Red Fish Lake- 4th July Weekend

We went to Red Fish Lake, ID in the Sawtooth Mountains with the Nortons for the 4th of July week. We heard from several people that it was amazing and totally worth the drive. We spent an AMAZING 9 days there and we absolutely loved it. 

Our plan was to leave Friday night after work and stay at Craters of the Moon for one night. It was a good halfway point. 

Things didn't go exactly as planned. Justin and Tamara had issues with their trailer right outside of Pocatello, ID. The axle totally bent and it rubbed on the tires and they blew out. Luckily There was a local guy willing to fix it for them. The Nortons stayed in a Hotel in Pocatello while we traveled on to ensure a good spot on the lake before the masses of people showed up. 

We arrived on Saturday night. Every camp-site at the lake was packed and no spots were available.  There were several people scheduled to leave on Sunday. The ranger told us to show up early in the morning and hope to get a first come first serve spot. 

This was a picture of the Sawtooth Mountains from the truck windshield. It was breathtaking even from the vehicle. We were super excited.  

We spent the first night on the Salmon River. We were tired from driving so we parked the trailer and slept. 

We woke up early and headed to the camp-site to lay claim on a good spot.  It was interesting to watch other people like us scope out a spot and pounce on it the second it became vacant. 

I immediately realized why this place is so popular. Red Fish took my breath away it was so piercingly clear and stunning. I couldn't wait to get set up. 

We got lucky and got a great double spot right on the lake. 

We got set up and the kids played around and threw rocks in the lake. I sat in this hammock and actually got to read a book. It was great to relax. 

That night there was a concert at the marina so we headed over. 

My kids are not shy... they went right up to the front to sing, dance and hula hoop. 

Randy and I just got to sit and enjoy the music and watch our kids have a great time. 

After the concert we walked to the dock at the marina. 

Love these faces. 

I have to fight H every time I brush his teeth. He was so excited to be camping in our trailer he brushed them all by himself without fuss. It was a picture worthy moment for me. 

This was the awesome view from my bedroom. I watched the sun set and rise from this window. It was incredible. 

The Nortons finally arrived Monday Morning. I felt so bad for them it had been a stressful and rough couple of days for them. 

After they got set up we packed up and headed to the beach. 

Soaking up the sun!!!

After a while the boys noticed the tiny fish swimming everywhere. 

They spent hours catching them. 

Silly Claire!

On Tuesday we drove down the canyon to an old mining town down the Salmon River. 

There was an old abandoned gold dredge that we could tour. 

Sitting in the pay dirt buckets. 

Waiting to start the tour. 

Once inside the kids got to touch and feel everything. 

Ady driving the dredge

H could barely reach the handles. 

This was the gigantic gold trommel that spun the dirt and separated the gold. Randy and I have been watching gold rush on Discovery channel so it was kinda neat to see one up close. 

After the tour we drove to Custer, an abandoned ghost town in Yankee Fork. 

They had all kinds of old farm equipment the kids to play on and explore. 

This was a grave site for a set of siblings killed in a massive avalanche. 

The old school house. 

There were several bars and saloons in the town. I guess that's what happens when you have a bunch hard core mining men building the town. 

Gage, Adyson, Justin, Aspen, H, Claire Brad and Randy

They had a spot where the kids could pan for gold. They found real gold flecks. 

Ady and Aspen

It was hard for Claire to pan for gold with that dang cast. 

On the way back to camp we stopped at the Historic Sunbeam bathhouse. The trappers and miners liked to camp here in the winter. There is a hot spot in the river where they could bathe. 

It was seriously so hot. I could barely tolerate it. 

Claire and H mostly played around the edges. It was as warm as bath water. 

The two baldies bathing together... Awhhh...Haha.

We were pooped that night. The kids slept amazing every night. 

Hanging around camp

Claire and Ady played so good together. 

On Wed we went to the fish hatchery on the Salmon River

Through this fence you could see giant salmon. 

Every morning at 9:00am they separate and release the fish from the ladder. We were late and missed it. 

Then we walked around the hatchery and saw different pools with different ages and sizes of fish.

The workers were super nice and let us come into the trailer and watch them clip the fish fins. 

A computer takes a picture of each individual fish then sends them down long tubes according to their size. 

It was a crazy process. After they were separated they slipped through another machine that clipped their adipose fin. That is how the forest service tags and keeps track on native verses hatchery fish. 

The kids ate it up. 

After all that the kids got to take a pole to the kid fishing pond. 

Claire caught a fish right off. 

There is a good reason it is a kids pond. The adults don't have time to fish...all of  us were untangling lines and setting new worms the entire time time. 

Gage's fish kept swallowing the worms whole. Poor Justin couldn't release his fish. 

Fish line spaghetti

Ady's first fish ever. Look at that smile. 

After fishing we dove to Alturas Lake for a picnic. We didn't pack our swimsuits so the kids just put their legs in the water. 

There was a gentleman at the beach that was wearing a Speedo. Apparently Brad had never seen one before. He yelled across the beach to Randy and I. "Mom, that guy is in his tighty whities" 

It was loud enough that EVERYONE heard. Even the guy in the speedo. His wife giggled. Poor guy... he got in the lake really fast. I was mortified. Good times. 

After our picnic we headed to the Marina for some swimming. 

They all took turns jumping in the water from the dock. 

It started to get overcast and chilly. They didn't last too long in the water. 

More guppy catching. 

Then they tried the tubes to stay halfway out of the water. 

Harrison just stayed with me on the beach wrapped up in a blanket. Then he stole my hat and glasses. He was my beach buddy. 

We planned on staying at the marina for a concert but it got rainy and windy. We raced back to camp to put the awnings in. The storm passed through as fast as it came it. It cleared up an turned into a beautiful night. 

Time for fire and smores!!!

The sunsets on the lake were incredible...pair that with a good fire and we were in heaven.

The next day we drove around Stanley, got some ice cream and headed back to camp. The chipmunks there were insane. They would eat right out of you hands.

 

And  even get right up in your lap. 

 

I have never seen anything like that before. 

 

On Friday was the 4th of July.  We spent the day in Hailey Idaho.

 

We stopped at the summit on the way. The view was breathtaking. 

The first thing on the agenda was the parade on Main Street.

Ready for it to start.

H Loved waving his little flag at all the people going by. It was so cute. I am super patriotic so it made me tear up a bit.

After the parade was over we ate lunch at Big Belly Deli. It was so fun and yummy!

After lunch we watched a bike race Hailey was having. I had never seen anything like it. They blocked off entire blocks so the cyclists stayed right downtown and rode in a big circle. You could feel the wind as they drove by. We were all thoroughly entertained.

That night we went to the Hailey Rodeo. It was fun but super trashy. Everyone was drinking... a lot. There were times the drunken spectators were more entertaining to watch than the actual rodeo.

We found out earlier that day that the announcer and the rodeo clown were from Cache Valley. In fact the clown is going to be one of Brad's teachers in High school.  They gave our families a shout out during the rodeo. We felt like celebrities. After the rodeo was over we were invited to go into their trailer and get T-shirts and posters signed. The kids just ate it up.

Once it got dark the fireworks started. We just stayed in the stands and watched from the arena.

It was a great day. I am so thankful that I have the privilege of raising my children and living in such an amazing country. I am also so grateful for our freedom. 

The next morning we were pooped!!! It took us a while to get going.

We painted nails to pass the time.

The kids finally convinced the kids to get going so they could spend their last day at the beach. Randy, Justin, Brad and Gage decided to go to the Salmon River to check our the fishing.

After a couple of hours the boys joined us.

Randy helped them build a big fort/castle.

We literaly spent the entire day at the beach. The kids were entertained and so happy.

The next day we got up early to pack up before it got hot. We were so sad to leave.
It took the kids no time at all to fall asleep on the way home. We had a great time as a family and made some major memories.