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Local Princeton Resident Completes Incredible 80-day Wilderness Expedition in New Zealand!

Rahel Manna
On Sept. 12, 2013, William Parker Barfield and eight other NOLS students embarked on a thrilling 80-day wilderness expedition that spanned the enchanting natural landscapes of New Zealand, free of modern conveniences like cell phones, video games and electricity. A NOLS education demands focus as well as resilience and enthusiasm about leadership education, environmental sustainability and gaining outdoor technical skills.
            The students arrived at NOLS New Zealand, located in the beautiful Aniseed Valley on the south island, where they spent the first two days receiving a thorough orientation about the course and getting geared up before heading out for their 80-day NOLS expedition.
            The NOLS Fall Semester in New Zealand was divided into three sections: sea kayaking, mountaineering and hiking. Each section was accompanied by two instructors who are experts in the field. The duration of each section was roughly 25 days long, and Barfield and his eight coursemates began their expedition sea kayaking on the Pelorus Sound in the South Pacific Ocean.
            Barfield and his coursemates paddled an impressive 90 nautical miles during the kayaking section of their NOLS course. The daily schedule entailed kayaking during the day and camping on a new secluded shore each night in time to review curriculum and cook dinner. On an average morning, students cooked breakfast, packed up camp, debriefed about the navigational route and were paddling on the water before sunrise. Getting an early start on the day gave Barfield and his coursemates the unique chance to observe nature each morning peacefully while they paddled.
As part of their backcountry curriculum, the students were taught to read topographic maps and use navigation instruments on their prearranged kayaking route. Each student was expected to lead on navigation multiple days throughout the section. Exploring the New Zealand coastline by kayak also enabled the students to learn an immense amount about the local topography, ecosystems and marine life, including dolphins, sea lions and rare bird species. Layover days were spent on exploring the coastline terrain and sitting down for backcountry classroom sessions where instructors focused on outdoor skills, leadership, environmental studies related to the region and relevant weather patterns.
            After the sea kayaking section of the semester, NOLS staff met the Barfield and his course at their final shore and whisked the kayaks away so the students could begin the mountaineering leg of their expedition. The students and instructors explored New Zealand’s Southern Alps, just east of the Main Divide. Despite challenging weather, the students were able to gain exposure to glacier and steep snow travel for approximately 25 days. Barfield and his coursemates set up camp at the toe of the beautiful McCoy Glacier and were re-rationed food via helicopter. The students applied their leadership curriculum on a daily basis while using newly gained topographic map skills to guide group travel through the mountain range. Classes pertaining to weather, navigation and group dynamics were also held on a daily basis, both in the morning and in the evening, and were student-led discourses after the first week. During their mountaineering expedition, Barfield and his coursemates kept strong focus on their abilities to use an ice axe for self-belaying and self-arrest, care for climbing ropes and knot tying, as well as learning how to build anchors in snow and rock for rappelling. Practicing safe river-crossing techniques and moving efficiently over steep snow and rock terrain were also important components of the mountaineering section.
            After successfully completing the mountaineering and kayaking sections of their NOLS semester, Barfield and his coursemates then moved on to the backpacking section. This section covered approximately 75 high-altitude miles of forests and meadows in New Zealand’s Nelson Lakes National Park, a magical alpine landscape of jagged peaks, green forests and stunning glacial lakes. The route progressed from mostly on-trail forested terrain to mountain passes and alpine tops and ended with off-trail exposed alpine meadow terrain. According to one of the instructors, “students were able to combine the relaxed course atmosphere with ambitious travel over challenging terrain. They were even able to fit in a venison and goose feast thanks to three friendly Kiwi hunters!” The students finished their semester course with a nine-day student led expedition where they traveled and camped without instructors. Like all NOLS students, Barfield and his coursemates had the option to earn college credits for their course; 75 percent of college-age NOLS students choose to do so and they all graduated from the course competent, confident leaders and outdoorspeople.           
About NOLS – The National Outdoor Leadership School
Founded in 1965 by legendary mountaineer Paul Petzoldt, NOLS is the leader in wilderness education, providing awe-inspiring, transformative experiences to 17,000 students each year. These students, ages 14 to over 80, learn in the wildest and most remote classrooms worldwide—from the Amazon rain forest, to rugged peaks in the Himalaya, to Alaskan glaciers and Arctic tundra. Graduates are active leaders with lifelong environmental ethics and outdoor skills. NOLS also offers customized courses through NOLS Professional Training, and the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute is the leading teacher of wilderness medicine worldwide. For more information, call (800) 710-NOLS (6657) or visit www.nols.edu.