Wilderness First Responder

We highly encourage, but don’t require, course participants to be up to date with their Covid-19 vaccinations.

Scroll to the bottom of this webpage for links to registration forms for WFR courses.

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training is the hands-on medical course that is the industry standard for backcountry rangers, river guides, outdoor guides, as well as NOLS and Outward Bound instructors. The course includes engaging classroom sessions and outdoor scenarios taught by medical professionals from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

All College Outdoors Trip Leaders and Assistant Leaders are required to be WFR certified in order to lead off-campus trips. College Outdoors at Lewis & Clark College has sponsoring Wilderness First Responder courses for LC students and the broader community since 1996.

Learn more at the NOLS website.

Courses Sponsored by Lewis & Clark College

Wilderness First Responder (WFR)

PORTLAND, OREGON:  We typically offer an 80-hour NOLS Wilderness First Responder course at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon each January (Jan. 4-13, 2024) immediately prior to Spring Semester and each May (Mon., May 6 - Wed., May 15, 2024) immediately following the end of Spring Semester. Learn more here.  Call 503 768-7117 or 503 768-7124 to register over the phone with a card, or email outdoors@lclark.edu.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA WFR:  As of 2025, we NO LONGER offer a NOLS Wilderness First Responder course in Orlando each January

Wilderness First Responder Hybrid Recertification

We typically offer recertification for WFR on a weekend in both November and May.  The May WFR Recertification (May 17-18, 2024) is open to the public.  We offer the hybrid format recertification, which includes roughly 3 to 4 hours of online pre-work followed by 2 days of in-person instruction and scenario practice. If you are a Lewis and Clark student and you are interested in completing the recertification course, please contact our College Outdoors office by emailing outdoors@lclark.edu.  Space is limited, so sign up early.

Upcoming Events

Register for any Wilderness First Responder course or recertification by calling 503-768-7117 or 503 768-7124;  leave a message with your email and phone if no answer. Please speak slowly and clearly.

Please fill out the corresponding form when registering for the WFR course and email it to outdoors@lclark.edu or yuska@lclark.edu.

REGISTER FOR MAY WFR ON-CAMPUS (May 6-15, 2024)

College Outdoors Events

DON’T WAIT TOO LONG TO REGISTER!

These courses are often popular and can fill up early.
To participate in one of these courses, you will be asked to sign the Lewis & Clark College Acknowledgment and Assumption of Risks and Agreements of Release and Indemnity, as well as the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Student Agreement.