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2019-2020 Black Hills Conditions

SODAK-DOO

Well-known member
Premium Member
Dec 3, 2015
190
53
28
eastern south dakota
rode Saturday and Sunday. best snow conditions i have ever been able to ride out there. Saturday did get to the mid to upper 40s, and did change the open snow quite a bit. Sunday was in the 20s so the trails were a little icy early in the morning. but we found just as good of snow Sunday as we did on Saturday. anything in the shade and facing the the northerly direction is fantastic. you can find any type of riding you want to right now.

i did hear that saturday was busier then presidents weekend.

also, we are 5 for 5 on bad experiences with the new trailshead owner ship. had breakfast sunday morning there to beat the crowd. i ordered my food and my wife was torn between two so it took her an extra 30 seconds to decide, and the gentleman at the till had the nerve to speak out very loudly and tell everyone in the line "if you don't know what you want, get out of line so you don't waist my time by not know what you want when you get up here".
 
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A
Sep 10, 2012
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I hate to say we’ve been avoiding Trailshead and getting lunch and gas elsewhere because he can be very abrasive. Julie has always been very pleasant and has great customer service. I think she has been running their Facebook page and doing a great job other than the post regarding trailer parking in their lot across the highway.

Customer service can be painful with some people, but that’s the business he chose. The yelling and crabbing will drive people away. With that said, there wasn’t much parking if any on Saturday, so maybe it won’t drive them away...
 
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cacsrx1

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 7, 2008
752
408
63
Highmore SD
rode Saturday and Sunday. best snow conditions i have ever been able to ride out there. Saturday did get to the mid to upper 40s, and did change the open snow quite a bit. Sunday was in the 20s so the trails were a little icy early in the morning. but we found just as good of snow Sunday as we did on Saturday. anything in the shade and facing the the northerly direction is fantastic. you can find any type of riding you want to right now.

i did hear that saturday was busier then presidents weekend.

also, we are 5 for 5 on bad experiences with the new trailshead owner ship. had breakfast sunday morning there to beat the crowd. i ordered my food and my wife was torn between two so it took her an extra 30 seconds to decide, and the gentleman at the till had the nerve to speak out very loudly and tell everyone in the line "if you don't know what you want, get out of line so you don't waist my time by not know what you want when you get up here".
We were there this weekend also, there is about 20 of us that dont stop there since the chane in ownership. On the flipside I think things are getting better at Buckhorn.
 

longvalley

Member
Premium Member
Dec 21, 2014
132
18
18
59
Looked like radar showed snow probably more in the south part yesterday. Does anyone know if it amounted to much??
 

Nooby

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 19, 2013
444
61
28
NE Nebraska
I hate to say we’ve been avoiding Trailshead and getting lunch and gas elsewhere because he can be very abrasive. Julie has always been very pleasant and has great customer service. I think she has been running their Facebook page and doing a great job other than the post regarding trailer parking in their lot across the highway.

Customer service can be painful with some people, but that’s the business he chose. The yelling and crabbing will drive people away. With that said, there wasn’t much parking if any on Saturday, so maybe it won’t drive them away...
I refuse to
 

longvalley

Member
Premium Member
Dec 21, 2014
132
18
18
59
weather looks warm up there how is it affecting off trail snow? like to ride either north or south of trailshead. not particular just wherever least amount of tracks are
 

stumpjumper007

Member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 8, 2007
44
15
8
Eastern SD
weather looks warm up there how is it affecting off trail snow? like to ride either north or south of trailshead. not particular just wherever least amount of tracks are
Warm temps this weekend have really set up the off trail snow.... Decent trail riding in the mornings, but got a little slushy by noon. Picked up a couple of inches since last weekend, and there hasn't been a lot of traffic in the last week. Good base, just getting a little too setup... Seen several sleds with hoods up yesterday or getting towed in (including one of ours). Just everything getting a little to warm....
No bare spots on trails other than the very east side of 7 that we came across last weekend.
Thanks again to the groomers that help make it an awesome year!
 

moonshiner

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jan 13, 2008
291
55
28
Yankton, SD
Thanks for the updates, heading up for St. Patty's in Deadwood and one last ride this weekend, looks like the temps will come down and a small chance of snow, even a little would be great to help with cooling the sleds!
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,441
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
Trails are holding up good except on the East edge of the system. Warm weather has dropped the snowpack and set up the snow off trail. Still a good base. Colder temps and chances of snow this weekend and next week.
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,441
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
This storm is not set up to favor most of the riding areas. It is coming out of the SW which means the Deerfield area and South should get the most snow within our trail system. The heaviest snow should be Custer to Hot Springs. We have maybe an inch so far here at Hardy Camp. Probably more towards Lead. I heard the Highway patrol reporting around 6 inches up on Terry Peak. The groomer that went South was reporting 4+ inches down by Flag Mountain.
 

longvalley

Member
Premium Member
Dec 21, 2014
132
18
18
59
hill city shows 11" how much did like mountain meadows get and south end of system? redbank springs area, parmalee, etc.
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,441
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
I was South today. Looks like maybe 2 inches at best in Parmelee and Red Bank areas. Went down to Ice Caves and ran out of snow in some areas. Looked like they got around 4+ inches as I went East towards trail 1 down by 6 mile. I did not get into Mountain Meadows. I did see 2 of their rentals yesterday.
 
A
Sep 10, 2012
60
26
18
I was South today. Looks like maybe 2 inches at best in Parmelee and Red Bank areas. Went down to Ice Caves and ran out of snow in some areas. Looked like they got around 4+ inches as I went East towards trail 1 down by 6 mile. I did not get into Mountain Meadows. I did see 2 of their rentals yesterday.

I’m interested in the location or directions to Ice Caves, I was there as a kid and I know it’s down south but have no clue where it is. I’d like to take my kid unless it’s off limits. Any help would be great sdsnocop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,441
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
6 mile road to Gillette canyon road. South on Gillette Canyon road until you hit a large open canyon at the edge of the burn. Go right, follow the bottom of the canyon approx. 2 miles. You will first pass a propane tank, go 1/2 to 3/4 mile until you find a round fence post with a square sharpened point on it. Hang left up the hill into the trees there is a rocky ATV trail to the cave. GPS Coordinate 43.87971 -103.91648
These directions are assuming you will be going by snowmobile. If you go by ATV I believe you have to access it off from Limestone rd.
 
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