Blackhills Conditions #3

skidoo56 · Feb 10, 2015

:face-icon-small-hap Time for a new thread
Snocop, I hope you are a bad boy and have to stay after school if being away brings snow. We are planning a trip on the 18th. :juggle:

polarisman22 · Feb 11, 2015

Trails

Are any of the trails still rideable? Where's the best place to unload if staying in spearfish?

sdsnocop · Feb 11, 2015

Today I rode trail 4 from Trailshead to Spearfish Canyon and back on trail 4A and 1. Trail 4 had snow cover with a few icy spots up to trail 4A. 4A to the Falls had a lot of ice but no bare spots. The Falls to the lodge was mostly all ice with some bare spots that you can still ride around. Trail 4A had a lot of icy spots as you got closer to trail 1. Trail 1 from 4A to 3A had some icy spots and some bare spots. Trail 1 from 3A back to Trailshead had snow cover except for a few humps on the trail that bared off. Trails were hard I used scratchers today. Off trail had a crust but you can still break through. Was called back late afternoon for an injury accident near the junction of Trails 5 and 7. I unloaded out of Dumont. Trail 7 from Dumont to Trail 2K had some short bare spots. 7 from 2K to Trail 5 was still good. Accident occurred on Trail 5 between junction of 7 and the power line. The downhill curve in the trail was completely ice. 2 riding a 2 up rental lost control on the ice overturning and sliding into the tree. Possible broken or dislocated shoulder and soft tissue bruising.

Everyone be careful the ice can be nasty if you are not paying attention.

halffast800 · Feb 12, 2015

Sdsnocop you are a gentleman and a scholar. Really appreciate what you do for us

sdsnocop · Feb 12, 2015

Rode 2a to trail 6 to trail 5 to 2c and to trail 2k. All those trails had snow cover with some icy spots. Rode 2K through Black Fox and to trail 8. lots of ice and some bare spots around Black Fox. Went across trail 8 which had some icy spots. Returned to Hardy Camp on trail 1. Trail 1 had snow all the way.

halffast800 · Feb 12, 2015

Brought the wife and kids out to do some sledding. As in sliding down hills usually go to dumont lot. Across the creek and left of the trail. Hope it is at least white

mrc · Feb 13, 2015

Conditions:

Trailshead to 3C to 3 : good with some bare spots, some icey spots

3 to Cement ridge: Generally good, some bare spots, some ice. Can ride along side trail in some areas to avoid bare spots.
North of Cement ridge on 3 - Impassable, turned back.
3A to 1: good with some bare spots, some icey spots.
1 to Trailshead - Good with some bare spots, some icey spots.

Mike

urbancamoM7 · Feb 13, 2015

sdsnocop said:
Rode 2a to trail 6 to trail 5 to 2c and to trail 2k. All those trails had snow cover with some icy spots. Rode 2K through Black Fox and to trail 8. lots of ice and some bare spots around Black Fox. Went across trail 8 which had some icy spots. Returned to Hardy Camp on trail 1. Trail 1 had snow all the way.

How far south do you think Trail 1 is good? I'm guessing riding out of the Ditch Creek Lot is a no go. It was getting pretty thin when you and I rode out of there a couple weeks ago...

ProSnoAngel · Feb 13, 2015

Off trail

We normally ride further West, but with just two days are just heading to the hills. Besides the trails, what is the snow in the trees like? Any good areas? Thanks!

mrc · Feb 13, 2015

Today went south and west of Trailshead. Saw who I assume was Dwayne assisting an injured or otherwise unhealthy individual in a meadow alongside 1. The person was part of a large group so I didn't expect we would be needed to assist, but I stopped and asked. Would have liked to have thanked SDsnocop for all his good reports, but he appeared to be busy with more important things. Hope the individual is okay.

Trail 1 south of Trailshead: good, but increasingly icey the further south. Groomer had groomed along side a bare section of trail down by 12.
Trail 12 west - generally okay, some bare spots and icey.
Trail 12 north - generally okay, some bare spots and icey. Crossing over a cow grate, I caught a carbide and bent the lower A arm. Shortened ride from there as the sled was handful to keep going straight.
Trail 11 back toward 1 : pretty good.
Trail 1 north to trailshead. Somewhat slushier than on the way south.

Generally impressions. It's rideable, not the normally great conditions, but you can ride if you want to bad enough

MIke

sdsnocop · Feb 13, 2015

The accident was a 12 year old that hit a tree off trail. They were worried about a possible back injuty so life flight was called. It looks like he may of had a knee injuty and a concussion. He was hauled out by chopper as a precaution. It is rare I can get the chopper to land at the accident site in the snow but it worked well today. Took 2 FS officers out to check the ski trail. We rode through the trees across the road from the ski area. I managed to get both the FS officers stuck. I forgot how heavy the 4 stroke Yamahas were. They did learn the value of the Left hand throttle, sno bunje and the folding saw as one got a stump stuck between the a-arms and the shock and had to saw it off to free the sled. Warm weather and traffic has been hard on the trails but most riders I have talked to are suprised conditions are better than expected.

stormfan · Feb 15, 2015

Conditions

Thanks to everyone who post condition updates, some of us only get 1 or 2 trips a year. We are heading out on the 20th, just hoping that things improve. We have a house rented in Deer Mountain, and just wondering how bad the trails out of Rec Springs are, or if we would be better served to trailer to Trailshead. Any and all information is greatly appreciated, and again thanks for all the great reports, and lets all do the snow dance..

sdsnocop · Feb 15, 2015

The ridable area has shrunk more over the weekend. Combination of warm weather and traffic has wore out much of the trails. Very few are riding out of Rec Springs and most are trailering from the Trailshead area. Today has stayed cold and off trail is very crusted over. If conditions do not change and you have to be in the Hills or in a situation where cancelling plans are not an option you can still ride. You just have limited options where you can ride and have to be careful of overheating issues. If you have the option of postponing to a later date or wait for improving conditions that may be an option you might want to consider. The good news is 4-8 inches of snow is predicted for tomorrow and tomorrow night. If it was March 15th I could possibly accept the fact that the season could be done but it is only Feb 15 and I expect some good riding is yet to come.

STEVE TWEET · Feb 16, 2015

Please keep up posted on snow amount. A few of us are looking at coming out later this week if they do get a decent amount out of this storm.

stumpjumper007 · Feb 16, 2015

As of about noon today, just off of trail 7 we had a little over two inches of fresh on the ground and still snowing...

Hope we end up with a fair amount....a few inches can hide a lot of ice and make it worse...

I bet snocop would rather be doing other things that filling out accident or injury reports....

Be safe out there...

longvalley · Feb 16, 2015

We are planning coming this Thursday for weekend. Is best plan to trailer to trailshead and then which direction north or south has best conditions?
I'm hoping for snow and it wont matter but trying to put together a plan for where to try.

STEVE TWEET · Feb 17, 2015

Anyone know what they ended up getting for snow?

starrsleds · Feb 17, 2015

we were up at trailshead at 11 am yesterday and they had 3 inches and was snowing hard . on rec springs facebook page it said 8-10 inches all said n done

STEVE TWEET · Feb 19, 2015

still considering heading out Friday afternoon for the weekend. Any updates and confirmation on the 10" they claim they got? Looked like on the webcam that it was really windy when it was snowing, curious how that made things end up.

moonshiner · Feb 19, 2015

Conditions should be pretty good, after the fresh snow it has not been too warm and there is a chance of snow Friday and Saturday. Go for it.

Blackhills Conditions #3

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