• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Black Hills Conditions 2

XFIRE800

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Feb 22, 2009
2,480
862
113
31
Aberdeen, SD
I expect most of the snow in exposed meadows to be settled by the weekend. Most North facing slopes will probably be decent. Still plenty of sh*t to hit I'm sure. Most South facing slopes will not be a pleasant sight. The trails will be packed down and stiff in the mornings, freeing up in the afternoon as the temp rises. In shaded areas you will obviously find the best snow.

It's hard to pull the trigger on average conditions when you live 8+hrs. away and spend thousands of dollars on a single trip, I know. But in my mind it's better than sitting at home on the couch. Especially when you buy a $13,000 sled.

Everywhere in the Western US is suppose to be in a warming trend starting today into the foreseeable future, but i've heard the snow was good in McCall, Island Park (avy danger is kinda high though), Priest Lake, and Seeley lake areas of ID and MT if any of you want to give that a shot.

The end result is that the snow obviously isn't amazing, but you will be able to ride. The hills will provide for you the experience that they always do. Nicely groomed and well marked trails, various locations that serve hot food around the trail system, convenient parking, Deadwood night life, and a friendly riding atmosphere for any family with various rider experience.

Cheers (beer emoji)

I drove through the hills on my way home from Colorado this weekend. I was expecting to see green grass and bare dirt everywhere :face-icon-small-con. Theres plenty of snow out there to ride and have fun, I wouldn't hesitate to head out. Don't listen to Kevin about where to ride further west, kids a keyboard jockey for sure :face-icon-small-hap. Colorado will have the best snow south of the border until the next system comes through (higher elevation).
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,440
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
It was warm today and the the temps did hurt a little but snow is still holding. Mid to upper 40's at Hardy, lower 40's tomorrow and 30's on Friday. Not epic by any means but certainly ridable. You can stay home and wait for the perfect conditions, travel further West or take advantage of what we do have. Rode South today past the Eisenhower tree to trail 8 and South to trails 11 and 12. Trails are in good shape. I would expect them to be hard and icy in the morning. The snow that blew over the weekend set up hard but it is still soft in the trees. Had my first stuck of the season today when I broke through some of the hard windblown snow and dug down into some sugar. Had to use the shovel. Talked to one group that rode out of Spearfish Canyon and said the trail was great going out of the lodge. The only bad spot they encountered was the hill behind Trailshead.
 
W

wag13

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2008
727
379
63
Spearfish,SD
I drove through the hills on my way home from Colorado this weekend. I was expecting to see green grass and bare dirt everywhere :face-icon-small-con. Theres plenty of snow out there to ride and have fun, I wouldn't hesitate to head out. Don't listen to Kevin about where to ride further west, kids a keyboard jockey for sure :face-icon-small-hap. Colorado will have the best snow south of the border until the next system comes through (higher elevation).

I was encouraging them to come while also trying to be realistic TYLER. Also, I learned all I know about being a jockey from your mom. She gave me a few riding lessons. :bowl::bowl::bowl:
 

XFIRE800

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Feb 22, 2009
2,480
862
113
31
Aberdeen, SD
I was encouraging them to come while also trying to be realistic TYLER. Also, I learned all I know about being a jockey from your mom. She gave me a few riding lessons. :bowl::bowl::bowl:


Glad you're learning a lot at USD, KEVIN, it really shows.

Realistically, unless you are riding zones over 10,000 feet, the hills will have similar snow conditions as anywhere out west. Hard in the mornings, softening up as the day goes on. If nothing else its a good time to explore and find new riding areas.
 
Last edited:

jsledder

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jul 9, 2001
2,017
217
63
SD
www.outdoorsupplyonline.com
Can a guy ride down to Mt. Meadow, on snow?? Or is it bare down that way?

Whats with Trailshead's parking lot being barricaded off, is that because of the bare ground they don't want people tearing it up or something going on there over the weekend?
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,440
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
You can get to Mountain Meadow by going across trail 9 to trail 2 and crossing the Lake. 9 was in good shape until you leave the road by trail 9. The 2 miles to the lake will be very sparce. The blocked off area in the Trailshead parking lot is for the semi truck bringing Arctic cats for the governors ride. He is suppose to show up tomorrow morning.
 
N

nytro4

Member
Mar 13, 2011
136
15
18
Southern mn
Hopefully someone can post some pictures of the crowds over the holiday weekend, fun to look at all the people, keep up the good reports sdsnocop we will be out in a week and a half, hope the snow is still rideable.
 

skivoice

Member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Nov 1, 2012
45
20
8
Aberdeen, SD
Had a good ride today. Had to do a lot of ice skating this morning. If you look hard enough you can find some meadows with 12 to 18 inches in them very risky though. Trail 3 out of buckhorn was mostly Ice and mud. If you don't have scratches get some if you want to ride before noon. Trails on a whole were about a 7 once you got about 4 miles north of trailshead. Some bare spots starting to come through on open areas and on south and west facing slopes.
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,440
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
Busy day lots of sleds. Was cloudy this morning then it cleared up and got warm this afternoon. At about 4 it got real dark in the west just like a summer storm. Started to thunder and lightning. Started to rain then changed over to snow then dumped. Snow quit around 7pm and left us with 4-5 inches of heavy wet snow. Was called out for an injury accident on 3 South of 3B about the time the storm started. We finally got the victim out to an ambulance by about 7pm. Long day started at 7am and I still have a sled to fix tonight.
 
N

nytro4

Member
Mar 13, 2011
136
15
18
Southern mn
Sdsnocop, that's for all the reports, really keeps us informed, can u tell us what is the most reliable weather site for temps in the black hills? We are coming out in about 8 days, they are showing 60 degrees and upper 40s for next week, nws forcast are these temps usually right on or are they way off:face-icon-small-dis
 

99x

New member
Premium Member
Nov 27, 2007
24
1
3
60
Snotel is a good source of information, it gives you snow depth and temp and with 2 sites you get info from both sides of the ridge.
 

sdsnocop

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 3, 2009
1,440
2,191
113
Hot Springs, SD
Sdsnocop, that's for all the reports, really keeps us informed, can u tell us what is the most reliable weather site for temps in the black hills? We are coming out in about 8 days, they are showing 60 degrees and upper 40s for next week, are these temps usually right on or are they way off:face-icon-small-dis

I rely on the National Weather Service for weather forecasts. I have found them to be the most accurate. They only go 7 days out but anything beyond that is a guess IMO. Go to www.weather.gov Type in the zip code 57754 into the location finder. That will give you a forecast for Lead which is almost always warmer than most of the riding area. Look lower and to the right you will find a map. Move the map up until you find the kink in Highway 85 by the Wyoming border. Click that location and you will get a 7 day forecast for Trailshead Lodge.
 

jsledder

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jul 9, 2001
2,017
217
63
SD
www.outdoorsupplyonline.com
:face-icon-small-hap Would like to ride from the deadwood Gulch to Dumont down 2K. Just wondering if this is ride able. :juggle:

We rode 2K into Rec Springs and stopped at Dumont for a snack. Snow is thin on the trails but we didn't come across any bare spots, a little rough but better than 5 going out of Rec. Can't speak to the conditions going into Deadwood, there were people riding out of Lead Sunday.
 
N

nytro4

Member
Mar 13, 2011
136
15
18
Southern mn
Thanks guys for the reports, keep them coming, I have to cancel my reservations by this coming weekend if condition get worse, and I don't want to do that:face-icon-small-fro
 
Premium Features