Zoe's World

My amazing sponsor, Outdoor Research, organized this trip to Stanley, Idaho to shoot some of the outerwear for their 2024 summer line.

Exhausted from my pneumonia recovery (who gets pneumonia?? I thought only 80 year olds got pneumonia), Stanford finals week (passed multivariable calculus, barely), and the general post-ski-season burnout, I did my best to look semi-decent in photos with 3 actual professional models as we smiled through the pain of 3,000 feet of elevation gain on Horton’s Peak Lookout trail. We caught sunset perfectly at the top though, seeing amazing colors light up the entire sky. You have never seen happiness like photographers catching the perfect light. The professional photos that come out next summer will be a real treat, so stay tuned for those 😉

Honestly, the only food spot worth a mention was Limberts on Redfish Lake. After a long afternoon shooting lifestyle pictures on the water, we were pretty chilled, so naturally we got the soft serve ice cream. Delectable. At the restaurant itself, the crispy brussels were noteworthy: sweet and savory and perfectly crunchy. Slightly disappointed with the wagyu sirloin, which I’m pretty sure was not wagyu given the chewiness. Redfish burger was good but nothing special.

The models and I got to the reap the benefits of the photographers’ obsession with hot springs, which are ubiquitous in Stanley. The Valley Creek Hot Springs had some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen, and an incredible sunrise, worth the struggle of getting up at 5 am.

Bridal Veil Falls hike was also very pretty, and you can get extremely close to the powerful, cascading water. At the time, I did not appreciate the hike’s necessary crossing of the frigid, numbing river, but I’m sure someone who is used to winter would be able to handle it. Oh wait.

Maybe not considered a global hotspot, or number 1 on everyone’s bucket list, but Idaho has picturesque landscapes and a rural charm that should definitely be more widely appreciated.