EDUCATION & PROGRAMS

Education is the foundation and heart of the National Ski Patrol. The organization is focused on providing first-class training, education, and professional development opportunities that patrollers and hosts need to perform their critical function on mountains or areas, throughout both winter and summer seasons. Educational opportunities are offered across NSP’s three disciplines: Alpine, Bike, and Nordic/Backcountry and cover a variety of program areas and interest groups.  

Across these disciplines and programs, NSP provides the following educational services:

  • Online courses with the information patrollers and hosts need to know
  • Virtual and in-person training provided by a robust network of NSP-certified instructors
  • Pathways to professional development and certifications in the outdoor safety and rescue industry
  • National and regional conferences with a variety educational opportunities 
  • One-on-one mentoring at various stages of patroller/host/instructor development

Programs at a Glance

At NSP, we offer courses and training through eight education programs:

Avalanche, Bike, Instructor Development, Mountain Travel and Rescue, Nordic/Backcountry, Outdoor Emergency Care (including the Outdoor First Care course), Outdoor Emergency Transportation, and Outdoor Risk Management. Courses offered include both online learning and in-person, hands-on skills training.   

The National Ski Patrol's core duty since its beginning has been service and safety. The flagship program, Outdoor Emergency Care, is mandatory for all patrollers, regardless of their patrol type. It caters to alpine, bike, nordic/backcountry patrollers and sets the training standard for NSP and its affiliated outdoor recreational groups. Mountain hosts can opt for Outdoor First Care, a leading program offering fundamental outdoor first aid, patient care training, and assessment.

Unique and foundational to NSP and its patrollers is the Outdoor Emergency Transportation program. This provides training in proper extrication of patients to emergency medical services, using toboggans and other equipment.

Sign in or create an account to learn more about our education programs here.

Support Beyond the Technical



In addition to providing training for technical patroller skills, NSP focuses on a variety of other areas that help all of our members thrive. NSP interest groups help support the educational mission of NSP through their superior specialty work. Interest groups include: Alumni, Awards, Historian, Legal, Medical, Safety, Telecommunications, Women's and Young Adult. These groups provide a variety of functions and resources for the whole NSP community. 


Sign up to learn more about our interest groups here.

Advancement and Professional Development 



Whether a volunteer or professional, NSP encourages our members to take their training to the next level. There are a variety of professional development opportunities and ways to advance your patroller skillset within NSP. Many patrollers decide to pursue the leadership route and become instructors, instructor trainers, or mentors. NSP instructors provide a critical function in ensuring the quality and standard of training across all patrols, disciplines, and programs.

 

To take their training to the next level, NSP also offers several certifications for patrollers to advance and demonstrate their expertise. Certifications require cross-functional skill mastery, and patrollers can earn the following certifications: Senior (basic, alpine, and nordic), Certified (highest alpine level), Nordic Master (highest nordic level). 

 

Sign in or create an account to learn more about certifications here.