By Kerry McClay, WWA SnowSchool Director (February 24, 2026)

Last week, WWA’s staff and board were in Idaho’s Wood River Valley on our way to our annual winter retreat, when we spotted something special: a quinzhee village built by a group of SnowSchool students from the Environmental Resource Center! As one of our longest serving SnowSchool program sites, the ERC partners with the Sawtooth National Forest to get hundreds of kids outside every year to learn about snow-covered winter wildlands!

Building and exploring snow shelters is a classic winter activity that brings a real sense of wonder and magic to thousands of kids at SnowSchool every winter (both at the ERC and at many of our 70+ SnowSchool locations). While the science behind the activity is certainly valuable, the emotional connection it creates to the natural world is perhaps most significant. Every year, SnowSchool receives thank-you letters from students that often include memories and drawings of snow caves, igloos and quinzhees. Those reflections tell us that these experiences are helping kids form lasting memories and a personal connection to their local snowscapes and public lands!