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Black Hills News StoriesGo back to News ArticlesChristmas Blizzard A Black Hills BlessingWinter sports enthusiasts brought gifts of powder, snow-covered trailsDEADWOOD, S.D. (12/30/09) – While the Christmas blizzard of 2009 was a travel curse for much of the Midwest, it was a blessing for the skiers and snowmobilers in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The snowstorm dumped almost 50 inches of snow in the Deadwood area, covering nearby ski runs and snowmobile trails with a thick blanket of fresh powder. Mystic Miner Ski Resort at Deer Mountain received more than 45 inches of snow across the entire mountain, said Joe Hamm, general manager. “The fresh powder, along with our established base of 24 inches, will help set us up for another great season,” he said. The front side of Deer Mountain is open, and the snow operations team is grooming additional trails on the back side. Hamm said that the back side of the mountain should be open by this weekend for New Year’s Eve skiers and snowboarders. Deer Mountain’s terrain and tubing parks are also in great shape and have seen good traffic so far this season. Up the road at Terry Peak Ski Area, 47 inches of the fresh powder fell across the mountain, allowing more runs to open. Three of Terry Peak’s four major lifts have been running this season. The snow operations staff is working to get the fourth, the Empress Lift, opened and running by the coming New Year’s weekend. Snowmobile enthusiasts are also rejoicing. Dana Garry, Mickelson Trail manager, said that trails throughout the Black Hills received anywhere from eight inches to 40 inches of snow over the weekend. The snow-grooming machines have been out in full-force since the weekend, readying the trails. Since the snow is so light and the high winds caused a lot of blowing and drifting, Garry said that South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks crews have been using a double-packing technique. This means using the standard groomers and then following up with a weighted drag to make for a better riding surface. Black Hills snowmobile trails will be 100 percent groomed by the weekend. Deadwood, a popular New Years Even destination, should be hopping this weekend, according to Lee Harstad of the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce. He said people from throughout the region combine ski and snowmobile vacations with New Years revelry, and the new blanket of snow is a welcome addition to the weekend party. A variety of winter vacation packages are available in Deadwood. Packages can include snowmobile rentals, ski lift tickets and gaming weekends. Visit www.deadwood.org for more information. -30- FOR MORE INFORMATION: |
