Facebook Twitter Instagram
    FeedTheHabit.com
    • Home
    • Gear Reviews
      • Mountain Biking
      • Road Biking
      • Bike Commuting
      • Trail Running
      • Skiing
      • Outdoors
      • Water Sports
      • Vehicles
    • News
    • Trip Reports
    • Videos
    FeedTheHabit.com
    Skiing

    Keeping it Real: Skiing at Great Bear in South Dakota

    Jason MitchellBy Jason MitchellDecember 30, 2003No Comments4 Mins Read

    Ski towns like Park City, Vail, Telluride and Sun Valley just roll off your tongue. When you think of skiing, numerous Rocky Mountain towns come to mind with visions of deep powder, steep, rugged terrain and high-speed lifts. This is skiing at the many mega-resorts in the snow-privileged Rocky Mountains. But, there’s thousands of Americans who grow up skiing in small, hometown resorts in the heartland or east coast of of the United States.

    One such place is the growing metropolis of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It’s a great example of an agri-community with a small group of dedicated skiers and snowboarders who call Great Bear Recreation Area their hometown resort. Boasting only a handful of runs and about 200 vertical feet, Great Bear doesn’t stand a chance against ski resorts to the West. But, to the local community, Great Bear provides the perfect place to hone your skills and get your feet wet while sliding on snow.

    The base area is more than adequate with the standard food, cafeteria tables, lockers and rental area. Rentals are pretty sparse and had I known I would be a PSIA ski instructor, I would’ve packed my boots. After just a couple of hours skiing with rear-entry rental ski boots and dress socks, I truly appreciated my Surefoot custom insoles and custom-fit liners. For many destination skiers, and those gracing Great Bear, rental boots are all they know. Even if you ski occasionally, investing in a pair of properly-fitting ski boots is essential–enough boot talk. Go get some nice boots!

    The rental fleet consisted of almost exclusively K2 Four’s, which is a great all-around ski and perfect for Great Bear. I was surprised to get on a brand new pair of 174 cm K2 Four’s–I guess there’s not too many people who are renting anything longer than 160’s around here.

    Great Bear relies entirely on snowmaking because the snow doesn’t fall high and deep in these parts. Most of the natural snowfall gets blown away anyhow. So, snowguns line every run. The coverage and snow quality was perfect for beginners and provided enough for me to lay down a few arcs once the kids got the hang of things.

    The goal of the day was to teach two of my nephews how to ski. Great Bear was only 45 minutes from home and they were dying to have their Uncle teach them how to ski. How could I say no to that? I was more than willing to hit the slopes even though I knew it would be an interesting experience.

    With a short paddle tow for learners and a regular-speed quad (1970’s vintage), there’s enough options to keep everyone turning.

    It’s kind of funny skiing in a place like Great Bear. There’s major disparity between the two primary groups of skiers. On one hand, you’ve got the locals who have either never skied, or maybe ski once a season. They make it down the hill, but it’s not pretty. There’s no awards for fashion and definitely no awards for style. And, on the other hand, you’ve got a core group of 6-10 racers, jibbers and other expert skiers who rip up the hill in 3-4 perfectly arc’ed turns. I was pleasantly surprised with the handful of racers laying the familiar railroad tracks down the narrower runs.

    Though Great Bear does say it has a couple of Black Diamond runs (view trail map), don’t expect any moguls or anything steeper than a typical Blue Square run anywhere else. But, for those who don’t know any better, it’s a real Black Diamond ski run.

    After experiencing skiing in America’s Heartland, it truly makes me appreciate living in Salt Lake and having 7 world-class resorts within a short drive. But, most of all, it makes me smile thinking about those people who call Great Bear their hometown resort. They have a great hill to learn skiing and enjoy the sport–even if they never ski anywhere else. It’s people like that who are carrying on our great sport to future generations and truly keeping it real. Judging by the smile on my nephew’s faces, I think it’s best if they don’t know anything else exists outside of Great Bear.

    More Info: Visit www.GreatBearPark.com

    ShareTweet
    ski resorts south dakota
    Previous ArticleUnwrapping The Whistler Peak Chair: Winter 2003
    Next Article Black Diamond Slidepack Backcountry Ski Pack Review
    Jason Mitchell
    • Website
    • Twitter

    A native of the Pacific Northwest, Jason quickly developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded this site in 1999 -- sharing his love of road biking, mountain biking, trail running and skiing. That passion is channeled into every article or gear review he writes. Utah's Wasatch Mountains are his playground.

    You Might Also Like

    Arc’teryx Rush SK 16 Backpack Review

    March 20, 2023

    Chuck Bucket Ski Rack Review

    February 13, 2023

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review

    January 26, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Most Popular
    8.9

    Zipp 303 S Carbon Wheelset Review

    November 4, 2021
    9.2

    SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS Groupset Review

    August 12, 2022

    Moosejaw Ice Fort 25 Quart Hard Cooler Review

    May 17, 2023

    Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Multisport GPS Watch Review

    March 9, 2022
    8.5

    Canyon Lux Trail CF 7 Review

    November 28, 2022
    9.1

    Review: 2023 Trek Domane+ SLR 9 eBike

    December 5, 2022

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Gravel Kit Review

    September 17, 2021
    9.6

    Trek Domane SLR 9 AXS Gen 4 Review

    May 10, 2023

    Review: Hoka Challenger 7 Road/Trail Shoe

    May 15, 2023
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 TLR Wheelset Review

    June 18, 2020
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Advertisement
    Our Latest Posts
    • Review: Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Hoodie
    • Fresh Wheels: Pivot Mach 4 SL Gets Both Racier & Rowdier
    • Shimano S-Phyre Magnetic GR Sunglasses Review
    • Moosejaw Ice Fort 25 Quart Hard Cooler Review
    • Join Zwift “Ride Like King 15” Rides May 19-21
    • Review: Hoka Challenger 7 Road/Trail Shoe
    • Fresh New Bikes from Cervelo, Pinarello and Vitus
    • Trek Domane SLR 9 AXS Gen 4 Review
    • Pearl Izumi Attack Air Bib Shorts Review
    • Artilect Supermoon Bio Hoodie Review
    About Us
    About Us

    Since 1999, we have delivered in-depth gear reviews, articles and content. We feature a small staff of savvy, experienced writers who love to review outdoor gear.

    External links to Amazon, REI, Backcountry and other retailers include affiliate codes that give us a small commission on each sale.

    To contact us or learn more, go to our About Us page.

    © FeedTheHabit.com 1999 - 2023. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.