May get to the Black Hills this fall and was wondering if anyone here has been up Harney Peak. What are the trails like? Can it be done BF or are they to rocky? Looks like it would be a fun hike.
Harney Peak , SD Can it be hiked BF?
- Thread starter Go Barefoot
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Looks like I'll have to check it out myself and give a report on it! Sounds like its a 3 mile hike from Sylvan lake to the tower (the peak). About a 1000 foot climb if I remember reading correctly. Ill have work to do on sole building though to even think of attempting it this fall! We will see this fall maybe Ill give it a whirl. Would like to do some trail running this summer for fun and for sole building but dont think there are any dirt trails near me. Thought I would take some backup footwear along as this would be my first BF hike and am not used to walking on alot of rocks. At least I have these trails pictured as being quite hard on bare feet.
I just did a search on flickr for "Harney Peak". Let me point out that walking on big rocks is generally not a problem. It's the smaller ones (about 1/2 inch) that'll get you. But it looks like there are a lot of those on the Harney Peak trail. Here's the trailhead:
That trail looks "improved". I always hate "improved" trails, because they are never barefoot-friendly. They're usually chipped limestone, which is really not nice at all. Here's another shot up the trail.
Again, more chipped limestone. One thing one can do in this situation is to walk right on the edge, or in the grass.
This also looks "improved", but not as bad.
It also looks to have more natural edging to it, which should be easier on bare feet. Farther along:
That looks natural. Obviously, what you want to do there is watch where you put your feet. It looks like there are plenty of places to step without hitting a stone. Much higher up (where the dog is standing), it still looks natural.
And fairly comfortable. Even though it looks gritty, it looks like it has some give to it. Finally, it looks like the approach to the peak is actually improved. (I leave out the quotes because those look like nice steps to walk on.)
So, I suspect you will want backup footwear. (I myself would probably just bring just a pair of flip-flops--they're easy on/easy off.) Also, keep in mind that this is not a competition. You're barefoot because you enjoy it and it feels good. If you're not enjoying it, why push it too hard? (That's not to say that you cannot push it a little bit--that can be enjoyable, too.)
That trail looks "improved". I always hate "improved" trails, because they are never barefoot-friendly. They're usually chipped limestone, which is really not nice at all. Here's another shot up the trail.
Again, more chipped limestone. One thing one can do in this situation is to walk right on the edge, or in the grass.
This also looks "improved", but not as bad.
It also looks to have more natural edging to it, which should be easier on bare feet. Farther along:
That looks natural. Obviously, what you want to do there is watch where you put your feet. It looks like there are plenty of places to step without hitting a stone. Much higher up (where the dog is standing), it still looks natural.
And fairly comfortable. Even though it looks gritty, it looks like it has some give to it. Finally, it looks like the approach to the peak is actually improved. (I leave out the quotes because those look like nice steps to walk on.)
So, I suspect you will want backup footwear. (I myself would probably just bring just a pair of flip-flops--they're easy on/easy off.) Also, keep in mind that this is not a competition. You're barefoot because you enjoy it and it feels good. If you're not enjoying it, why push it too hard? (That's not to say that you cannot push it a little bit--that can be enjoyable, too.)
Ahcuah thanks for researching for the photos! When I searched for some photos most of the ones I had come up with were not showing much of the trail but scenery shots from the trails. It does look challenging for a beginner like myself but I would like to try it! I think it would be fun plus I could say I did it barefoot.
My family and I were in the black hills 2 years ago and I walked barefoot about 3 miles on the George Mickelson bike/hike/walking trail that runs for many miles in the black hills and it was painful but I think with some conditioning I could walk on it more easily if my soles were in better condition than they were at that time. The trail consisted of white rock (probably the chipped limestone you mentioned) and compared to the ordinary gravel roads around here in NE seemed kinda sharp. Yikes!
I have been wondering if the trail up to Harney peak consisted of this same sharp rock or something worse.
The trails in the photos above do look similar to the material on the Mickelson trail with maybe quite a few more of those 1/2" (or larger) or so sized stones in your photos above. Its hard to tell without actually being there to compare. From those pictures though I think Ill give it a shot and like you say take my time and watch were I step and carry some flip flops just in case. Maybe a case of bandaids too!
Wish I could get my hands (more like feet) on enough of this chipped limestone to make a gravel bucket (minus those 1/2 sized stones) to prepare for those trails a bit. Do you have any ideas on things that I can do to prepare for this sharper rock this summer before going to the black hills to improve my soles? I plan to go barefoot more places this summer than before but I know I need to do more than that to be prepared.
There is a cemetery here in which the roads are asphalt. This asphalt is very old and was made using very course gravel and is very rough on bare feet and has alot of loose larger gravel stones on the surface. I have found last fall that running BF on this does bring my soles to a whole new level of conditioning compared to the usual paved concrete trails I normally run on. Another thing I thought of is that I will be in the black hills for about 2 weeks and could walk on the Mickelson trail for maybe 5 days daily before making the trip to the peak which would help some. Might have to do some running on the gravel roads here in NE. Any ideas?
My family and I were in the black hills 2 years ago and I walked barefoot about 3 miles on the George Mickelson bike/hike/walking trail that runs for many miles in the black hills and it was painful but I think with some conditioning I could walk on it more easily if my soles were in better condition than they were at that time. The trail consisted of white rock (probably the chipped limestone you mentioned) and compared to the ordinary gravel roads around here in NE seemed kinda sharp. Yikes!
I have been wondering if the trail up to Harney peak consisted of this same sharp rock or something worse. The trails in the photos above do look similar to the material on the Mickelson trail with maybe quite a few more of those 1/2" (or larger) or so sized stones in your photos above. Its hard to tell without actually being there to compare. From those pictures though I think Ill give it a shot and like you say take my time and watch were I step and carry some flip flops just in case. Maybe a case of bandaids too!
Wish I could get my hands (more like feet) on enough of this chipped limestone to make a gravel bucket (minus those 1/2 sized stones) to prepare for those trails a bit. Do you have any ideas on things that I can do to prepare for this sharper rock this summer before going to the black hills to improve my soles? I plan to go barefoot more places this summer than before but I know I need to do more than that to be prepared.
There is a cemetery here in which the roads are asphalt. This asphalt is very old and was made using very course gravel and is very rough on bare feet and has alot of loose larger gravel stones on the surface. I have found last fall that running BF on this does bring my soles to a whole new level of conditioning compared to the usual paved concrete trails I normally run on. Another thing I thought of is that I will be in the black hills for about 2 weeks and could walk on the Mickelson trail for maybe 5 days daily before making the trip to the peak which would help some. Might have to do some running on the gravel roads here in NE. Any ideas?
Looks like a great hike. I sure you will do fine Go Barefoot. Just keep adding some rough terrain into your running routine. Keep those feet flexible and tough with foot drills and massage. Practice downhill in rough conditions before your hike. Downhill has always been my weak point in my barefoot hiking. Sometimes I cheat with trekking poles, but they not only save my feet, but also my knees.
This will be my first BF hike and I sure need to do some training to prepare for this. You mention foot drills. Can you tell me what to do for them or where to find some good foot drill photos, videos, etc. I will search for some this evening on the net. Are there specific ones you recommend? There doesnt seem to be many options nearby as far as natural trails (most of the trails nearby are paved) I can travel to for training. There are some dirt road hills I can travel to for training on hills which may help some.
Sandler's barefoot book has some good ones, Jason has a few in his book, but it's not that complicated. Just anything you can rub your foot on, balance on, play on barefoot. It's like being a little kid again. Balance on curbs, walk on tree roots, look for rocks to stand on. When not active I try to spread my toes or pick things up with my toes. I drives my family nuts, but while watching TV I'll stand by the couch and do calf raises or crunch my feet in a gravel bucket. I use a shallow tupperware with a lid, learned fast that the cats like the gravel also.
Anything that will develop and maintain strength. I got lazy with all of my drills last fall and just ran and that could have contributed to my bad case of PF. .
Don't over think the hike. It's not that hard if you take it slow. I can handle some pretty rough conditions if speed is not a concern.
Thanks for the tips! I'll have to work on these. I'm planning on walking some distance on a gravel road tonight for some conditioning. Hoping to go for about 30 minutes but we will see how far I get on the gravel.
Gravel seems a bit much, particularly for early on. What I recommend for starters are nice dirt trails with twigs on them. The twigs have a fair bit of give but still do a nice job of stimulating sole growth without too much ouch-factor.
