Alpine Endurance Medicine seeks to raise wilderness medicine competency for outdoor enthusiasts, in particular the trail running and mountain biking communities. Based on a strong foundation of the highest standards in backcountry medicine, Alpine Endurance Medicine offers courses and training to empower and equip trail users.  

Founded in 2021 by Luke Nelson, a professional mountain athlete with over 20 years of experience in wilderness medicine. His medical profession started with the First Aid Merit Badge from the Boy Scouts as a teen, progressed to a Wilderness First Responder during his undergraduate in Outdoor Education, and accelerated as he gained a Master’s Degree and became a Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) in 2010. He has continued his medical journey with a Diploma in Mountain Medicine and a Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. He also maintains his Outdoor Emergency Care Technician qualification through National Ski Patrol and has been teaching those courses for 15 years. He is a current and active member of the Wilderness Medical Society and International Society of Mountain Medicine.

Alpine Endurance Medicine provides unique, hybrid online/in-person courses for a variety of learners, students, and working professionals, as well as consulting and medical advising services. Whether you’re looking for a wilderness medicine certificate to apply directly to trail activities and leadership, or you are an outdoors enthusiast and want to sharpen your wilderness competencies, Alpine Endurance Medicine will meet your needs.  

Alpine Endurance Medicine offers consulting and medical advisor services. These could be the one time review of an event or business in the outdoors, or a long term partnership as a qualified medical advisor for outfitters, guides, events or any other group that has staff, guests or clients in the wild.

Wilderness First Aid courses run 20 hours, split between self-paced online learning and a full-day, in-person field session. Field days occur on trails outside Pocatello, Idaho, and incorporate either mountain biking or trail running, depending on the course. Our courses meet requirements for NICA coaches. Custom courses can also be developed and tailored to specific user groups or individual needs.

Alpine Endurance Medicine is a licensed outfitter in Idaho and is operated under special use permit with the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, The Bureau of Land Management, and the City of Pocatello. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.