Browse Lessons & Training

Learn the skills needed to work as a professional raft guide at Nantahala Outdoor Center! World-class instruction, hands-on experience, and classic whitewater are just a few things to expect in this renowned course.

This full-day course focuses on whitewater essentials for new and aspiring paddlers. Family-friendly and appropriate for kids as young as 8, this course includes the latest gear, the highest quality instruction, transportation, and lunch. This program puts emphasis on fun, skill-building, and exploring some of the region’s most beautiful lakes and rivers.

NOC’s Paddling School now offers whitewater kayak instruction on one of the most iconic rivers in the Southeast, the Ocoee River! Choose from one to multi- day courses to explore and learn to paddle this legendary river.

Designed to give whitewater kayakers tools to manage anxiety and fear when out on the river. Improve your mental game and focus on Class II-III water with this private course!

Build the foundations for whitewater kayaking in these two or four-day courses. Kayakers will learn and refine strokes, learn concepts, wet exits, rolling, and safety. New and aspiring whitewater kayakers will spend time learning new skills and practicing them on area lakes and rivers. No experience necessary!

An introduction into Wilderness Medicine, this weekend course provides an overview of medical skills for the wilderness setting.

NOC’s Wilderness Survival programs are designed not only to educate participants in specific skills for managing outdoor situations, but also to have fun while learning.

This is a hands-on course teaching the fundamental basics for survival! Most rescues happen within the first 72-hours. Make sure you are equipped to stabilize your situation and assist in your own rescue during these critical hours.

Become a confident and proficient paddler in Class II-III+ whitewater. Paddlers will focus on stroke choice, timing, concepts, and using river features to navigate more powerful, complex rapids. We offer both two and four-day courses. These courses offer the perfect mix of both instruction and river running on the most iconic rivers in the Southeast.

SOLO Southeast’s Wilderness First Responder is a 9-day comprehensive course that teaches students to assess and treat injuries and illnesses in the wild. This course also covers the standards of backcountry and front country medicine.

This is the perfect “Bridge Course” for paddlers progressing from beginner proficiency in a whitewater kayak to intermediate skill levels in a two or four-day clinic. Strengthen your whitewater kayaking skills and enjoy more advanced rivers with the best in instruction! Refine strokes, concepts, maneuvers, rescuing and rolling your boat in moving water.

SOLO Southeast’s intensive EMT program is designed to offer students a streamlined pathway into the world of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The course is fast-paced and taught by our highly experienced instructors. Students learn anatomy, patient assessment, life-saving medical interventions, and pre-hospital patient care.

Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) is the highest level of civilian certification for backcountry medicine. The first three weeks are spent in the EMT curriculum, building foundational pre-hospital skills and knowledge. The last week focuses on implementing these skills in challenging settings and learning wilderness rescue skills as students earn their wilderness upgrade.

Gain the skills and confidence needed in Swiftwater rescue situations. NOC’s commitment to high quality education is top in the industry. Our ACA certified instructors have years of experience and take our courses beyond the requirements to best prepare students to become instructors, guides, and skilled in swiftwater situations. 

Great for beginner to experienced women paddlers seeking to solidify their skill and confidence level on the river. NOC elite women instructors will teach the fundamentals on and off the river for recreational rafting.

Fine tune your current guiding skills and learn new techniques in this three-day follow up clinic for learning to raft guide.

Spend three days with personalized instruction learning how to guide and paddle your own raft! Participants will get top notch instruction from the experts and hands-on experience on the Nantahala River.

The Wilderness Module is for medical professionals who want to learn how to provide high quality patient care in remote locations and challenging situations. Professionally trained instructors address the challenges posed by rough terrain, limited resources, inclement weather, difficult patient access, and prolonged evacuation.

SOLO’s Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course is the recognized industry-standard for those who work as backcountry trip leaders camp counselors and students in outdoor recreational programs. This course is designed for people who currently hold a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification and want to upgrade to a WFR certification. CPR is included in this class.

Learn how to paddle whitewater in a canoe or improve your techniques in these 2 or 4-day courses.

Created for professional outdoor leaders and backcountry enthusiasts, the Wilderness Survival Instructor Training is an intensive 5-Day Course.

Spend time kayaking on the Nantahala River learning lines on classic rapids and enjoying popular play spots. This course offers the perfect mix of both a guided river running experience, instruction, and exploring one of the most popular rivers in the Southeast!

Learn to confidently take control of medical situations in the outdoors with this intensive 4-day course that provides in-depth information on medical and environmental emergencies. AWFA introduces new skills such as litter packaging and traction splinting, and is perfect for individuals looking to advance their skills.

This bridge course provides the opportunity for Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification holders to upgrade to an Advanced Wilderness First Aid (AWFA) certification. This intensive two-day course provides in depth information on medical and environmental emergencies alongside hands-on practice of backcountry first aid skills.

This all-female weekend will include hands-on learning of Wilderness Survival Skills, Wilderness First Aid certification in addition to some fireside time one night.

SOLO Southeast instructors are ready to customize instruction based on your needs. Whether you choose to book one-on-one time with an instructor to work on a specific set of skills, or for a wilderness outing with friends and family, SOLO Southeast can customize the training to your needs.

Private lessons provide custom-tailored programming with an experienced NOC Instructor to help achieve the goals of individuals and groups. Private instruction is available for all skill levels, all crafts (kayak, canoe, or raft), and all disciplines. Small groups are also welcome!

These courses are designed to prepare participants with the professional skills needed to teach whitewater kayaking. NOC’s training will certify up to Level 4 ACA Kayak Instructor.

Learn Adult, Child, and Infant CPR at NOC. Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation is a recommended certification for outdoor professionals. SOLO Southeast offers a two-hour course to receive a two-year certification or add it to another wilderness course.

NOC’s Summer Day Camp is great for kids ages 9 to 17 of any skill level to learn or improve their paddling skills with top-notch instruction on the lakes and rivers of Western North Carolina.

Take your Advanced Wilderness First Aid Certification to a Wilderness First Responder Certification! Designed for current AWFA certification holders to upgrade to the next level of training and certifications with SOLO Southeast. Meet your new training goals with this bridge course!

This course is designed for EMTs who need continuing education to maintain their NREMT certification.

Teen kayaking day and overnight camps are transformative experiences that offer advanced youth paddlers the opportunity to kayak multiple rivers across the southeast under the guidance of professional NOC instructors.

Join a group of like-minded women for a weekend of paddling, yoga, and companionship. All skill levels welcome to paddle as a group, learn from each other, and from NOC’s elite female instructors.