I’ve heard scattered rumors that there was some light snow earlier this month around Custer, but if it snows in the forest and no one is around to be frosted, it doesn’t count. Fortunately for powder hounds and ski bums, there were plenty of people around this morning in Deadwood and Lead to get snowed on. And since I was around for it, I declare it the first official snow of the season for the Black Hills.
It didn’t stick around for long, of course. The sun was out by noon, and it melted away the inch or so of the white stuff that managed to stick (mostly to cars). That was just fine by the poor shivering Kenyan man I met during a business meeting this morning. He’s only been in the United States for a few weeks, and while I didn’t ask, I got the impression that snow wasn’t his favorite sort of weather. The poor guy got inducted into it pretty quick, too.
Personally, I really like snow - until I have to shovel it off my driveway. Other than that, snow’s great for all sorts of things. Skiing and I have never gotten along very well, but I’ve discovered that I’m pretty compatible with snowboarding. I think it has to do with the number of sticks attached to my feet. It’s a little pathetic, but two of them are just too many for me to keep track of, I suppose. One board on my feet? Much better. It doesn’t stop me from tumbling down the slopes in a massive snowball, but at least I don’t suddenly find myself involuntarily doing the splits.
If it isn’t obvious by now, I’ve only been snowboarding a handful of times. I fell down the Rockies once in Colorado at Copper Mountain (the bunny hill and the pubs at the lodge were equally enjoyable), but I do most of my wiping out here in the Black Hills. There are two ski areas here - Deer Mountain and Terry Peak - and they’re both in approximately the same area, just a few minutes outside Deadwood and Lead. When I’m not trying to keep my balance, I try to appreciate the views from the top. The view from Terry Peak, one of the highest mountains in the Black Hills, is really impressive. You can see beyond Bear Butte and over the plains into North Dakota on a clear day.
The slopes won’t open for several more weeks yet, but I plan to get up there at least once this year to embarrass myself. If I’m vertical long enough, I’ll take a picture from the top and post it.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
