Chimney Rock resident completes 80-day outdoor leadership course in Rockies

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By Sarah Zimmerman

Special to The SUN

Matt Johnson, 19, of Chimney Rock, recently completed a fall semester in the Rockies with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), which takes students of all ages on remote wilderness expeditions.

Instructors teach students technical outdoor skills, leadership and environmental ethics.

Johnson and his coursemates began their semester course with a 25-day backpacking section, traveling 85 miles on foot through Wyoming’s Wind River Range and gaining 11,800 feet of elevation. Students carried all of their gear and food in their backpacks for the duration of this section.

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