2024 Risen Hope Baptist Men's Trip!
Black Hills - Custer State Park, Black Elk Peak, and Wind Cave National Park
Black Hills Backpacking!
Cost: $300/person.
Trip length: 3 Days, 2 nights
What's included: Transportation, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, backpacks, park entrance and camping fees, and 2 freeze-dried backpacking meals on-trail. (See below for more details)
Difficulty rating: Moderate (level 3) Rating System
Open to men from Risen Hope Baptist.
Group size: 10 guests plus your guide, Sam.
Summary
Rejuvenate your spirit on this 3-day, 2-night backpacking trip through one of South Dakota’s most beautiful and rugged trails.
Intro
Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of southwest South Dakota, covers 71,000 acres of pristine nature. At 7,231 ft, Black Elk Peak is the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and the Pyrenees Range in Europe! Summiting Black Elk Peak is not for the faint of heart, but this pristine getaway is perfect for anyone looking to truly get in touch with nature. Our loop hike is approximately 7 miles with almost 1,500 ft elevation gain.
What Makes It Great
The things that make Black Elk Peak so challenging are also what make it so great. The trail is somewhat rugged, but easy to follow as you hike past granite rock formations and Ponderosa pine trees.
Keep an eye out for Mountain goats, Mountain lions, and a variety of bird species. This is the perfect place to challenge your backpacking skills in a breathtaking setting!
Who's Going to Love It
If you love a good backcountry adventure, put the Black Elk Wilderness on your list!
Helpful links:
Backpacking in the Black Elk Wilderness
Maps
Itinerary
Day 1
8:00am meet at Risen Hope Baptist Church for gear check.
Late morning stop at the Missouri River Rest Area near Chamberlain
Enjoy scenic views, Lewis and Clark exhibits, and the magnificent 50-foot-tall "Dignity" statue
Early afternoon lunch stop at Wall Drug: “A Pure Mid-Western Experience!”
Wall Drug consists of a collection of cowboy-themed stores, including a drug store, gift shop, several restaurants, and various other stores, as well as an art gallery and an 80-foot brontosaurus sculpture. Fun for all ages!
Drive 2 more hours, including a portion of the Needles Highway, to beautiful Sylvan Lake within Custer State Park.
We'll camp in the Sylvan Lake Campground. Optional activities include a swim at the beach or a 1-mile hike around Sylvan lake.
We'll enjoy the fresh air, great friends, a nice campfire, and the beautiful night sky!
Day 2
Hiking day!
We can travel light since we won't be carrying any overnight gear.
We'll get an early start (6:00am?) and hike 3.5 miles on Trail #4 to the summit of Black Elk Peak. After enjoying the views, we'll hike down 3.5 miles on Trail #9 to return to Sylvan Lake.
Enjoy lunch at the Sylvan Lake Store. We'll pack up our site (12:00 Noon check-out time) and drive the scenic Needles Highway as we head south to Wind Cave National Park. At the visitor center we'll pick up our backcountry permit. After a short drive to the Sanctuary Trailhead, we'll re-load our packs and hike in and set up camp in the backcountry surrounded by amazing wildlife viewing possibilities.
Day 3
Enjoy a leisurely morning. Feel free to sleep in, pray, watch for wildlife, enjoy the sunrise or whatever you'd like!
Hike back to the van.
Option: Drive the scenic Iron Mountain Road with tunnel views of Mt. Rushmore.
Fast food lunch near Rapid city.
If we have time, we'll take the Scenic Drive through Badlands National Park on our way home, stopping for a quick hike if desired.
Fast food dinner.
Drive home to Sioux Falls, arriving late evening.
#Vanlife
What’s Included and provided:
Professional instruction and guiding throughout the entire trip. 3 days, 2 nights
Campsite and park entrance fees
Round-trip transportation in a premium rented Ford Transit or similar van.
Meals as noted on the daily itinerary
2 Backpacking meal dinners
Starbucks Via instant coffee, tea, hot cocoa
Gear:
Tents (2-person tents unless otherwise noted)
Sleeping Bags
Backpacks
Sleeping pads
Group cooking gear
Group first-aid kit
Water filter
Small towels
Instead of a 5-star hotel, you get a 5-million star view!
Requirements
Sense of adventure!
Cheerful and flexible attitude :-)
Expect to stop and savor - sunsets, sunrises, peaceful scenes, wildlife, etc.
Able to hike up to 5 miles per day with a loaded pack through rough, uneven terrain.
Guest packing list:
Bring snacks for the road trip and the trail, breakfast of your choice for two days (oatmeal, granola bars, etc.) and money for 3-4 meals
Hiking shoes/boots
Merino wool socks (not cotton!)
Spare socks
Hat to protect from the sun
Clothing
Clothes to hike in
Clean clothes to sleep in
Clean clothes for the ride home
Sunscreen (small container)
Toiletries, personal items, medications (could include sleeping aids, painkillers, allergy meds, etc.)
Optional items:
Small pillow (I have some you can borrow if needed)
Headlamp or small flashlight (I have some you can borrow if needed)
Lightweight camp shoes/sandals
Sunglasses
Lightweight rain jacket
Hiking stick or trekking poles
Headphones for van rides
Earplugs
Phone charger
Camera
Hammock
Swimsuit
What NOT to bring:
negative attitude
Speaker (allow those around you to enjoy the sounds of nature)
Not Included
Transportation to our group meeting point (Risen Hope Baptist Church)
Insurance of any kind
Items of a personal nature
Payments:
Payment options:
1. Cash or check in-person.
2. Venmo payments to: @Adventure605 (Be careful! Make sure to send it to the account with my picture on it, not an account with a very similar name!)
3. Paypal to 605.988.4098
4. Request (through email) a digital invoice. I'll send a link from my bank account allowing you to securely pay using a credit/debit card.
$100 deposit - due upon sign-up
$100 second payment (due 2 months prior to trip)
$100 final payment (due one month prior to your trip)
Questions? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions.
More questions? Email sam@605adventure.com