Little Devil's Tower is the best place for a view of the Needles.

I hiked Little Devil’s Tower with my daughter earlier this week, mainly because I love the view from the top, but also to see how the beetle clearing has affected the scenery. While the trailhead remains the same, the trail itself has been altered. Instead a fairly direct route straight up the mountain, it now wends to the south. With the logging operation and the southerly exposure, this route is much more exposed. While the areas being thinned are less than scenic, the view from the summit is still worth the hike. Little Devil’s Tower is still the best location for a view of the Needles and Harney Peak.

The trail winds through an area being logged for mountain pine beetle control, not so scenic. But once the slash is cleaned up, the forest floor will be exposed, allowing grass and other plants to grow.

Proper clothing, including convertible hiking pants/shorts, can make the outdoors more comfortable.

So you’ve tried hiking with the family, but every time you end up hot, blistered, and uncomfortable. It’s not for you; so you’ll just stick to the pool. Maybe it’s not hiking that’s to blame, maybe it’s your clothing and shoes. While I maintain that hiking is a great family activity because you don’t need a great deal of special equipment, dressing smarter can make the experience better.

Let’s start at the bottom: shoes. Unless you do a lot of hiking or backpacking, you don’t really need hiking boots, but good sneakers are a must. Little canvas Keds are not good sneakers. Flip flops are definitely not good sneakers. A pair of shoes with some support and traction are important. I do most of my hiking in trail running shoes because they’re sturdy yet light, have grippy tread, and are usually water-resistant.

While we’re at the feet, let’s talk about socks. First of all, wear some. Hiking without socks is a first-class ticket to Blister Land. If you’re hiking in an area with known water crossings, throw in an extra pair of socks because wet socks can ruin a good day. If you plan to do quite a bit of hiking, invest in a pair of Smart Wool (R) socks; they’re cushy AND wick away moisture. Remember: cotton does not breathe, wool does.

Trail running shoes or low, lightweight hiking boots provide plenty of support and traction for dayhikes.

After the feet are taken care of, we can now move onto pants. Jeans are a miserable excuse for hiking apparel, especially tight ones. They rub in all the wrong places, ride up, and once wet, stay wet. Wear shorts on warm days; jean shorts don’t seem to be quite as problematic as jeans, but looser, athletic shorts are better. My favorite pants, on or off the trail, are convertible hiking pants. Usually made from nylon, they’re lightweight, dry quickly, have handy pockets, and function as both shorts and long pants, allowing you to adjust according to the terrain or weather. If you don’t want to pay new prices, search ebay; they have a huge selection for a song.

Shirts are easier, hike in a t-shirt or tank top, whatever you prefer. Just throw in a long-sleeved shirt in case the weather turns cool on you. Watch the forecast, if there is a chance of rain, a light jacket or plastic rain poncho is a good idea.

Now we’ve made it to the head. There are two kinds of people, those who wear hats and those who do not. I am not a hat person, but I wear a bandanna to keep the sun from beating on my head and catch sweat off the forehead. Dollar stores have an array of colors. Likewise, hats keep the sun out of your eyes and shade your face.

You’re clothed from head to toe, but there are a couple more items that can improve your hiking experience. A walking stick (or a pair of hiking sticks) can help you hike longer with less joint pain by taking some of the pressure off your knees and hips. They’re also good for stabilizing your footing in rough terrain and reducing edema in your hands. A single stick may be all you need if you don’t intend to hike too often or on steep trials.

Lastly, water and snacks are very important, and not just for kids. Staying hydrated is important, especially on hot days. I used to take water bottles in a backpack, but quickly converted to a hydration pack when they became readily available. They work efficiently by allowing you to drink hands-free and without stopping to take off the pack and grab the bottle. Even you don’t want to invest in a hydration pack, there are water bottles that can be attached to a belt for easy access; it sure beats carrying them in your hand or hauling them around in a pack. When thinking about snacks, think compact and non-melty. Granola bars, fruit snacks, PB&Js, and trail mix all make good hiking fare; chips, candy bars and mayo-dressed sandwiches, not so much. Don’t set out on a three-hour hike with the kids and promise them that you’ll eat lunch when you’re done. Hiking hungry is a sure way to make the whole outing a miserable experience.

It is possible to make a day spent outdoors comfortable and fun, just be prepared.

I’ve written about Hell Canyon before, and it remains one of my favorite trails. Hiking it last Friday, it didn’t take long to remember why.

First of all, there were no other vehicles at the trailhead when I arrived. After I was about two-thirds of the way through the loop, I met a solo mountain biker. We were visible to each other for a minute or so, then each of us was alone again.

Wildflowers bloom in profusion in Hell Canyon as it’s part of the Jasper Fire burn area. Hands-down, it’s the best flower hike in the Black Hills. Wild roses scent the air and lupines glow intensely blue along the hillsides. The fireweed wasn’t quite in bloom yet, but the buds were about ready to open.

With the wet weather, water is running in the canyon bottom, creating two easy water crossings, which is a nice change of pace. In addition to the stream crossings, there are a couple of spots where trees are across the trail, which isn’t surprising in a burn area where trees can fall at any time. Be prepared to scramble over them.

Hell Canyon has a steep climb at the beginning with a lot of loose rocks on the trail. I highly recommend a walking stick or trekking poles to help stabilize your footing. Take plenty of water since the first part of the climb is exposed along the canyon walls and rim; it’s hot up there. Poison ivy isn’t rampant along this trail, but there are three healthy patches, two as you climb, and one along the bottom. Insect repellent is a good idea with the abundance of pollinators along the trail, especially if you sensitive to stings.

Hell Canyon is 14 miles west of Custer on Highway 16, about one mile past the entrance to Jewel Cave. It’s 5.3-mile-loop and will take between two and four hours to complete.

Books are a great way to give you "life list" ideas

A life list is nothing more than a list of places or activities you would like to experience in your lifetime. We all have thought about it, but some of those ideas may be generic: Paris, New York City, Africa. Those are all fine, but what about specific events or places in the outdoors? If nothing comes to mind, maybe the first place you head should be the library.

There are thousands of books chronicling potential trips you can take, most of them will be new to you. Having read too much Edward Abbey, I have dreamed of rafting down the Colorado and Green Rivers for years. I still do, but after reading Out There by Ted Kerasote, I added an Arctic canoe trip to my list. It’s not for everyone, but it appeals to me.

There are a great many books about long-distance hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachain Trail; some are downright funny. The Pacific Crest Trail made my life list a couple of years ago after reading Dances with Marmots by George Spearing, a Kiwi who was not a regular hiker. But it wasn’t until this summer when I picked up Where the Waters Divide by Karen Berger and Daniel Smith that I started thinking about the Continental Divide Trail, which is a lot closer to home if home is South Dakota.

My life list gets longer every year and whether or not I’ll get through the whole thing is anyone’s guess, but starting the list gives you something tangible. It takes some thought, but I’d wager that you have some ideas rolling around in your mind even if you’ve never vocalized them: see a grizzly bear, visit Yellowstone, gaze upon Denali.

Pick up some books, start your list, and tell your children. The seeds of your ideas may take root in their minds; they’ll remember this moment 20 years from now while kayaking the Inside Passage or trekking in Nepal.  Dream of something bigger than Disneyland.

Today my daughter and I hiked Harney Peak, which we do once or twice per season. We picked a pretty hot day, but we were on the trail by 9:30 a.m. The weather was perfect, a nice breeze at the top. The small dam at the summit has quite a bit of water in it, making me wish I had taken my camera. However, the floating trash in the water would have spoiled the photo op. Two water bottles and a couple of Nature Valley peanut butter granola bar wrappers were floating in the water. The breeze cooperated and shifted them our way, and with our trekking poles, we fished out one bottle and two wrappers. The other bottle and wrapper remained stubbornly out of reach. If the culprits read this, be ashamed, be very ashamed! If you are incapable of hauling out your trash, stay home where the trash can is handy, do not use our national forests as your landfill.

As we started our descent, we started meeting small children on the trail, evidently in a group, but not with a discernable leader. Having taken kids up Harney, I was rather alarmed to see elementary-age children hiking along without an adult. There were groups of kids strung out over about two miles of the trail, some with water bottles (Dasani - more on that later) and some without any water. A few kids asked us how far it was to the top; did we just see a group of boys, did we meet an older guy in a hunting hat, etc. They did have leaders somewhere, but there wasn’t much leading going on. We met kids who looked ready to turn around halfway up the trail; needless to say, I don’t think these kids were enjoying their outdoor experience much. I don’t know what the point of the outing was, but if it was to introduce the joys of hiking to these kids, it failed.

The farther down the mountain we went, the more Dasani water bottles we noticed littering the trail sides. Hmmm….wonder where those came from? So we picked those up too — what do you expect dozens of kids with empty water bottles are going to do unless they’ve been told how to dispose of them? That responsibility lay with the leaders of the group, whoever they were, and they failed at that task as well. Not to mention the fact that some of these empty bottles were near the bottom the mountain, meaning those kids had exhausted their water supply with several more hours of hiking ahead of them. Before we left Sylvan Lake, I visited with a staff member at the entrance station about the loosely supervised children and the trash. I hope someone followed up on that group.

Be responsible when taking children into the woods; it’s your job to keep them safe and healthy. Don’t lead hikes if you can’t handle it.

So I’ve posted about Sunday Gulch before, I know, but I have a special reason for writing about this trail a second time. After a very wet spring, a fair amount of water is being released from Sylvan Lake, more than I have seen in past years. This water flows directly down Sunday Gulch, whose trailhead is behind the Sylvan dam. Those of you familiar with the trail know that it rapidly descends down a series of steps and bare rock with a railing; well this year, that part of the trail is submerged.

Last week my daughter and I hiked the trail and though I knew water was over the trail, its depth was still a surprise. Arriving at the first set of steps, we saw it would be well above our shoes (I use my trail running shoes for most dayhikes). No matter if your shoes are Gor-Tex, if water is over the tops, your feet will get wet. So we shucked our shoes and socks and walked through the first section of the trail barefoot.  

Had we known the water would be over ankle-deep, and lower on trail there was a spot where it was above my knees, we would have hiked the trail in our sport sandals. However, the steps and rocks are not hard on the feet, so it was easy walking in the water. Be aware though that hiking in bare feet on wet surfaces is very slippery; we took care and used our trekking poles as well as the railing.

If getting a bit we doesn’t bother you, take advantage of the high water before summer’s heat dries it up. I highly advise trekking poles to help you keep your balance through the first part of the gulch, and if you do decide to barefoot that part, step carefully and slowly so you don’t slip. This would be a great opportunity to use waterproof sandals if you have a pair. Small children may have to be carried through this section, and this terrain is never friendly to folks with mobility issues. Also, this spring’s high winds have dropped a couple trees across the trail as well, so be prepared to scramble over them.

To get there: in Custer State Park, follow the Sylvan Lake trail around behind the dam. This is a 2.8 mile loop, so take plenty of water.

Last week I received a catalogue from Community Education of the Black Hills, which lists all courses being offered around the region, from Belle Fourche to Edgemont. There are a surprising  number of active living courses offered — it’s not just Travel Spanish and Intro to MS Word anymore! If you’ve been thinking about taking up a new activity, but aren’t sure where to begin, take a look this brochure; it’s a good place to start.

A community education class offers the opportunity to learn the basics of a new activity or skill in a safe environment with a minimum investment. Another bonus is meeting like-minded people whose skill-level is similar to your own; giving you a pool of people to share your new interest.

Here are a few of the courses offered in Rapid City: bird watching, discover snorkeling and scuba, fly flying, horsemanship, photography, introduction to caving, and introduction to kayaking. The fees for each course are different, and some courses are only one session while others are two or three.

In the Southern Hills, courses offered include introduction to archery, digital photography and geology. Northern Hills courses cover gold panning, digital photography, and self-defense for women. Of course, there are many more courses offered, including arts, computer applications, and languages.

Check with Community Education for dates, times and fees. If you didn’t receive a catalogue, check out the website at www.clcbh.org or call 800-518-0511.

The upside of that Christmas blizzard is that we have snow; even the Southern Hills has enough snow for snowshoeing, sledding and cross country skiing. So instead of hibernating in front of the tube until April, get outside and have fun in the white stuff. With Christmas over, many stores are discounting their winter items so now is an affordable time to invest in a new hobby.

Last winter I wrote about snowshoeing for the first time with my husband’s snowshoes. I enjoyed it and knew instantly that it would be an activity I could latch onto quickly. This year, he bought me a pair for Christmas, what a guy! As soon as the winds went down, I tried them out and have been out almost daily since then.

Snowshoeing is the hiker’s cure for winter. Sure, you can hike in the winter, but when the snow piles up, hiking becomes a chore, if not an impossibility; however, snowshoes can get you back outside. It’s not as fast as cross country skiing, but you can traverse more varied terrain and easily deal with different levels of snow. My snowshoes are Snowy Ridge, made by Cabelas. They run about $99, but may be on sale now. Scheels also carries a large line of snowshoes, so it’s worth checking both stores. Snowshoes are sized by weight – your weight, so step on the scale before you buy. Another factor is length; snowshoes will be longer for heavier people, but it is possible for snowshoes to be different lengths for the same weight range; because I’m short, I prefer shorter ones. Mine are 21 inches long, but I have seen different models that are in my weight range up to 28 inches long.

I haven’t taken up cross country skiing (yet), but I’ve noticed skiers out in force on the Mickelson Trail. Whatever winter activity you find appealing, don’t procrastinate. One reason people find winter so endless is that they spend those months trapped in their houses. Yes, that’s as boring as it sounds. Turn off QVC and take the kids sledding.

This Saturday, Oct. 24, the State Cross Country Meet will be held at the Elks Golf Course in Rapid City. The best high school distance runners in the state will gather to race for the last time this season. If you’re looking for something to do on Saturday afternoon, come out and watch these athletes.

Schedule

Class B Girls: 12:00

Class A Girls: 12:30

Class B Boys: 1:00

Class A Boys: 1:30

Class AA Girls: 2:00

Class B & A Awards: 2:30

Class AA Boys: 3:15

Class AA Awards: 3:45

One of many water crossings in the French Creek Natural Area

Located in the heart of Custer State Park, the French Creek Natural Area offers almost a backcountry hiking experience. I say “almost” because there is no marked trail through the natural area and only primitive forms of travelling are allowed, such as walking and horseback riding; however, it’s not so remote as to actually be backcountry.

The natural area is 2,200 acres and follows the stream; this affords great wildlife viewing opportunities and many different types of vegetation, including poison ivy. Of course, your wildlife viewing may come in the form of figuring out how to circumvent the park’s buffalo herd crossing the stream where you also intended to cross, so use caution.

Since it is the French Creek Natural Area, expect to cross the stream many times. I highly recommend water-resistant shoes as the creek is higher this year than in some previous years – many stepping stones are submerged. Furthermore, I find hiking poles are helpful in keeping my balance while negotiating water crossings.

Primitive camping is allowed in the natural area, but campfires are prohibited, so if you want hot food, pack a stove. The stream offers fresh water, but remember that a fair amount of wildlife as well as horseback riders frequent the area, so you’ll need some type of water purification system unless you pack in all your own water. Lastly, if you intend to camp you must register at the trailhead.

This is a 12-mile route in its entirety, but of course you don’t have to hike the whole length. If you do plan to hike through but not camp, start early in the day to avoid being on the trail after dark. Remember that the trail is not marked and there are many water crossings; hiking in the dark would be dangerous. In fact, the day before I hiked there this summer, two hikers had been lost because they started hiking at 4:30 p.m., intending to hike the whole thing and only wearing tennis shoes and shorts. Brrr!

You can start from the east end trailhead located four miles south of the State Game Lodge on the Wildlife Loop Road or the west end trailhead located three miles from Blue Bell Lodge on CSP Road #4 at the French Creek Horse Camp. Note that this this a Centennail Trail trailhead as well; once you’ve hiked north on the Centennial Trail about half a mile, you’ll come to a fork, take the right fork which heads east. There’s a sign that reads Trail #1, this is for horseback riders, turn there. Otherwise you’ll keep heading north on the Centennial Trail.