Being awestruck by the beautiful formations this time around.  The kids were very excited to return to what they have deemed “Dinosaur land”, in part due to the animatronic T-Rex at Wall Drug in Wall, and partly due to the fossils they saw when we did a quick trip around Fossil Trail. Our first stop [...]

The Crazy Horse Volksmarch held the first full weekend in June (June 1-2, 2013) is considered one of the most popular organized hikes in the United States with over 10,000 annually making the trek. There’s a start, and a finish line 10 kilometers away but when you arrive at either one isn’t the point of [...]

Weekend came around once again and it was time for a new adventure.  In all the years we lived in South Dakota we have never explored the Badlands…and with a perfect 65 degrees afternoon in front of us, now it is time! Being familiar with the layout of the Badlands National Park loop we decided [...]

    Chris “Tater Tot” Pelczarski, 30 — The climber, caver, storyteller, and Chicago transplant chimes in on rock climbing in the Black Hills and the importance of enjoying what you do. I had never seen a cattle guard. I was like, “what’s that metal thing on the road?” I didn’t even know there were [...]

All through the Hills, the ice is going out. On Spearfish Creek, Rapid Creek, Box Elder, Spring and Castle Creek, the cold, clear mountain water is bubbling through the cracks and over the thin sheen of spring ice. And in the deeper stream pockets, browns and brookies are stirring as newly hatched swarms of insects [...]

Nothing better than the smell of the awakening forest, as the pines begin to scent the air and translucent pasque flowers shyly show themselves in the sunlit nooks and crannies along the trail. In fits and starts, spring is coming to the Black Hills. And while every season in the Black Hills is beautiful, spring [...]

I spent my Saturday discovering the allure of cross-country skiing in the Black Hills with the desire to offer a snapshot of the area through the activity. My company on this trip was Pam, a downhill skier. I’m always delighted when I talk someone into a new outdoor excursion with me, mainly because many of [...]

We’ve finally made it past the shortest day of the year, but if you’re like me it’s dark before you go to work and dark when you get off of work. A quick Google search tells me it would take an act of Congress to abolish Daylight Saving Time. I’m not holding my breath. So in the [...]

I’m on my way to Terry Peak, looking for snow while heading up Hwy. 385. Alongside the road, it’s perhaps 2 inches in the shadows, and none in the sun. And sad to report, it hasn’t changed much when I turn off Hwy. 14A and climb the long hill up to the ski resort. So [...]

Yosemite, San Francisco, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, hours of gorgeous drive-by scenery on Highway 1 along the California coast and Highway 12 through Utah. It was 4,500 miles in 14 days – the ultimate road-trip vacation. Here’s a few stand-out observations: * Gasoline prices: Despite fears of $5 [...]