Question on Dix Range

[Bdavis]

Question on Dix Range

I was planning on starting out fromSlide Brook, trail 119 to Macomb ,South Dix, East Dix, back to south ,Hough peak, and the to Dix Mt. then decend 120and back to 119.

As I was searching the forum I came across “trail breaking” or is this just for snow

I know there are no clear marked paths but I did not think it would come down to Trail Breaking.

Any Comments are appreciated for this hike.

I do plan on using the way describe on page 217 in the High Peak Region 13th edition

[Kevin]

Well, I don't know the trails by number, but your route sounds correct. Trail breaking is a winter term (usually 'breaking trail') which describes snow shoeing through fresh snow. Often you sink quite a bit, slip, and have the snow from around the snow shoes collapse on top of the snow shoe, causing you to lift more weight with each step. It can be a lot of work (and fun) and usually requires a small team (3 or more strong hikers) to break trail all the way to a summit.

I've done this hike twice (and hopefully a third time by summer's end). It's a VERY LONG DAY. If you're new to hiking I wouldn't recommend it. You can do 3/5 peaks in the Dix range as single day hikes (Dix, Macomb, and East Dix), adding Hough and South Dix to the Dix and Macomb hikes respectively. Not trying to talk you out of the 5 in a day, but it's not realistic for some.

Keep in mind most of the trails are unmarked, so any newly fallen trees could steer you into dead-ends. If this happens turn around and walk back to where you were last on the trail and see if there's another way.

[Neil]

The route described is the trade route for the Dixes and IMO the least interesting way with the least views, in spite of the spectacular slide, the views from the various summits and the ridge between Hough and Dix. However, it is in all likelihood the most economical way to get the 5 in a day. Take a map and a compass and be mindful of avoiding any herd paths leading off of the ridge.

You may want to consider this variant from route 73 and avoid the muddy slog back to Elk Lake: follow the herd path up the North and South forks of the Boquet up the slide and do East Dix (Grace) first, then South-Macomb-South-Hough-Dix-Round Pond. You come out on the 73 about 3 miles from your starting point so you need to deal with that somehow. The route up the Forks of the Boquet is well described on Adirondackjourney.com.

There are many other variations but most of them make it pretty tough to get all 5 in a day.

[Bdavis]

Thanks

Thanks Kevin and Neil

Neil Great!!!! link to Adirondackjourney.com.

[hikerdad]

Bdavis:
You're pretty far in on these trailless peaks. Might not be a hike to do unless you're experienced with herd paths and route finding....also that would be a tough day hike...

[redhawk]

Bdavis:
You're pretty far in on these trailless peaks. Might not be a hike to do unless you're experienced with herd paths and route finding....also that would be a tough day hike...

Exactly.... Before you jump on any routes offered by the more experienced people, it will serve you to let us know how experienced you are.

"Fit" is relative, you may be young and active and think you are in great shape, and then find you have bitten off more than you can chew.

Not saying this is true in your particular case but it always makes me nervous seeing advice given without any knowledge of the experience level.

How much hiking have you done? backpacking? Elevation? How are your navigational skills?

Those questions really need to be answered before anyone can suggest what is a reasonable expectation with your safety in mind.

("old woman") hawk

[Naturlvr73]

So Kevin, are you saying do Dix as a one day hike, and add on Hough etc., in other words hike it over three different days? That's fantastic news....I had kind of ruled out doing the 46 thinking you had to do all five Dixes in one day...I could never see me able to do that, or enjoying a day like that.

Also, not to be annoying, but did anyone get a chance to see my ? re: Skylight a couple of threads back? I would love to get everyon's opinon on that. Just so you don't have to look back I had posted that we just got a fundraising appeal in the mail warning that the trail from Feldspar to Skylight was in bad repair and we could end up swimming in muddy water. Was wondering if anyone else had experienced that. We're planning to go in via Uppper Works at the end of June.

Thanks for your patience

Teresa

[Naturlvr73]

As soon as school gets out

[Bdavis]

Exactly.... Before you jump on any routes offered by the more experienced people, it will serve you to let us know how experienced you are.

"Fit" is relative, you may be young and active and think you are in great shape, and then find you have bitten off more than you can chew.

Not saying this is true in your particular case but it always makes me nervous seeing advice given without any knowledge of the experience level.

How much hiking have you done? backpacking? Elevation? How are your navigational skills?

Those questions really need to be answered before anyone can suggest what is a reasonable expectation with your safety in mind.

("old woman") hawk

Thanks for your concern.

Actually I will be with 2 other people. One of them has 30 years of Experience of Hiking all over the NE and the other has done over 20 of the high peaks. Both are excellent with maps and a compass.

As for myself I have only done 3 of the High Peaks (Phelps, Colden and Algonquin) and I am a serious Runner. My above friends got me hooked last year. I am just learning about and researching out a GPS. I am looking for waypoints for these five peaks.

I am the type of person that loves to research things out before I go. I learn alot especially from talking and lisitien to people like yourselves. Especially since none of us have done the Dix Range before it is always helpfull to hear about people suggestions and Experiences.

Thanks Again

[Kevin]

Since it's not exactly a secret, here's the tracks from my last hike of the Dix range (Elk Lake loop). You can make as many waypoints as you feel you need from these. Notice that sometimes there's sudden changes in the track, that's from where my GPS temporarily lost reception and the software interpolated the missing data.

The TPO file is for NG topo and the text file is a comma delimited text that can be imported into most mapping software.

[Neil]

If you like researching things out go and look at Andrew Lavigne's website.

Plenty of ADK tracklogs to download.

(If you decide to become a gps geek then you need the right computer software to go with the gps. There are many interesting threads in the GPS and navigation sub-forum on that subject.)

[five_head]

I am the type of person that loves to research things out before I go. I learn alot especially from talking and lisitien to people like yourselves. Especially since none of us have done the Dix Range before it is always helpfull to hear about people suggestions and Experiences.

Thanks Again

Glad to hear that you like to research ahead of time. One thing that you may have already found out that you will need to be prepared to carry plenty of water. Once you begin the ascent up the slide on Macomb and leave Slide Brook you will not find any good sources of water until you descend off Dix and get back to Lillian Brook. My son and I hiked all 5 peaks two summers ago. I carried a 3-liter hydration unit and ran out on the way down Dix.

[Kevin]

I carried a 3-liter hydration unit and ran out on the way down Dix.

I carried 3 liters the last time and ran out at about the same time. The problem is - the steep sections heading off Dix still require 'work' even to head down them, so by time I got to some running water I was pretty thristy.

There are a couple spots on the ridge where there could be water if it's been reasonably wet the days prior, but they probably can't be counted on. In my 2 trips I've seen water at these locations but have been told that's not always the case.

[Kevin]

If you like researching things out go and look at Andrew Lavigne's website.

Plenty of ADK tracklogs to download.

And they're dated, which is good in case something about the route changes you know which are still valid. I can also vouch for their accuracy after using several of them in the past 3 years. Andrew hikes a lot and updates his site regularly, so I don't suspect he'd leave incorrect information on there for long. Adirondack Journey also gets updated, I think Joel (although no longer a frequent 46 climber himself) receives tips when things change.

Generally changes are infrequent because of DEC regulations, and because rerouting of trails is serious business.

I know that the tracks/waypoints I uploaded include the new route to Macomb. I remember thinking how cool it was to walk on that fresh trail.

[adk joe]

To just do the 4 trailess minus dix is there a need to go to south then east then back to south to get to hough? then from hough you can get down without going to dix right?