2020 - 2021 Black Hills Snow Conditions

[sdsnocop]

Time to start a new BH conditions thread. The question below came in last years condition thread.


Any updates on businesses open/closed? Areas to avoid?
Trying to get some ideas for Jan or Feb trip.
Thanks

No changes in businesses opened or closed. New owners at Rec Springs along with major remodeling. New owners pending for Mountain Meadows. Some minor trail route changes on trail 8. We lost a section of trail 5 between 5T and 5W due to development so you have to use trail 7A and 7 to get to the Lead area and Lewies. Completed trail inspections last week. No snow except for shaded slopes. Not much in the forecast at this time.

 

[dglennon]

I believe Deadwood gulch hotel right on trail 7 in town is closed right now. We’ve enjoyed staying there as it had good parking and nice rooms. Let’s hope they get some snow soon!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skidoo56]

Time to start a new BH conditions thread. The question below came in last years condition thread.


Any updates on businesses open/closed? Areas to avoid?
Trying to get some ideas for Jan or Feb trip.
Thanks

No changes in businesses opened or closed. New owners at Rec Springs along with major remodeling. New owners pending for Mountain Meadows. Some minor trail route changes on trail 8. We lost a section of trail 5 between 5T and 5W due to development so you have to use trail 7A and 7 to get to the Lead area and Lewies. Completed trail inspections last week. No snow except for shaded slopes. Not much in the forecast at this time.

Hi snocop Is there any chance of a new trail 5 that was lost? I used that trail many times during my stay. Stay safe. Skidoo56

 

[sdsnocop]

Hearing reports of 10-12 inches new snow central and North. Less to the South and East. Lots of wind which has blown areas bare. Groomers are are out tonight to pack what is there. I am in Sioux Falls but will be back on the hill Saturday.

 

[Mafesto]

Good to hear something positive about accumulation.
Enjoy your Christmas Duane!

 

[bamf]

Trail riding only. Went from trailhead to spearfish canyon lodge on 4. Lots of rocks coming through. For what little the groomers had to work with they are amazing.. I have heard there is more snow north & ' west of th. Not sure, will be riding that way tomorrow.

 

[Arcticmatt]

We went out today heading north out of Trailshead on 1. Not much anywhere, only made it up to the 3A intersection and turned around. We are going to need a bunch more before it gets good. Hopefully this next system drops more than they say it will.

 

[sdsnocop]

Conditions are pretty rough right now. Trails are ridable (barely). Not enough snow to cover the rocks, gravel and fill the holes. What snow is on the trail is used up from the mass number of rental sleds. Conditions are very hard on plastic skis. We need a good dumping to properly start this season right. This next storm does not look too promising.

 

[stumpjumper007]

Hi snocop Is there any chance of a new trail 5 that was lost? I used that trail many times during my stay. Stay safe. Skidoo56

That was one of favorite loops also... I Would think that would hurt traffic for Rec Springs and Lewie's both....
Hate to see that section go... Used to ride fifteen minutes from my place to Rec Springs for breakfast on Sunday mornings, now it's gonna be over an hour.... Probably not gonna do it anymore.

 

[Nodaker]

Hi snocop Is there any chance of a new trail 5 that was lost? I used that trail many times during my stay. Stay safe. Skidoo56

Could someone enlighten me as to what trail is now closed? 5? which direction? We typically stay at Req. Springs so this might be an issue. Thanks!

 

[stumpjumper007]

Could someone enlighten me as to what trail is now closed? 5? which direction? We typically stay at Req. Springs so this might be an issue. Thanks!

New trail map on the top/left... Last year's map on the bottom/right.... If you want to ride to Lewie's from Rec Springs, only amounts to about a half a mile gone, but it's a heck of a detour now. Lots of private property in that area, so even off trail might not be possible.

 

[af4sos]

Looks like we lost Golden Reward parking lot too.

 

[sdsnocop]

Found this stuck on trail 2K above Black Fox today.

 

[Super 8]

Found this stuck on trail 2K above Black Fox today.

Not good!

 

[Storm47]

Is there a base of snow starting to add up??? Also, what happen to the Hardy station camera??? And is the Trails Head camera working for anyone???

 

[Firetrail]

Is there a base of snow starting to add up??? Also, what happen to the Hardy station camera??? And is the Trails Head camera working for anyone???

I doubt there is any base even on the trails. Unfortunately the Hills has not gotten any appreciable snow. The snowtel sites are at about 8" There has been very little grooming if any. The Hardy camera works fine and they must be able to switch cameras . This is the first year I have seen a camera angle of the Tuckers and shop. The groomers have not moved very much. The reason you cannot get onto the Trailshead camera is that they have small bandwidth. Some places like Power Brokers in Sioux Falls get logged on and never log off. 24/7 there. It doesn't take many places like that to keep everyone else off. Trailshead needs to somehow time out people on the camera.

 

[Storm47]

Thank you Firetrail for the info. How do you access the Hardy camera? I used to pull it up from the SafeTravel site for SD DOT, but it is not on there anymore. I'll keep praying for snow!

 

[longvalley]

south dakota 511. if u have the app you may need to update it. i couldnt get camera anymore and went to playstore and did update and now works with new app but im not impressed with the new and improved

 

[Firetrail]

Thank you Firetrail for the info. How do you access the Hardy camera? I used to pull it up from the SafeTravel site for SD DOT, but it is not on there anymore. I'll keep praying for snow!

The Safe Travel site is working OK. It just changed the way it looks. The old map style is gone. When you open the site it looks different. Go to the top of the page click on Cameras. That will take you to a list of all the DOT cameras. Scroll down to Highway 85 and click on Hardy Camp. That should get you there. The Hardy camera and the Deadwood camera are there. There are 6 cameras at Hardy. Doesn't seem like you can access all of them all the time.

 

[Firetrail]

south dakota 511. if u have the app you may need to update it. i couldnt get camera anymore and went to playstore and did update and now works with new app but im not impressed with the new and improved

You are correct. The new format seems a little "clunky" after the map format. Oh well just something new to get used to. I liked the old SnoWest layout better too.