoon, Lander Valley High School hosted a sustainability fair and presentation by Alison Gannett, an environmentalist, world champion extreme skier and a NOLS Alaska grad. She talked about her personal experiences with the effects of climate change and urged the audience to calculate their carbon footprint and then gave tips on how to reduce it, offset it and ultimately produce our own energy.

To close the evening, a reception was held at the Noble Hotel with a panel discussion of individuals from Lander and (via teleconference) Jackson. Former NOLS Instructor and Creative Energies founder Scott Kane, Teton Science School Research Associate Embere Hall, Wyoming Senator Cale Case, Central Wyoming College student Keja Whiteman, Jackson Mayor Mark Barron, County Commissioner Brea Holland and Wyoming Congressman Gary Trauner all gave their perspectives on climate change.

It was a packed house! Thanks to Alison, our panelists and all those behind the scenes that made the day a success!

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