Idaho Public Television is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act with a sweeping hour-long look at Idaho's wild places. The program Outdoor Idaho traveled to all seven of Idaho’s wilderness areas -- and two proposed wilderness areas -- to tell the story of the state's protected places.
Bruce Reichert is the host and executive producer of Outdoor Idaho. He says Idaho’s wild places are special. “Anyone who’s taken the time to delve into the heart and soul of this state knows Idaho represents something very few other states can claim,” Reichert says. “This state has a wild heart that can kick your backside."
The episode “50 Years of Wilderness” includes rafting the Selway River, hiking across Craters of the Moon and a journey into Hells Canyon.
Reichert says the episode is probably the most complicated and time-consuming show they’ve ever attempted.
“We could have flown over every one of these, we had the video, but we decided we really needed to make this an adventure and put some effort into it. So we actually visited several of these for many days, in fact several weeks.”
Idaho Public Television sent camera crews out to climb, raft, and backpack their way around the state, including the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and the Owyhee Canyonlands.
Reichert hopes viewers take something away from the program. “I hope that folks appreciate their state a bit more, that they understand their state a bit more. They can feel real proud of what Idaho and Idahoans have done over the years to protect these special places."
The hour-long special airs Sunday at 7 p.m. MST on Idaho Public Television.
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