Idaho's Winter Classroom: Outdoor Education in Stanley's Enchanting Backcountry

Stanley, Idaho

January 12-14, 2023

In the heart of Idaho's winter wonderland, I had another exciting filming trip for Outdoor Idaho. From January 12th to 14th, we captured the world of college students who had traded traditional classrooms for a month-long winter semester in a cozy cabin in Stanley, Idaho. The students would often have studying in the mornings, then their afternoons were filled with backcountry skiing or other activities. We had a blast getting to know the students, professors, and the beautiful environment they were learning in.

We were filming for Outdoor Idaho's outdoor education episode, where Bill Manny, IdahoPTV's Executive Producer, joined me on this shoot. We filmed the students learning in their cabin, backcountry skiing, and learning how to carve wooden bowls.

This was my first time in Stanley, and it ranks as one of the most beautiful places I've seen in Idaho so far. During one of our free evenings, Bill showed me the free and easily accessible ice-skating rink. After searching awhile in the dark for the light switch, we had light! It was a great way to end a work day.

As we delved into the students' immersive learning experience, it became clear that this unique setting fostered deep connections among the students. Staying in a cabin together for a month created an intimate environment, allowing for bonding and personal growth. Evenings in the cabin were filled with music, card games, and other social activities, as the professors encouraged minimal use of technology, emphasizing a return to simpler pleasures.

One of the best observations I made on this trip was the overall untraditional intimate college experience. The vibe was like a fun camp, or family, verses a college course. For someone that had a very traditional college setting, this made me a little jealous, yet so happy that this is an opportunity for students. The professors stay somewhere nearby to sleep so the students have privacy, but they all join together early in the morning for course readings and teaching while they drink their coffee and wake up.

Our last evening filming in the cabin with everyone was so lovely to see. No technology, card games, playing instruments, and truly connecting to each other without today's normal distractions. One of the professors was teaching a students how to play a song on guitar, their son was playing card games with all the other students, the other professor was sitting on the couch going over future course material. And of course Bill whistling along.

I also have to mention...Our journey back to Boise took an unexpected turn when a truck in front of us veered off the road and flipped. We spent some time helping, but there wasn't much for us to do. Miraculously, the driver came out without a scratch.

Cheers,

Mya

Equipment Used

Cameras: Sony XDCAM 4, GoPro 9

Outer shell: Patagonia Stormshift Hardshell

Insulation: Patagonia synthetic puffy

Base layer: Under Armour polyester turtleneck

Accessories: cotton yoga pants, Smartwool ski socks, simple beanie hat, Buff Polar gaiters, Melink Mittens