By Wednesday afternoon, DavidĀ Wise had been advising Hippie Hole visitors for three days.
The 25-year-old from Rapid City was camped at the popular cliff-jumping spot south of Rockerville, and his multicolored tent 20 feet from the trailhead was the first sign that prospective, and sometimes wary, jumpers had come to the right place.
Although he is an accomplished Hippie Hole participantĀ āĀ his back flip is perfectly timed and often admiredĀ āĀ even Wise errs on the side of safety.
āYou just have to know your limits,ā Wise said. "I came here in the morning, but I was the only one here. I figured not to jump. Donāt want to get hurt and be the only one around."
By Wednesday afternoon, he had company. Nine other people and two dogs took flight from different heights into the cold creek waters.
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Despite the perfect summer day āĀ gentle breeze, sunny and quiet āĀ the jumpers were cautious. They knew that on Sunday, June 28, area emergency crews made a rescue at Hippie Hole.
John Speraul, 21, from North Carolina, scaled to a cliff twice the height of the most popular launch point. His task would require a running jump to clear a large rock below.
He fell short in his jump, fracturing his foot and causing serious lower leg injuries, according to Pennington County Search and Rescue.
Itās not an uncommon occurrence. Emergency crews average two to four rescues in Hippie Hole each year, Search and Rescueās Tammy Stadel said.
Speraulās jump was already this year's second accident. He had to be airlifted to Rapid City Regional Hospital, but the Sunday afternoon activities at Hippie Hole continued as he was carried away, witnesses said.
The most common jumping spot is about 20 feet high. Itās a step-off jump, meaning there are no rocks to clear. Speraulās jump was from higher than 35 feet, almost directly above the main rock.
Robert and Bonnie Hill, of Sioux Falls, have cliff-jumped before. They decided to stick to the main rock.
āThis feels very safe otherwise I wouldnāt have done it,ā Bonnie, 47, said.
The popular cliff-jumping spot's white cliff is more inviting than intimidating. The creek was overflowing from spring runoff, and the waterfall running five times stronger than normal.
The National Park Service and Pennington County Sheriffās Office share jurisdiction on the spot, but neither regularly patrols the area. Itās a treacherous hike to Hippie Hole, and very little cell phone service is available there.
As many problems occur on the way as on location. Each year, area officials warn visitors to beware of poison ivy,Ā falling rocks and potential dehydration.
āPeople donāt realize how hard of a hike it is in and out of there,ā Stadel said.
Compared with other cliff-jumping spots around the Black Hills, Hippie Hole has a solitary, remote feel, thanks to the hike and the lack of easy highway access. Thatās why emergency crews often warn about its dangers.
Other popular spots āĀ °®¶¹app Pointe at Sheridan Lake, Jenney Gulch at Pactola, and Horse Thief Lake āĀ are easily accessible and have boat traffic.
Rescues at Hippie Hole often require evacuation through the air, as was the case with Speraul.Ā Plus, the hike to the location prolongs the response time.
As the weather gets nicer, Hippie Hole activity is expected to pick up. More traffic means more potential for accidents.
"I expect we'll do several more (rescues) out there this summer," Stadel said.
