About SOLO Southeast

SOLO (Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities) was founded in 1976 by Dr Frank Hubbel. Hubbel is considered the pioneer of wilderness medicine. In 32 years, SOLO has trained more than 120,000 students in the US and beyond. SOLO teaches an internationally‐recognized certification system that has been taught in more than 10 different countries, while their home base is located in the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.

SOLO Southeast at NOC  

NOC has set the industry standard in whitewater for more than 35 years. SOLO created their programs in 1976 and has been training NOC staff in wilderness medicine since 1989. With more than 65 years in the outdoor industry, it seemed like a natural progression for a SOLO and NOC to form a partnership. NOC is now a permanent venue for wilderness medicine classes in the Southeast. NOC’s location in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains is a beautiful and challenging environment for learning. Classes are based in NOC’s Kleinrath Hall, a custom-built conference center—but don’t get too cozy. At SOLO Southeast, we follow a strong philosophy of hands-on learning in the outdoors. During our advanced classes you’ll find yourself on a whitewater raft learning how to manage a crisis. It could be a rafter in the midst of a heart attack, a seizure or a broken arm. What would you do? Even in our basic two-day classes we alternate between classroom time and outdoor scenarios. The Appalachian Trail crosses right in front of the hall, often providing us with learning opportunities. You could encounter a thru-hiker with a broken leg or an ill-prepared hiker with heat exhaustion. What would you do?
If you sign up for our Wilderness First Responder Class, be sure to bring a headlamp. Learning how to organize a team and implement a rescue is part of your training and this can happen when you least expect it. We use volunteers to act as patients in these scenarios, dressed up with realistic make-up and injuries. It’s your job to stabilize these people and evacuate them to safety. The trouble is, no one thought to bring a stretcher. What would you do?

SOLO’s Open-Learning Philosophy

We teach medicine by building a foundation of principles and systems, with an emphasis on anatomy and physiology. Unlike memorizing facts, building a solid base of information gives students the tools to interpret emergencies, apply sound judgment and confidently make decisions. We believe that medicine is an art as much as it is a science. Learning to interact professionally and compassionately with patients, bystanders and other emergency medical providers is as important as providing the correct treatment. We teach prevention first, treatment second and emphasize a wilderness ethic of respect and stewardship.

SOLO strives to provide a physically and psychologically comfortable atmosphere in our classes. We design our curricula to accommodate a wide range of learning styles by combining lectures with demonstrations and hands-on practice sessions. Our open learning environment encourages group discussion, participatory learning and exploration. Students learn from teachers, or from other students, and teachers also learn from students. SOLO is committed to educational currency—we teach the latest principles and practice of pre-hospital care and wilderness medicine. Fundamental to all SOLO programs is our belief that students learn to problem solve through practice and experience.

Click here to meet our SOLO Southeast Instructors

As part of their Advanced Wilderness First Aid training students participate in a mock rescue scenario. This particular scenario involved a drowned rafter with severe trauma including a compound fracture and head injury. Students had to safely rescue the victim from the river, treat his injuries and evacuate him back to base. Working as a team and using the skills learnt throughout the week it's a stressful experience that tests the students skills to the max.

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