Postcards

Eye to eye with Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Lincoln...and Crazy Horse

Few destinations are more exciting from the air than the Black Hills of South Dakota. While photographers gather to take pictures of the majestic beauty, they can only see a fraction of the awe-inspiring terrain. Arriving by general aviation aircraft, you're in the unique position of being able to take in the area as a whole.

Even before you land at Rapid City Regional Airport, you'll experience the beauty of this colorful area. Whether you come from the west across the mountains or from the south and east across the Badlands, you'll be inspired by the energy of the land below you.

Rapid City Regional Airport is no more than 45 minutes away from the most popular attractions in the Black Hills. Rapid City's long runway and two friendly FBO facilities make landing a breeze. At 3,204 feet high, the airport produces somewhat softer aircraft performance than those of us operating at lower altitudes are used to. However, the 8,701-foot runway provides plenty of room for most aircraft to take off and land safely, even at maximum gross weight and in the heat of high summer.

The close proximity to Ellsworth Air Force Base is noted in the airport/facility directory (A/FD) and is clear on all the charts. We found that Ellsworth controllers were friendly and professional. They guided us right into Rapid City and were more than happy to help us stay clear of obstructions and restrictions when we went back out to do a photo flight around Mount Rushmore.

We chose to taxi over to Jetstream Aviation, and were pleased with the hospitality the staff extended. Shortly after exiting the aircraft, we completed the usual fuel, tiedown, and hangar arrangements and were asked what could be done to assist us further. Before we knew what happened, the rental car company was delivering a vehicle and we were being shown a spotter scope pointed at Mount Rushmore, which can be seen from the airport if you know what you are looking for.

Our first destination in the Rapid City area was the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, only a few miles from the airport.

South Dakota Air and Space Museum

On first glance, the South Dakota Air and Space Museum may seem like a small building that couldn't have much in the way of intriguing artifacts. However, it boasts a large collection of aircraft from a slightly reduced-scale replica of a B-2 to actual B-29 and B-52 aircraft.

All of the aircraft are parked outside the main museum building for you to wander around at your leisure. In the museum itself, you'll find information about the Minuteman missiles that were formerly operated out of Ellsworth AFB located right next door. You'll also find information on early high-altitude ballooning and a history of the base itself.

The highlight of the trip to the museum is probably the tour of Ellsworth base. While the history of the base, its basic layout, and the possibility of seeing an operating B-1 from only a few hundred yards are all interesting enough, the true gem of the tour is the trip into the bowels of the only Minuteman missile silo open to the public.

Imagine yourself 40 years ago as a Russian spy as you learn how the access codes allow you to open up the missile silo and gain entrée to the missile's nuclear payload. You'll be shocked at how small the silo is. Although the missile itself is nearly 60 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter, the silo itself is no more than 80 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter. With a concrete cover that weighs more than 90 tons, the Minuteman missile silos were believed to be able to effectively survive a Soviet first strike. (Thank goodness we never had to test that assumption.) The silo is designed to operate without any staff. The launch commands are relayed from a control facility that could be hundreds of miles away, depending upon the location of the silo.

Seeing a Minuteman silo up close puts into perspective just how much fire and gasoline we were playing with throughout the Cold War. (There is a training missile, which was never fueled, still in the silo.) In the age of digital electronics, the eerie green paint on the missile and the antiquated control systems make you wonder how it all worked and still continues to work.

Mount Rushmore

Perhaps the biggest draw to the Black Hills area is Mount Rushmore. We've all seen the faces of four great presidents peering out from the chiseled granite. The size of the monument is simultaneously stunning in its proportions and confusing in its surroundings.

The monument is really in the middle of nowhere. The small town of Keystone is a few miles away; however, the entire town fits on one street. Even the road leading to the monument seems to lead to nowhere, and then all of a sudden you catch a glimpse of the monument through the trees and you realize just how close you're going to be and how big the monument is.

The modern visitor center supports a parking garage, a gift shop, a bookstore, and a small museum complete with theatres. The center has an observation deck perfect for viewing the monuments at slightly less than eye level. The Presidential Trail hugs the base of the mountain that contains the monument. It allows you the not-so-politically-correct view up George Washington's nose.

From the ground, the monument seems huge. From the air, it takes on a completely different appearance. You can clearly see that the mountain holding the monument is only a smaller part of a much larger chain of mountains. It's also clear that the monument doesn't even consume the full space of the mountain peak it's on.

When flying around the monument there are a few important points. First, contact Ellsworth AFB and ask for flight following. They'll help keep you out of trouble and will remind you of the 2,000 feet of horizontal or 2,000 feet of vertical separation that is required from the monument.

Second, be very aware of the surroundings. The monument itself is at an altitude of approximately 5,500 feet. Harney Peak is just a few miles away and with its 7,242 feet in height you can get yourself into trouble if you're not paying attention.

Finally, fly in a way that allows you to see over the faces and behind them where the uncompleted Hall of Records can be found. The Hall of Records was always intended to be a part of the monument but is still not finished. There are no official plans to complete it at this point, but it's always possible that it will, one day, be completed. Seeing the Hall of Records entrance from the sky is a rare treat that most other tourists won't be able to share.

Crazy Horse

Approximately 20 minutes farther down the road from Mount Rushmore is the Crazy Horse Memorial. The monument is unique in many ways, not the least of which are that it's not finished, has no timeline for completion, and has no real funding source. The work is performed only when there is money to support it. The monument's sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, believed that public funds need not and should not be used in the creation of the monument. The end result is that the monument is progressing based on donations made to the monument and through the museum facility on the grounds.

Unlike Rushmore, which you feel as if you can touch, Crazy Horse is viewed from much farther away. Despite the larger size the monument seems smaller simply because of the greater distance from which it is viewed. Although technically the entire set of faces at Mount Rushmore will fit on Crazy Horse's head, the actual height of Crazy Horse's face is only 90 feet compared with the 60 feet in height of the faces at Rushmore.

The museum at Crazy Horse offers a short video describing the vision for the monument, its history, and its rather unique status as the largest statue ever started. There is also a bus tour that, for an extra fee, will take you to the base of the huge statue-in-progress, where you really get a sense of its size. The 20 minutes by car to Crazy Horse are well worth the journey.

The 1880 Train

If you feel the need to say that your journey included planes, trains, and automobiles you can head over to Hill City. It's on the way back to Rapid City from the Crazy Horse Monument. The 1880 Train travels over the mountains from Hill City to Keystone, the small one-road town you passed on the way to Mount Rushmore.

The restored steam-powered train takes you back in time as you rumble through the mountains. The peaceful two-hour ride is a great way to take a load off your feet after a few hours of exploring the monuments. The only real challenge to this unique attraction is making sure that you reach the depot before the train departs. During the off-season, the train only runs once a day, so you might want to call ahead to get a time for the trip (605/574-2222).

Nature

With the notable exception of the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, all of the other attractions mentioned to this point are inside the Black Hills National Forest. That and the close proximity to Custer State Park make the area an excellent place for that back-to-nature experience. Hiking trails are plentiful for any desired effort level.

In addition, a large number of caves in the area offer the opportunity to view the geological happenings under the ground as well as above it. The caves are an excellent way to keep dry when it's raining outside. Because they are caves, however, you may find the temperature a bit chilly if you have already been caught out in the rain. Many of the caves are either between Rapid City and the monuments or within a mile or two of the monuments themselves. There are plenty of signs to point out where you need to go to experience these unique geological features.

Family

A series of family attractions stretch along the landscape. Everything from water slides to Reptile Gardens to Bear Country USA is on U.S. Highway 16 between Rapid City and the monuments. They're a great compromise between the awe-inspiring monuments and the need to relax and just have fun with the kids.

How to plan a trip

If you're planning a trip to the area you'll definitely want to get a South Dakota visitors guide online ( www.travelsd.com) or call 800/S-DAKOTA (732-5682). The visitors guide is nearly 250 pages long and has details about most of the attractions in the area as well as lodging options.

Robert L. Bogue, AOPA 3488033, of Indianapolis, is a technical consultant and writer. He has been flying for more than 12 years.