A Walk in the Park

Well, actually, two hikes in and near Custer State Park.  Back in 2008 we did a 10k volkmarch up Crazy Horse and have wanted to repeat the experience.  But first we took a “moderate” ranger-led hike  on Prairie Trail.  The up, up up and down, down down trail wends through grasslands.  Wild flowers were just opening up.

We found this a great warm-up for the next day’s event.

Crazy Horse has been a “work-in-progress” since 1949 when sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began this massive carving at the request of Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear.  While opinions may vary on carving a mountain to make another statue in the area, there is no doubt of its visual impact.  However it is long from completion.  One worker whom we talked to while standing on the arm of the statue predicted another sixty years of construction.  In the meantime, Ziolokowski’s heirs are running quite a business in Native Arts, museums, galleries and food services, all well built and presented.

In this photo you can see the painted outline of where the horses head will be.  But we didn’t come for the politics, we came for the climb, an accent of more than 500 feet on a wooded trail traversing up (ouch Anna Lee) and down (ouch Jerry) ‘til we reached the top and stood next to Crazy Horse’s chin and walked along his arm.

 The previously mentioned workman explained some of the drilling and polishing processes used to create this massive monument. On the way up, we were able to see some of the equipment used for the carving.

We made it.

And so did several thousand other hikers.  This was a two-day event and on the first day more than 5000 volkwalkers made the climb  enjoyed the view from the top of the arm.

This is the view down to the parking lot.  Our CR-V is in the back row.

This tunnel will be part of his arm and the horse’s head.

On the way down we passed an abandoned building with this vintage car parked nearby.

Having been on a few of these walks, we were extremely impressed with the support the Black Hills VM group provides.  From having buses to transport from the parking lot to start, to  marking the trail, to having four check points with water, food and the necessary port-a-potties, and all these staffed by the nicest volunteers, this hike earns six out of five stars.

In the visitors center, one can see what the finished sculpture will ultimately look like as opposed to what work has already been done.

And for us, we can add a repeat check mark on our to do list.