Scuba Diving
Redfish Lake - Idaho
July, 2006
Our coldest dive to date was in Redfish Lake, in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. This location is stunning. Redfish lake, and nearby Lake Stanley are two of the most beautiful locations in Idaho. The lake has the rugged Sawtooth mountains as a backdrop, with cold, clear, pristine water.Redfish is more commercially developed than Lake Stanley. Redfish Lake Lodge has cabins, a restaurant, showers, and a marina.
We didn't stay at the campgrounds next to Redfish Lake. On the weekend we were there, it was crowded, and rowdy with drunks. We drove a short distance to Iron Creek campground. This campground was far less crowded, more rustic, and much quieter.
Redfish Lake really is a dry-suit diving location. The air temps were 95 degrees in July when we were there. The surface of the lake was 55 degrees. We quickly hit a thermocline at about 35 ft and the temps dropped to 42 degrees. We lost core body heat rapidly at that temp. It made us appreciate the 95 degee temps when we surfaced!!
There is a sad but heartwarming plaque placed by the side of a boulder in the lake. A father and son diver team commerated the recent loss of their wife/mother by placing the plaque in the lake. I don't remember the exact words they wrote, but it was a testament to her and their commitment to stay close as a father and son through the loss.
The main attraction of Redfish Lake, besides the gorgeous setting, is the water clarity. Unlike most lakes, the water in Redfish has visibility of 25-80 ft.
The dives at Redfish were the first dives where I used a dive computer instead of dive tables to plan and execute my dives. I love the added flexibility (and bottom time) that using a dive computer enables. I have the VEO250 Wrist Computer. I have used this computer on all of my dives since Redfish, and really like this dive computer.
Dive 1
Dive 2
Dive 3
