Lucy Maitland-Lewis, Wood River Museum of History & Culture Intern
85 years ago, this early Sun Valley publicity photograph was taken as two young women assembled their fishing gear at the edge of their canoe. The horizon is tilted as Louis Holliday likely stood in a nearby boat, but the ladies’ boat is frozen in time, level and still, while Mount Heyburn ascends behind them. Donated to the Center for Regional History by Holliday himself, this photo only measures four by five inches, yet captures a much larger world we know and love.
Since Robert Limbert first built it in 1929, the Redfish Lodge has served his vision of a place where visitors could “turn their back on the grind of the civilized world” (redfishlake.com). The Lodge upholds a legacy through the practice of adventure, tradition, and hospitality – a legacy that reflects the beauty of Idaho’s wilderness and people, both of which shape places such as Redfish, a timelessly cherished oasis.
Beginning July 26, 2024, Redfish Lake Lodge reopened in phases to the general public after closing in the wake of the Bench Lake Fire. Since beginning on July 11 just a mile west of the lake, the Bench Lake Fire has grown to nearly 2,600 acres, but is 90% contained. The containment of the fire and reopening of the lodge in a matter of weeks is an admirable feat, owed in its entirety to the firefighting personnel who continue to selflessly protect our forests and recreation in the SNRA.
The photo above was taken only ten years after the Lodge’s establishment, and now, nearly a century after those first logs were laid, Redfish continues to endure challenges such as the Bench Lake Fire. After all, a great legacy is one that withstands the test of time and flourishes in the face of adversity.
Note this story was originally published in August of 2024 in the Idaho Mountain Express.
