Alaskan Adventure: Day 9. We drove back into Custer State Park and headed north to the Iron Mountain Highway. Then stopped at Mt Rushmore National Monument, then back south to Custer through the Needles Highway.

Our first glimpse of Mt Rushmore was from an overlook on the Iron Mountain Highway, also called Highway 16A it winds through the Black Hills from Custer State Park to the town of Keystone and Mt Rushmore.

A little closer view but a hazy day.

Peter Norbeck was an influential guy in the Black Hills area. The highways he designed, with tunnel openings framing the Mt Rushmore portraits and weaving between the “Needles” of rock were fun to drive in our little tow car. Impossible with the RV.

I thought this was funny. Special circumstances for special people isn’t a new thing. President Coolidge spent a lot of his summers at Custer State Park area in “The Presidents Quarters”.

Closer view

Before and After of the granite rock outcropping

Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor but the idea wasn’t his. The idea was to increase tourism in South Dakota with faces of famous Western characters. Borglum said no to that and insisted on Presidents. It worked, South Dakota is “The Mt Rushmore State” with almost 2 million visitors a year.

Alaska, a very latecomer to the Union and the cool North Star/Big Dipper Alaskan flag.

Seating area for watching the monument night lighting display. Wondering if our kids remember any of this from 33 years ago?

We had lunch at Mt Rushmore. I thought these custom light fixtures in the restaurant were a nice touch and the Alaska flag too.

George Washington (1st Pres), Thomas Jefferson (3rd Pres), Theodore Roosevelt (26th Pres), Abraham Lincoln (16th Pres). Each face is about 60′ high, carved in granite. Below are closeup shots showing more detail of the rock faces.

Washington

Jefferson

Roosevelt

Lincoln

The Needles Highway winds among these vertical rock outcroppings. Someone was rappelling down the rock in front of the car.

We are so blessed. It was another beautiful day driving through the scenic Black Hills and visiting Mt Rushmore.

Favorite Bible reading passage today: Isaiah 43:10-13

¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.
¹¹ I, even I, am the Lord,
    and apart from me there is no savior.
¹² I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
¹³     Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”