Our home base is our 80-acre HMI campus outside of Leadville, Colorado
On campus, students take writing workshops, live in rustic cabins, and share meals with their peers and teachers. Students serve as stewards of the campus, participating in daily chores and spending time in the kitchen helping to prepare meals.
Explore Colorado between writing seminars
Each day, students participate in outdoor activities in our surrounding area. Typical activities include hiking, rock climbing, and exploring nearby Leadville.
7:15 Wake-up in your cabin
7:45 Breakfast! Pancakes, cereal, yogurt, juice, and tea
8:30 Morning chores: watering the flowers, sweeping the mudroom, or helping with dishes in the kitchen
9:00 – 2:00 Rock Climbing at a local rock face
12:00 Lunch: sandwiches, trail mix and fruit
2:30 Writing workshop
5:30 A little free time to relax or help with the final dinner prep
6:00 Sit down to a delicious dinner of lasagna, fresh garlic bread, and salad
6:30 Dinner clean up and free time
7:30 Evening activity: square dance, talent show, or bonfire
9:15 Free time: hang out, brush teeth, make phone calls
9:45 In cabins- staff visit each cabin to check everybody in
10:00 Cabin lights out
The HMI technology policy
No Cell Phones
Limited Laptop Use
WiFi-Enabled Campus
The HMI student experience is strengthened by our technology policy that encourages face-to-face interaction and minimizes screen time. Each student turns in their cell phone upon arrival at HMI, and refrains from use their phone for the entirety of the semester. Students do have laptops which they use for completing coursework and communicating with friends and family back home. But technology use is limited to free periods and evening study hall. Meals, cabin time, and backpacking expeditions are completely tech-free.