The National Conference on Wilderness Medicine

Big Sky Ski Resort, Montana

February 21 - 25, 2026

Conference Schedule

All presentations will take place in the Ballroom at Big Sky Resort and will also be streamed online. Watch in-person, from your room at Big Sky Resort, at home, or anywhere.

All times listed below are in Mountain Time (MT).  

Saturday, February 21, 2026

"Entire faculty was incredible! The most fun conference I have been to... I didn't want it to end."
Catherine Worthy, FNP

2:00 - 6:30 PM (MT) Registration in Huntley Lodge Conference Center

4:00 PM Wilderness Medicine – Setting the Stage
Eric A. Weiss, MD

4:15 PM Top 5 Wilderness Medicine Case Studies
Eric A. Weiss, MD

4:45 PM Expedition, Foreign Travel & Backcountry Medical Kits
Howard Donner, MD

5:40 PM Traveler’s Diarrhea & Other Waterborne Infections
Eric A. Weiss, MD

6:30 PM Adjourn

Sunday, February 22, 2026

"Extraordinary conference... most enjoyable learning experience I have ever encountered."
Joseph Easly, MD

7:30 AM (MT) Surviving the Unexpected Night Out
Gary Kibbee

8:20 AM Altitude Illness: Prevention & Treatment
Peter Hackett, MD

9:10 AM Ultralight Hand-Held Ultrasound in Austere Environments
Teresa Wu, MD

9:50 AM Adjourn - ENJOY SKIING BIG SKY OR ATTEND AN OPTIONAL WORKSHOP

4:00 PM Snake Envenomation
Timothy B. Erickson, MD

4:45 PM Environmental Heat Emergencies
Eric A. Weiss, MD

5:30 PM Ear, Nose and Throat Emergencies in the Backcountry
Teresa Wu, MD

6:00 PM Medical-Legal Issues in Wilderness & International Medicine
Valerie Dobiesz, MD

6:45 PM Adjourn

Monday, February 23, 2026

"Absolutely the most enjoyable and interesting CME conference I have ever attended! Probably the best group of lecturers I have ever experienced."
Daniel Nordin, MD (Internal Medicine)

7:30 AM (MT) Blister Prevention & Treatment
Kyle Allred, PA

8:15 AM Frostbite & Non-Freezing Cold Injury
Peter Hackett, MD

9:00 AM Bear & Other Wild Animal Attacks
Timothy B. Erickson, MD

9:45 AM Adjourn - ENJOY SKIING BIG SKY OR ATTEND AN OPTIONAL WORKSHOP

4:15 PM Wilderness Dermatology: Poison Oak/Ivy, Bug Bites, Lyme & Other Tick Bite Rashes
Susan Swetter, MD

5:00 PM Arthropod Envenomation: Spiders, Scorpions, Bees & Ants
Timothy B. Erickson, MD

5:50 PM Backcountry Dentistry
Henry Herrmann, DMD

6:35 PM Adjourn

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

"The conference is just teaming with great speakers... magnificently exciting talks... just a perfect balance of business and fun."
Carol Ferris, MD (Emergency Medicine)

7:30 AM (MT) Rivers and Floods: Hazards, Rescue Strategies, and Medical Care
Kyle Allred, PA

8:20 AM Insect Repellent & Sunscreen Update
Susan Swetter, MD

9:05 AM “Is There a Doctor On-Board?” – Medical Care at 30,000 FT.
Howard Donner, MD

9:45 AM Adjourn - ENJOY SKIING BIG SKY OR ATTEND AN OPTIONAL WORKSHOP

4:00 PM Diving Medicine & Safety
Karen Van Hoesen, MD

4:40 PM Hypothermia Update: Facts & Fiction
Eric A. Weiss, MD

5:30 PM Backcountry Water Disinfection & Purification
Howard Donner, MD

6:05 PM Nature's Wisdom: 10 Techniques for Health Optimization
Kyle Allred, PA

6:40 PM Adjourn

8:15 PM Exciting Evening Presentation: “Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche”
This is a must-see documentary about the Deadly Alpine Meadows avalanche and the amazing rescue effort that followed. Moderated by Lanny Johnson, FNP/PA, who is featured in the documentary and was instrumental in the epic rescue.

9:30 PM Adjourn

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

"Love this seminar! Great speakers! This is my fourth time...I always learn something new...I find the information invaluable and infinitely entertaining! Thank you!"
Denise Baskind, MD (EM) Dallas, TX

7:30 AM (MT) Lightning Prevention & Injury Management
Sheryl Olson, RN, BSN

8:20 AM Venomous Sea Creatures & Shark Attacks
Karen Van Hoesen, MD

9:15 AM Mountain Search & Rescue
Lanny Johnson, FNP/PA

10:10 AM New Technology for Backcountry Rescue, Location & Communication
Howard Donner, MD

11:00 AM Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC):
Transitioning Battlefield Lessons to Wilderness & Urban Medicine
Gary Kibbee

11:45 AM Questions & Answers

12:00 PM Adjourn

UPCOMING CME DESTINATIONS BY DATE

UPCOMING CME DESTINATIONS BY DATE