Ever considered being a guide in the outdoor recreation industry or do you just want to be the most prepared out in the wilderness?

The Wilderness Program teaches the technical and interpersonal skills necessary to instruct people in the backcountry and various outdoor recreation activities. These hands-on courses will give you the tools to instruct and lead in mountain, river, and desert environments.

3-Credit Courses

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NRRT350: Wilderness Leadership

Fall 2024: TWO COURSE OPTIONS – Tuesdays 4-7pm or Wednesdays 4-7pm

  • Wilderness camping
  • Leave No Trace ethics
  • Leading sport and traditional rock climbs
  • Map, compass, and GPS
  • Expedition planning and group dynamics
  • Mountain safety, accident awareness, and wilderness medicine

Field trips

  • Mountain climb, overnight September 7-8, 2024
  • Rock climbing, October 5-6, 2024

Registration begins April 22nd, 2024!

NRRT 250: Wilderness First Aid and Risk Management

Fall 2024 – ONE COURSE OPTION: Thursdays 4-7pm

  • Wilderness First Aid Certification
  • Risk Management
  • Crisis Planning

Outdoor Learning

  • Considerable time will be spent outside to for WFA training and certification

Registration begins April 22nd, 2024!

NRRT351: Wilderness Instructors

Spring 2024 – TWO COURSE OPTIONS Tuesdays 4-7pm or Thursdays 4-7pm

  • Teaching in the outdoors
  • Avalanche rescue
  • Backcountry ski/snow travel
  • Raft, SUP, and Kayak technique
  • River rescue

Field trips

  • Backcountry ski/avalanche rescue: Feb. 24-25
  • Whitewater travel and rescue: April 27-28

1-Credit Courses

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These courses are partial semester with 3 weeks of online content followed by two full days of field-based learning.

NRRT 280A3: Rock Climbing Leadership

  • Lead Climbing with traditional gear
  • Rappelling
  • Anchor building and cleaning
  • Group management
  • Dates and times for online sessions would be April 2, 9, and 16 from 7-9pm each evening.

Field Trips

  • April 20th and 21st, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Fort Collins

NRRT 280A4: Swiftwater Rescue

  • American Canoe Association Level 4 certificate of completion
  • Live bait rescue
  • V lower rescues
  • Throw bag technique
  • Group management
  • Dates and times for online sessions would be April 17, 24, May 1 from 7-9pm each evening.

Field Trips

  • May 4th and 5th, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in Fort Collins

NRRT 280A2: Backpacking Leadership

  • Summer 2024 Course
  • Backpacking equipment
  • Water filtration
  • Camp set-up
  • Leave No Trace
  • Dates and time for online sessions are May 15th, 22nd, and 29th; 7-9 p.m.

Field Trip

  • Overnight backpacking trip near Fort Collins on June 1st-2nd

Registration begins March 19th, 2024!

NRRT 280A5: Mountain Biking Leadership

Fall 2024 – ONE COURSE OPTION: Three online sessions, followed by weekend field sessions. Online dates/times are Sept. 11, 18, and 25 from 7-9 pm. Field sessions will be held on Sept. 28 and 29 from 9 am -5 pm.

  • Mountain bike equipment
  • Riding technique
  • Trail etiquette
  • Bike maintenance

Registration begins April 22nd, 2024!

For more information on these courses contact Ethan Billingsley

Ethan Billingsley, an alumnus of Warner College

About Ethan

Ethan Billingsley is an alumnus of the Warner College of Natural Resources – earning his B.S. in Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism and his M.S. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. He served as Director of Undergraduate Programs in the college from 2008-2018. He currently leads and instructs in the Wilderness Leadership program at CSU.

Prior to joining CSU, Ethan worked as both an outdoor educator and guide in various capacities, primarily with youth. He has led single and multi-day whitewater rafting trips for the last 25 years and is currently a certified raft guide in the state of Colorado. He has climbed all 58 of Colorado’s 14,000ft mountains and led many CSU groups to those summits as well. He has also spent many seasons working at summer camps and environmental education centers. Additional experience has included work as a rock-climbing instructor, backpacking guide, and sea-kayaking naturalist. Ethan loves learning about the ecology of an area as much as he likes adventuring in it. He believes that time spent outdoors contributes to positive attitudes and behaviors related to the environment, as well as, enhanced physical and mental well-being.  In his free time, Ethan loves spending as much time as he can with his wife and three kids in the outdoors.