Christmas Holiday Condition, Black Hills

[sdsnocop]

To benefit the basic members I started a new conditions thread for the upcoming Christmas Holiday's. The following is the good , bad and the ugly of the snow and trail conditions in the Black Hills based on the 500 miles I have rode this past week. If you are looking for pure powder riding you will not find much and you might as well look further west. If you are looking for a place to ride the Hills will have fair to good trail riding with opportunities to explore fire roads. Boondocking will be next to impossible. BH snow depth varies from 8 inches to 2 feet with the deepest around Cement Ridge. The trail routes that were not disturbed by logging activity are in pretty good condition, however the portions affected by logging are fair to poor. You will run into those logging area's going out of Rec Springs on 5 and out of Dumont on trails 7 and 2. The trail going out of Spearfish canyon is in excellent shape with no bare spots or gravel showing. You will run into an area affected by logging on trail 4 between Spearfish Canyon and Trailshead but it is in a location you will be able to ride next to the plowed section of trail. The temps today only got to 40 at Trailshead and did not affect the snow much. I would expect it was warmer closer to Lead and Deadwood. The groomers went out Thursday and Friday and groomed everything except for trail 7C which has poor conditions. They will not be grooming untill more snow is received. At this time the limited traffic does not warrant grooming and it is more benificial to wait to add to and work in new snow to the current base. Snow is good going South with 12-18 inches the only drawback is some of the main roads the trail is on had been plowed and you will find some thin spots getting to the better snow. The bottom line is you have the choice of waiting at home watching your brown grass waiting for better snow, travelling West to the big mountains, or making the best of what the Hills have to offer. NWS is predicting 30% chance of snow tonight, 40% on Wednesday, and 50% Wednesday night. Accuweather has backed off from snow the 24th-28th.

 

[jsledder]

Glim report, at best... but I've seen it happen more than once where conditions can change overnight or in a day and the weather might not even call for snow and you get a foot. We've got a cabin rented for 6 days after Xmas, just trying to be optimistic that I wont be stuck in doors having and entertaining the wife all that time.

I can see it now.... the storm that usually hits during the Holidays will come the week after New Years.

 

[sdsnocop]

If you want to compare the current snow pack in the Hills to other years this is still an average year. We have 2 snotel sites North Rapid Creek (NRC) and Blind Park (BP). NRC currently shows 12 inches. The average over 8 years of data is 10 inches with a high of 18 and a low of 4 inches. BP currently shows 10 inches with an 8 year average of 11 inches with a high of 19 and a low of 6 inches. The average for Dec. 31 is 14 inches for NRC and 17 inches for BP.

 

[niles]

Well i will be coming no matter what conditions the hills have. If nothing else get a few trail miles on, never done that. So i want all of you to stay off the logging and fire trails and leave them for me. Thanks in advance, Niles.

 

[ironworker40]

new report

ITS NICE TO SEE THAT YOU POSTED A NEW REPORT. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE BIG HORNS ALSO AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE A JUST BITCHING ABOUT BASIC MEMBERS. I GUESS THEY DONT WANT OUR TOURIST DOLLARS. DON'T THEY RELIZE HOW MUCH PEOPLE SPEND TO GET THERE AND THAT IT HELPS THE ECONOMY? ALL I CAN SAY IS SOUTH DAKOTA HOSPITALITY. THANKS AGAIN

 

[sdsnocop]

Checked the NWS forcast for Lead, SD and they are calling for 80% chance of snow for Wed. and 70% for Wed. night which is up from 40%-50% on last nights extended forcast. They are also calling for 30% chance on Sat. and 30% chance of snow Sat. night. I will be back up at Hardy Camp Thursday and Friday. I will be driving directly to Sioux Falls Friday night for Christmas. I will try to report Thursday night if I can get internet service. I only have dial up at the cabin and it only works part of the time. If I can not get a report out Thursday I will try to get a report around Christmas while in SF. I will be back up to Hardy the day after Christmas and staying thru New Years.

 

[sdsnocop]

Local weather forcaster is predicting 6 inches of snow for Wed. and Wed. night for the Northern hills. Not the powder we dreamed of but will help freshen things up before Christmas.

 

[Top Notch]

ITS NICE TO SEE THAT YOU POSTED A NEW REPORT. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE BIG HORNS ALSO AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE A JUST BITCHING ABOUT BASIC MEMBERS. I GUESS THEY DONT WANT OUR TOURIST DOLLARS. DON'T THEY RELIZE HOW MUCH PEOPLE SPEND TO GET THERE AND THAT IT HELPS THE ECONOMY? ALL I CAN SAY IS SOUTH DAKOTA HOSPITALITY. THANKS AGAIN

Iron Worker, I'm wondering if you've been to the Black Hills/ Sturgis area other than during the rally? If you haven't you will see that area at it's finest at this time of year! Take the time and drive through Sturgis, It's a pretty nice quiet little town. Oh ya back to sledding, keep us posted on when your coming out. I'd ride around a day or two with ya if timing worked out.

 

[jsledder]

I'm surprised the state doesn't get a cell tower up in that area.

Thanks for the updates and hopefully, with any luck, we can at least get the bugs worked out of things before it gets good. Happy Holidays and safe travels.

Checked the NWS forcast for Lead, SD and they are calling for 80% chance of snow for Wed. and 70% for Wed. night which is up from 40%-50% on last nights extended forcast. They are also calling for 30% chance on Sat. and 30% chance of snow Sat. night. I will be back up at Hardy Camp Thursday and Friday. I will be driving directly to Sioux Falls Friday night for Christmas. I will try to report Thursday night if I can get internet service. I only have dial up at the cabin and it only works part of the time. If I can not get a report out Thursday I will try to get a report around Christmas while in SF. I will be back up to Hardy the day after Christmas and staying thru New Years.

 

[ironworker40]

black hills

JUST TO BE CLEAR I WAS COMMENTING ON THE WYOMING PEOPLE WITH THEIR COMMENTS ABOUT THE BASIC MEMBERS. TOP NOTCH, YES I HAVE BEEN TO SOUTH DAKOTA OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR. IN FACT I MOVED TO RAPID IN 1991 AND SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT BUT I WORK CONSTRUCTION AND TRAVEL FOR WORK, MOSTLY IN NYC. I NEVER SPENT MUCH TIME THERE IN THE WINTER, HOWEVER YOU ARE CORECT. MY FRIEND JOEL LIVES BY THE BUFFOLO CHIP AND IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE THE REST OF THE YEAR. I STARTED GOING TO THE BLACK HILLS IN 86 AND LOVE THE AREA AND PEOPLE. WAS THINKING OF COMING AFTER X MAS BUT DUE TO LACK OF SNOW IM GOING TO WAIT A COUPLE MORE WEEKS UNLESS THINGS IMPROVE A LOT THANKS FOR THE INVITE I WILL LET YOU KNOW. THIS WILL BE MY SECOND WINTER OWNING SLEDS AND I NEVER BEEN ON ONE IN THE HILLS. JUMPED IN HEAD FIRST GOT 4 AND 2 TRAILERS LOL

 

[wag13]

Snowed about 4-5in. in Spearfish today....HEAVY WET snow!!!!

 

[wag13]

PICTURE----sorry you have to hold your computer sidewayzzzz!!

 

[polaris dude]

So what was recieved up the canyon ya think? And is there any more snow in the forecast?

 

[wag13]

idk thats why i was hoping Duane would post and tell us.....but the weather all the way through xmas looks like schit.....sunny and no snow....so kinda high temps....like 37 and so on

 

[highmark2000]

Coming up next week from 8 hours away to do some snowmobiling with my family. We would be doing just primarily trail riding because of their experience and age. Do you think the trails will be in decent shape? We are staying in a home within a few blocks of Terry Peak ski area. Will we have to trailer or can we ride to the trails directly from the house? If so, where would you recommend unloading?

 

[wag13]

They just put in a new trail that goes from Stewart lodge (the lodge at top of base of terry peak)!!!! So MAYBE you could ride from the house...but worse case senerio you'll just have to park your trailer in the Stewart lodge lot and ride from there. I'm going up friday, i'll remember to throw the helmet cam on and take the camera too and get some good info for ya....merry xmas

 

[highmark2000]

Thanks that would be great. That will help others see the conditions also. Look forward to seeing it.

Is that new trail shown on this years trail map?

 

[wag13]

yes sir...it's called 5T

 

[chadsfast]

We got more snow yesterday. About 4-6" in Spearfish, that usually means 8-12" up on the trails.

FYI

 

[Firetrail]

Snow

We got more snow yesterday. About 4-6" in Spearfish, that usually means 8-12" up on the trails.

FYI

Not necessarily the case. Looks like they cleaned 2-4" out of the Hardy driveway this morning.

http://www.safetravelusa.com/sd/