Continuing Education

Ten more first-rate classrooms-with-a-view.
By Cristina Opdahl

Climbing
Exum Mountain Guides and Mountaineering School, Wyoming. The granddaddy of climbing camps. Founder Glen Exum was the first to ascend Exum Ridge on the Grand Teton and for years took students up the route as part of Exum's most popular course: a four-day tutorial that ends with an ascent of the 13,771-foot Grand. $510-$700, lodging not included. 307-733-2297.

Yosemite Mountaineering School, California. One- to four-day courses held April through September in the cradle of American mountaineering. Classes range from introductory rappelling to advanced free climbing. $70-$330, lodging not included. 209-372-8344.

Fly-Fishing
Dave and Emily Whitlock Fly Fishing Schools, Arkansas. Two to three days of lessons in fish lore, casting, and how to read water, from a couple that's written or illustrated more than 20 fly-fishing books and once patented an in-stream salmon-egg incubator. $300-$495, including equipment and lunch but not lodging. 870-481-6120.

Rajeff Flyfishing School, Washington. Tim Rajeff is a former U.S. fly-casting distance and accuracy champion; his brother Steve is, among other honors, the current world casting champion. Between reeling in bucketfuls of trophies, the Rajeffs teach one- and two-day clinics in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. $175-$425, including meals, but not lodging. 360-695-5114.

Horseback Riding
Mountain Top Inn and Resort, Vermont. For the equestrian dandy, Mountain Top offers three-day dressage clinics, as well as cross-country training amidst the rolling hills of the Green Mountain National Forest. $508-$586, including lodging at the luxurious Mountain Top Inn. 800-445-2100.

Adventures on Horseback, California. Instruction is completely individualized here. Learn to ride English in the arena, or if weather permits, practice endurance and trail riding in the nearby Sunol Wilderness or along Point Reyes National Seashore. $1,500 for seven days, including lodging, breakfast, and lunch. 510-487-9001.

Road Cycling
Carpenter/Phinney Bike Camp, Colorado. Study gearing, braking, cornering, and shouldering-aside the competition with the camp's eponymous founders, Olympians Connie Carpenter and Davis Phinney. A six-day session costs $1,375, including lodging; a women-only camp is held each August. 303-442-2371.

Adventure Cycling's Introduction to Road Bike Touring, California and Montana. Spend three days learning such on-road essentials as how to handle a squirrely loaded bike, fix a balky derailleur, and make a filling meal out of dehydrated noodles and Clif Bars. Then spend three days using these skills on a self-contained camping trip. $500, including meals and camping fees. 800-755-2453.

Boardsailing
Alan Cadiz's Hawaiian Sailboarding Techniques, Maui. Cadiz's instructors never watch from the beach; they splash right in, wading beside beginners and sailing next to intermediates. The classroom, Kanaha Beach Park, is protected by jetties, providing a good segue into rougher waters. $60 for a two-and-a-half-hour lesson; multiday packages can be arranged. 800-968-5423.

Cort Larned Windsurfing, California. Larned, a two-time world champion, moves his camps along the coast to follow the breeze, meaning that you can work on water starts without worrying about lackluster winds. Two-day intermediate and advanced courses are $250, not including equipment or lodging. Two-day beginner clinics are $110, equipment included. 415-440-5405.