Crazy Horse Memorial

I've been wanting to post these photos for awhile now...the one tourist trap I haven't featured yet. Problem is, I have mixed feellings about Crazy Horse Memorial. The museum there is worth a visit. The work itself was the vision of a non-native named Ziolkowski whose family carries on his work. As you can see, the complete rock carving will not be done for generations to come. Only the man's face is finished...the carving will be of Crazy Horse with his arm out-stretched over the top of his horse's head, pointing towards the Paha Sapa (Black Hills). From the website: Native American leaders chose Crazy Horse (upon Z's request) for the mountain carving because he was a great and patriotic hero. Crazy Horse's tenacity of purpose, his modest life, his unfailing courage, and his tragic death set him apart and above the others.

He is considered a hero not only because of his skill in battle, but also because of his character and his loyalty to his people. He is remembered for how he cared for the elderly, the ill, the widowed and the children. His dedication to his personal vision caused him to devote his life to serving his people and to preserving their valued culture."

It's a long story; click the title of this post  if you want to know more. Anyway, the Huz and I were dumb enough to join in the '07 Volksmarch to the top of Crazy Horse...the LONG way. UGH! It's pretty humbling to have folks 10, 20 years older than you zipping on by and up the trail like you're a weed on the side of the path. There's a direct road from the museum, etc. to the monument but it's a 'march' so they have to make it as treacherous as possible...and I am no marathon runner by a long shot, but we both made it to the plateau eventually....

This is the view of the monument from a bit of a distance. Note the white markings on the far right of the rock, indicating where the horse's ear and eye will go.

We of course saw a few critters on the hike through the woods below the rock...this is a poor photo of a woodchuck...taken with a pocket digital at the time...

This is getting closer to the monument...having reached the actual road to the top...

There's the Huz in the hat in front of Crazy Horse's face. We made it. Huff, puff...wheeeeeze.

This is the view from one side of the monument..that's the road coming in from hwy. 385 to the monument's grounds.