Family Nature Summits: Black Hills Summit: Full Schedule

If you would like to join a class that is frozen, please send us a message or email, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

The Summit Handbook and our pick-a-hike guide are helpful resources! Email [email protected] with additional questions or message us in Sched!

Session availability is subject to change due to weather, availability, and interest. Classes with fewer than 5 participants are subject to cancellation. You are only able to sign up for one class during a time period (including waitlists). We do our best to accommodate waitlists.

Add/Dropping Classes: All classes with an additional cost have a final add/drop date of July 13. After July 13th, you will be responsible for the cost of the class unless we can fill the spot. Classes with no additional cost can be added/dropped at any time.

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8:00am MDT

Photography - Whistles & Faces

Tuesday August 4, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Photography Van

Explore iconic sites of the Black Hills. From the historic 1880s train to the evolving image of Crazy Horse, this trip provides opportunities to see some of the famous sites of the area, guided by a photographer to make sure that you will get the perfect images to make your friends and family jealous. Maybe no other sound brings such visions of freedom or loneliness as does the sound of a train whistle. The sight of a steam-driven train chugging across the prairie and through the forest represents timeless history. We will travel to just east of Hill City to photograph an
authentic 1880 steam engine train as it climbs the 6% grade up Tin Mill Hill. The climb for the train should provide an ample amount of steam and smoke emitted from the train to make for some wonderful photographs, and the sound of the steam whistle as the train crosses a road will make for outstanding video if you choose to shoot that medium.

After our train photos, we will make our way to the Crazy Horse Memorial to photograph an amazing work in progress. This privately funded memorial began construction in 1948. Currently, the 87.5-foot face has been completed, and in 2023, the 263-foot-long left hand and arm were finalized, leaving only detail work for this section. We will shoot photos from the viewing deck, looking for morning light that will provide soft, directional lighting to enhance the features of the face. A telephoto shot will be required, so be prepared to use all the “reach” that your lens or phone camera can muster. If you have a tripod, bring it. To isolate the carved face, we will shoot f8 to f11, or if you are using a phone camera, you can isolate the face in post-production. Your guide will help you do this. A bonus photo will be a shot of a 1:25 scale white granite model of the completed sculpture, lined up with the current carving on the mountain, capturing both for comparison. Finally, we will drive to Mount Coolidge Lookout and Fire Tower at an elevation of 6,023 feet. This stone tower was built by the CCC in the 1930’s and 40’s. From this vantage point, you will be able to see Crazy Horse Memorial in the distance as well as the face of George Washington on Mount Rushmore in the far distance. If you have binoculars, bring them. Your guide will have a 60x spotting scope with an attachment for phones that will allow you to gather a photo of both Crazy Horse and Washington through the scope, weather permitting. This will be a fabulous morning of trains and faces, providing you with memories to last a lifetime. Let’s go have fun.

Faculty

Matt Hays

Hiking & Photography, Faculty

Matt Hays is an avid hiker, backpacker, rock-climber, skier, and mountaineer. He has climbed all fifty-four fourteeners in Colorado numerous times, many in the winter. He has also climbed Mt. Whitney, CA and the Grand Teton in Wyoming via the Exum Ridge. He summited Mt. Rainier in... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Photography Van Transportation Area

Photography, Difficulty- Easy

Family Nature Summits: Black Hills Summit

8:00am MDT

Matt Hays

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