Big Hill Archives : Tranquil Trekker

Solo Hiking is Risky

In this post, I give a personal account that highlights why, I firmly believe, it is a bad idea to venture out into the Wilds alone.

Author’s Note: I’ve touched on this subject before, but I feel it is VERY important so I decided it deserved its own post. My opinion is a little controversial, but I don’t care. Multiple situations we’ve encountered on the trail have fortified this belief…

SOLO HIKING IS VERY RISKY!

I know some people don’t like to hear this but stick with me here. Some of us have an independent streak that is so strong it can, unfortunately, outweigh our common sense at times. 😇

I’m not trying to tell people what to do, obviously, at the end of the day, we’re all adults and we have to make the final decision for ourselves on what is best for us. Only we can determine what risks we’re willing to take regarding our own personal safety. I’m just trying to weave a cautionary tale.

Getting Stuck When Adventuring Alone

Several winters past we were snowshoeing in the Big Hill area on a warm, March day. (That portion of the Black Hills had received another foot of snow from a blizzard earlier in the week.) We were hiking a new portion of the Big Hill recreation area, where new, fat bike and snowshoe trails had been added, that we weren’t very familiar with. Unfortunately, due to its newness, the maps for these trails were a little unclear and not well signed (or if they were signed, the info was buried under several feet of snow). 😝

Accidents Can Happen FAST in the Wild…

We were maneuvering down a gulley, (which may or may not contain a creek bed in warmer months). We thought we might be on-trail, but couldn’t really tell. (You are allowed to venture off-trail in these portions of the national forest, especially in the snow, and we knew our general location, so we were just having fun and exploring). Mr. Trekker had taken the lead and was cutting trail, I was following almost exactly in his footsteps. He took two steps, I took two steps…and my right leg immediately sunk into hip-deep snow.

Normally, this isn’t too big of a deal. It can be difficult to get out, but you just have to work at it. This time, my leg was stuck fast. I could move it around, but my ankle and foot refused to budge. It was in the 40s and sunny that day, so the snow was heavy, wet, and easily packable. (This was one of those days where large ice-balls gather on the bottoms of your snowshoes as you walk. I had sunk to almost knee-depth a short time earlier, and had a little trouble getting out as my snowshoe had created almost a vacuum in the snow.)

So, we weren’t too concerned. We began digging…and digging…and digging…

We finally dug far enough to reach my knee (we learned something from this event…snowshoes make good shovels! 😳) and I kept trying to loosen my foot but to no avail. This was getting a little ridiculous! Also, after several minutes half-buried in the white stuff, any part of my body that was touching the snow was starting to get cold! 🥶

We kept digging and about the time we reached my shin we hit something hard…very hard. We couldn’t tell what it was, other than we wouldn’t be able to move it and my snowshoe was lodged UNDER it. We couldn’t reach my foot–it was enclosed in my hiking boot which was firmly lashed to my snowshoe…and we couldn’t reach the bindings on the snowshoe to free the boot…

…at this point, my claustrophobia started to set in. I DO NOT like being stuck. It makes me feel like I’m suffocating. I had images of sinking into this hole and being smothered by all the *&%$# snow! 😝

I wasn’t too worried about being stuck forever because we knew what we needed to do, and I knew I wasn’t injured…but you start getting a little panicked when the adrenaline from the fight-or-flight instinct kicks in, and that can easily override rational thought. Fortunately, Mr. Trekker, with his IRRITATING AS HELL 😉😉 sense of calm was there to help keep my panic–mostly–at bay. 😝

You May Have to Wait a Long Time for an Outdoor Rescue

It was becoming clear that we’d have to tamp down the snow around where I was stuck to have any hope of getting me out, as every scoop we removed immediately filled in with more snow from other parts of the drift (it was almost like digging in sand). So, Mr. Trekker set about using his snowshoes to make a base around me.

By now I was starting to get uncomfortable. I was getting covered in snow that was blowing back on me from what we were scooping out of the hole. Also, the cold from the snow I was leaning on was conducting through my thin, hiking pants. Fortunately, we had supplies. (Another safety rule, ALWAYS bring extra supplies, even on nice days when you’re venturing onto trails and areas you’re familiar with. You NEVER KNOW when you will need them!)

I had the windbreaker/top layer of my winter coat with me (which is waterproof). I put that on to shield me from the snow blowback. We also always carry a small, 20-year-old rainfly from the first, $30 Walmart tent we ever purchased. (We usually use it as a base to sit on for lunch). Today, it provided a much-needed, extra layer between the cold snow and my tush so I could sit–fairly comfortably–while Mr. Trekker worked to free me.

A deep snow hole with gear spread around the top. A shadow of a person taking a picture covers part of the hole. — The picture doesn’t show the depth of the hole well, but it was close to six feet deep and maybe 10 feet in diameter! The dark spot at the bottom is the log my foot was stuck under. Snow had partially filled in the hole, already, by the time I got free.

FINALLY, my superhero-on-snowshoes was able to tamp down a base of snow around me to work from and then we set about digging further. At some point, we figured out my foot was lodged under a large, fallen tree, and its entirety was buried under FEET of heavy, wet snow. It wasn’t going to move, so I had to. Finally, after about 30 minutes, Mr. Trekker was able to reach the lashings on my snowshoe and unhook them, and I was then able to remove my foot. I was free!!! (We were then easily able to twist the snowshoe around and lift it out.)

To be clear, we never saw the ground. There was snow under the fallen tree, as well, which means that portion of it wasn’t sitting on the ground. (We think there was probably an air pocket around the fallen tree and that’s what I fell into.) So, we don’t know exactly how deep the drift was, but by the end, the snow piled up around me was at least shoulder-height from where I had sunk into the drift. So, it was easily six feet deep at a minimum!

Solo Hiking can be Dangerous

Stuff happens fast out in the Wilds folks. My “event” happened over the course of one step and about two seconds…and it took two, able-bodied adults more than 30 minutes to get me free. I don’t necessarily think I would have died if I had been out there alone. I wasn’t injured (fortunately) and I had full use of my arms and my other leg (as much as I could twist it around). However, it would have been CONSIDERABLY more difficult, and taken considerably more time, to dig out if I’d had to rely on my own devices. This increases the risk factor exponentially for two reasons:

1. 1. With the exception of my hiking boot and the gator covering my calf, the only protection between the entire rest of my leg and large amounts of cold snow was a thin layer of hiking pants (it was a warm day). It was also breezy, so every time we tried to throw snow out of the hole, half of it would blow back in my face and cover me (adding to my wetness). If I had been stuck out there long enough, frostbite could have become a real threat to the areas of my skin that were touching the snow.
  2. Hypothermia was the other concern. Because it was warm and sunny, if I was able to stay above the snow, I stayed reasonably warm. However, digging out meant getting covered in snow and getting wet. It also meant leaning/sitting on cold snow at least somewhat. If it had been 20 degrees–or more–colder, like it usually is when we venture out “shoeing”, the risk would have been even greater. I could have called for help, but that portion of the trail wasn’t heavily used (hence why we had to cut trail). There were also a lot of snowmobilers in the area that day and their noise may have drowned out my cries.

To conclude

So this brings us to my point. Unless you are trekking a heavily used trail at a busy time, (and remember, even popular trails can be isolated at certain times of the day, the week, or the year) solo hiking (or solo-adventuring in any manner) is risky! I know this position is strongly debated, I don’t care, I stand by my conviction. Illness, injury, equipment breakdown, animal attack, losing your way, all these things can happen VERY quickly and easily. Cell service is lost just as quickly, and GPS shouldn’t be trusted either. All it takes is one, nasty rolled ankle, or a fall, to put you in a precarious situation that you can’t get out of on your own, or to leave you stuck somewhere you can’t call for help.

Your furry friend is a great companion, but unless they can search for a cell signal, then dial 9-1-1, and THEN give a good explanation of your location—unlikely—they DON’T count as a trekking buddy. 😜 (A furry friend may have been able to help dig me out in this situation IF you could make them understand what was needed, and then IF you could get them to help correctly–maybe your dog is more well-behaved than ours). 😝

This was one of those unique situations that don’t seem that bad on the surface. I wasn’t injured, I wasn’t sick and we weren’t lost. I just had my leg and foot trapped under a log and several feet of heavy, wet snow (as it was, we ended up “shoeing” around a good bit after Mr. Trekker “recovered” me.) But in other conditions, or if I had been alone, this could have gone bad very quickly.

I’m a firm believer in learning from the mistakes of others (or at least the situations others find themselves in). So please, take my experience as a warning. In my case, we avoided disaster. But had I been alone, and had it been colder (or if I had been injured, God forbid), this could have very easily ended up as a rescue scenario and then only once I was able to raise help.

There was no cell service where I was, and I was stuck so I couldn’t crawl to where there was service. I should also point out, we were less than a mile from a regularly-used road, so we weren’t really out in the wilderness–this wouldn’t have helped my situation either, had I been alone. Likely no one on the road would have heard my cries for help (I was in a gully, they would have been driving by at 50 mph and their windows would have been closed).

Obviously, I can’t force anyone to follow my advice. There is no Adventure Police manning the trails ticketing people who venture into the wilderness alone. But I think we can all logically acknowledge that it IS riskier to solo hike.

Bad things can happen SO quickly and SO easily when we’re enjoying nature. Even on fairly easy trails and/or on good-weather days. A perfectly wonderful day can turn dangerous (or at least problematic) in an instant. I’m not trying to be a killjoy, but I feel very strongly about this. For that reason, I can never endorse someone adventuring alone, anywhere off the beaten path.

I know some people really enjoy going out alone, so you need to make the decision for yourself if it is worth the risk. Also, sometimes, people don’t really have any acquaintances that enjoy these types of activities. This problem is much easier to fix. If you don’t have a trekking buddy, this is a great opportunity to make new friends! Look for groups online or join a meetup group (or start one yourself!)

So my final word on the subject is this: I implore you, please, think twice before going on a solo hike!

And also, sometimes, superheroes wear snowshoes! 😉😘😍

What are your thoughts about the risks of solo hiking? Tell me in the comments!

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Winter Activities at Big Hill, Spearfish, South Dakota

In this post, I discuss winter activities available at the Big Hill recreation area, in the northern Black Hills.

Big Hill is a recreation area located in the Black Hills National Forest that offers outdoor, leisure opportunities year-round. The prime activities enjoyed here are cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat-biking in the winter, though people regularly hike and mountain bike here during the summer months, as well.

Where is Big Hill?

The Big Hill recreation area is located southwest of Spearfish, in the northern Black Hills. The easiest way to reach the main trailhead is to take Exit 8, off of I-90, for McGuigan Road. Take this south until you reach the T-intersection with Tinton Road. Turn right at the intersection to drive up the hill.

After about 8 miles, watch for a VERY tiny brown sign on the right-hand side of the road showing a hiker. Shortly after this sign, at the top of the hill, you’ll see a large parking area on your right. (The trailhead is directly across the road from the parking area). It is difficult to miss as there are usually numerous other cars there (especially in the winter).

There are other routes you can take to reach this trailhead–coming from downtown Spearfish–as well as a scenic route coming up the other direction on Tinton Road from the south (from Roughlock Falls Road). While this is a beautiful, scenic drive that I highly recommend in the summer, it should be approached with extreme caution in the winter. This portion of the road is barely maintained for winter driving and is usually at least somewhat snow-covered. We have successfully taken this route in the 4×4 truck in the winter, but it’s not for the faint of heart (though it is necessary if you want to reach the Old Baldy trailhead to enjoy winter activities in that area).

The route from McGuigan Road to the trailhead is usually maintained quite well and can often be reached using a typical, 2-wheel drive vehicle (we made our first trip there in an old Civic). It should also be noted that whether Summer or Winter, all of these dirt/gravel forest roads are dependent on the current weather and their condition can vary greatly (and QUICKLY) as the weather changes.

What is the Big Hill Recreation Area like?

Big Hill offers over 15 miles of trails formed by several different loops/routes (many follow old forest roads) that can be combined in a variety of ways. Trail maps are usually available at the trailhead.

The trails at Big Hill are very well-signed but it’s still best to have a map to help determine the best route for you (the map also indicates the difficulty levels of the various trails). The managers of this recreation area also do a marvelous job of keeping the ski trails and the snowshoe/fat bike/dog-friendly trails separate while ensuring everyone can still enjoy this beautiful area!

Big Hill tends to be one of the snowier places in the Black Hills so you can potentially participate in winter activities here anywhere from October – May (dependent on current snow conditions, of course). We’ve enjoyed snowshoeing here, as well, though there are times the snow isn’t quite deep enough so we tend to favor the Eagle Cliff area for our snowshoeing adventures.

Today, I am focusing on the winter sports available here. I will say though, this area is a must-see in the fall when the yellow Aspens are in full color.

**I mentioned the Eagle Cliff area above. It only has one groomed trail, the rest are just trails cut by outdoor enthusiasts. Big Hill offers machine-groomed ski trails that are better for practicing the fundamental drills of skiing as they are smoother.

Machine-groomed trails require FAR less effort, but I find I enjoy them less. They are more crowded and while faster, I find it’s harder to control my skis. The person-groomed trails require more effort and you’ll move less quickly, but I find the resistance the snow provides aides in control of the skis and balance. So, while the groomed trails are usually recommended for beginners, I’d say you have to decide what is most important to you; ease of effort or less fear of hurtling down a hill uncontrollably…possibly towards a tree. 😳

Warmer the higher up you go?

This area is another example of the complicated, frequently-contrasting weather you can have in the Black Hills. On several occasions we’ve experienced temps in the single digits to low teens in the lower elevations–but it can feel almost balmy with temps in the mid-twenties at Big Hill (that equates to perfectly comfortable conditions when skiing, in the sun, with little wind.) This contrasting weather is due to a temperature inversion. Put in simple terms this basically means warmer air is lighter and floats over cooler air. This makes it warmer the higher you go in elevation. (If you want a more scientific explanation you’ll have to track down Mr. Trekker. 😃)

Snowshoeing vs. Cross-Country Skiing

Snowshoeing is great fun, but it’s HARD work depending on snow conditions (this activity and mountain biking are literally the hardest workouts I’ve ever done).

Cross-country skiing, in contrast, requires far less exertion (and I’ve found that working out with an elliptical during the week is perfect training for this sport as the body motions required for both are very similar).

Anyone who can walk can snowshoe. It takes a little skill to keep from stepping on your own shoes, but once you master that, you’re golden. Cross-country skiing, on the other hand, is FAR more difficult. It requires balance, finesse, and the ability to relax and just “go with the flow”–all characteristics I SORELY lack (“sore” being the keyword as that’s often the result of my endeavors 😝).

I would also argue skiing is more dangerous as you’re moving faster and are more likely to slip/twist something when you fall (and you WILL fall). If you fall while snowshoeing, you pretty much just end up on your rump or fall to the side into a cushioning snowbank. It may be cold, but not really injury-inducing (although your snowshoe could become stuck under a buried log, as I found out at Big Hill one early, spring day…😮 )

We’ve gotten pretty good at most outdoor sports we enjoy, but with skiing, we’re still very much beginners. Standing on a thin object that’s meant to glide quickly and effortlessly does not lend itself to keeping one’s balance. Neither do skis that are as long as I am tall and stick out several feet both in front of and behind you. Not only do you have to learn how to move around without stepping on yourself (similar to snowshoes) but you have to do it while each leg is trying to slide in an opposite direction. 😝

So, if you’re enjoying a snowy weekend at Big Hill, and you see a bumbling idiot barely able to stay upright on their skis..it just might be me! 😇

The best trails at Big Hill

For beginners, I strongly recommend starting with the initial Loop A. It’s a short, groomed trail that just goes in a small circle around a meadow/forested area near the front of the Big Hill trail network. It’s fairly flat with only a few short rises and dips and doesn’t offer much opportunity for falls (though, full disclosure, I have fallen here 😝).

There is another Loop A that goes farther out. This option is also usually groomed. It’s also good for beginners once you get a little more confidence as it’s solely a “green” route–meaning it’s considered “easy”. There are a few steeper slopes, one especially on the right-hand (western) side of the loop as you’re heading out. I’ve had my worst spills in this area and though they were frightening, I’ve left without injury–so far–and haven’t even felt very sore the next day. (A surprise as I was sure my ankles were being ripped from my body when I fell. 😮 )

What will you see at Big Hill?

Big Hill is absolutely BEAUTIFUL no matter the time of year. It offers a mixture of forested and meadowy areas that contain leafless deciduous and evergreen trees, all covered in a soft blanket of snow during the winter. On sunny days you’ll frequently hear birds chirping in the trees, and the ever-present, South Dakota breeze rustling through the pines provides a respite from the deafening, snowy silence. In the fall, this area offers a warm glow with the bronze meadowgrass, and glowing, yellow aspens all standing in contrast to the evergreen trees.

This recreation area is far enough from civilization that it offers an incredibly peaceful environment. It is sullied in the winter only by the occasional roar of snowmobiles that also enjoy nearby trails–though not these exact trails. (Fortunately, they focus on the region on the other side of the road so they are usually only really heard when you are near the parking lot.)

If you’re looking for a great place to enjoy some snow sports that is both beautiful, easy to reach, and that offers fun options for everyone, check out Big Hill!

Have you tried the Big Hill Recreation Area? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

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