Sawtooth NRA
Redfish Lake Wind Event
Information Sheet
What Happened:
- At 10:23 pm on Thursday, July 3, a severe thunderstorm hit the north end of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Wind gusts of 45 miles per hour were recorded at the Stanley Ranger Station. Much stronger winds hit the Redfish Lake area.
- Forest Service and Custer County Sheriff’s office personnel responded and checked campgrounds and primary arteries to trailheads.
- Large numbers of mostly live, green trees were snapped off and uprooted. Several roads were blocked until crews with chain saws could cut them open. The focus was on Redfish Lake to provide access for Emergency Service vehicles.
- Redfish Lake was hardest hit, with vehicles and trailers damaged at Glacier View Campground, Point Campground, and Outlet Campground.
- Three people were injured and transported by Stanley ambulance to medical facilities. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
What Recreation Sites Were Affected?
- Though some trees were down around Alturas, Pettit, and Stanley Lakes, Redfish was most affected. Trees were blown down in all areas of the Redfish Lake Recreation Complex, but the area along the north shore of the lake suffered the most damage, including North Shore Picnic Area, Point, Glacier View, and Outlet Campgrounds, and connecting trails.
- Several roads were blocked by falling trees but most were cut out by early Friday morning.
- After initial assessments by Sawtooth NRA personnel on Friday morning, most areas remained open for public use. The decision was made to close Redfish Visitor Center, Point Campground and Day-use Beach, North Shore Picnic Area, and Loops B and C in Glacier View Campground. Occupants of those sites were evacuated to make room for crews to work without jeopardizing public safety. Loop C in Glacier View and Redfish Visitor Center have since been reopened. Evacuated campers were offered sites in other campgrounds down river that were not full, or in dispersed camping areas. Some were able to move to open campgrounds in the Redfish Lake area made available when other campers left after the storm.
- Redfish Lake Lodge and Redfish Lake Visitor Center are open for normal operations.
Continuing Forest Service Efforts:
- Clean up efforts are continuing in the affected campgrounds. Sawtooth NRA crews are working with chain saws and heavy equipment to, first and foremost, make recreation sites as safe as possible, then reopen closed facilities.
- There is no firm time estimate for when closed facilities will be reopened, but every effort is being made to return the Redfish Lake recreation experience, that generations of people from around the northwest have treasured, to normal as soon as possible.
It is extremely important that visitors to Redfish Lake obey all signing and caution flagging to allow Sawtooth NRA crews room to work safely!
If you plan to visit Redfish Lake, please call the Stanley Ranger Station
for the latest update at 208-774-3000
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