"Is there another way down from there?"
Dave had already scrambled up the steeply inclined set of semi smooth rocks with no issue. It's not that I couldn't do it. In fact, I really wanted to. I just wasn't sure if I wouldn't freeze up when it was time to head back down. I don't have a fear of heights as one might assume. I honestly love climbing things. I'm quite willing to attempt climbing trees and boulders and the like. No, I have a fear of falling. This means, I sometimes have difficulty forcing my body to move back down whatever it is I've ascended.
Dave disappeared for a moment before returning with a "Yeah, there's an easier way down."
He then proceeded to try and verbally guide me up the boulder, which I refused because going up is not usually the problem and I don't take directions well.
I swear it's steeper and taller than the photos make it look.
Upon reaching the summit, Dave leaned in close and pointed into the distance. "Over there. Mount Rushmore."
Was it a romantic moment? Standing alone together atop a huge boulder off the side of a barely used road deep in the woods, my husband pressed against me, showing me the great carving of our not so distant ancestors.
Well, it would have been if not for the interfering sound of another vehicle parking near ours followed closely by voices coming to our rock. So, instead, we took a selfie while I tried not to be blinded by the sun after forgetting my sunglasses....yet again.
We continued making our way along the scenic Iron Mountain Road towards Custer State Park for more breathtaking views and hiking. As a sign along the road read, this glorious 17 mile route has:
314 curves
14 switchbacks
3 pigtails
3 tunnels
2 splits
4 presidents
It's quite the experience.
"I would hate to go through these tunnels when the road was busy." I commented after watching an over sized pick-up truck with duallys cut off a motorcyclist right behind us. Then wondered how much wiggle room he had in these ever shrinking tunnels with amusement.
"I hope the trail isn't too busy." Dave said as we pulled our packs from the Butterfly. If she wasn't such a small vehicle, there's no way we would have found a parking spot along the crowded road.
"Looks like there's more than one trail head here, so fingers crossed." The camera clicked repeatedly as I took a pictures of my husband playing around the parking area.
Cathedral Spire was the one hike I really wanted to take today. The site from the road showed I wouldn't be disappointed with my decision.
Differing sources from the park itself have conflicting mileage regarding this footpath. The sign at the trail head says it's 2.3 miles round trip. The booklet provided when entering the park has it at 1.5 miles each way. Both refer to the hike as strenuous due to the 500 foot elevation gain in such a short span.
"I'm pretty sure most of the elevation gain is along this stretch." I huffed stopping for a break between the two arduous sets of natural steps improved by man.
"Still, it's not too difficult." Emphasis on toooooo.
"It's fascinating how the trail changes as we go along. From rocky crags to densely packed woods to open meadows." I said as the path broke from the narrow uphill we had been trudging along into a wide meadow surrounded by trees and boulders.
"They really need to make a road up here."
My reverie for the surroundings was interrupted as a man and his wife greeted us at a T intersection not far into the meadow. As a couple, they looked no different than many of the other hikers our age we've seen trekking through state and national forests. They were both overweight, but not obese, dressed for a walk through a city park instead of a hike through a state park and neither were breathing nearly as hard as I tend to on steep inclines.
Dave and I looked at the beauty around us. Hiking to places like the Cathedral Spires can be challenging for those of us not in the best of shape (although it's getting easier for us. Exercise will do that for you), but running a road through here would absolutely destroy the place.
So we smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, then continued on our way after a bit more small talk. They never did make it to the end. It was a shame really as the Spires were only a little further up the road.
We even explored one of the many openings among the rocks before having a rest and returning to the Butterfly. There was still so much of the park left to see.
I, personally, love that you never know what kind of wildlife scene you'll run across when driving through the parks system.
Sylvan Lake was the second place I wanted to see in Custer State Park. The lake scenes from National Treasure 2 had been filmed there and I thought it would be fun to check out.
"Holy hell."
I had to agree with Dave. We thought parking for the hike to Cathedral Spires was bad, it was nothing compared to the traffic jam on the road and the cars packed in alongside it leading to the parking lot (a real parking lot, not just roadside parking).
Again, we blessed ourselves for having a small vehicle as Dave was able to park at an angle between two other vehicles.
There was a wedding at this end of the lake so I quickly snapped a few photos before we decided to just drive down to the parking lot and back out to see more of the lake area. Being lookie loos was the best option and even allowed me to take a few pictures from the jeep. The car the number of people and vehicles here was so high, I felt claustrophobic just driving through!
Thus ended our five and a half day whirlwind visit to The Black Hills, South Dakota. Too many things to see, not enough time but I think we did a pretty good job with our time.
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