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Not a registered user, and not very used to the "thread" game. Hoping some will find it helpful of me to share the conditions of the Dix Range as of two days ago!
Started at the gate at Clear Pond, South of Elk Lake on Elk Lake Road at 630am. The gate is closed, even though the road to Elk Lake is plowed down to the ice/pavement and it is being sanded. Trucks working on the road nearer the lake even passed us by as we walked.
The trail to the cairn/turnoff for Macomb's slide is clear and easy going.
The path to the base of Macomb's slide was packed and easy to follow visually; however there was some blow-down... the worst kind that you can't quite throw a leg over, but can't quite duck under! =P
The slide was (mostly) powder and easy to kick steps; we didn't even use snowshoes.
This may seem vague, but really once on top of the range it was easy going. Clearly defined and packed paths. There were only some exceptions when moving toward Hough and The Horn: one or two splits in the herd path and some VERY tight bush, but if we just chose which paths we thought would make most sense and pushed through the bush on the trail that was already established and we got there just fine!
From Dix/The Horn we went down the yellow trail and then out the Elk Lake trail!
It snowed early in the day and was still shockingly easy to follow. I had a compass, a GPS, a map, and took DETAILED bearings from many points at home just to hardly need a single navigational aid.
!!!We all know one good day of snow can erase a visible packed trail, so take this information with good judgement!!!
According to the register, quite a few trips had already been made since the new year along parts or the whole of the range. We actually ran into two guys camping on our way out who planned to do at least Mac, Grace, and Carson the next day.
As always, bring a lot of water, food, and emergency overnight gear. This was my first time on this range and I could see how things could turn dire very quickly and very easily!
Left Vehicle: 630am
Collapsed back into vehicle: 830pm
Miles: 17.5
Started at the gate at Clear Pond, South of Elk Lake on Elk Lake Road at 630am. The gate is closed, even though the road to Elk Lake is plowed down to the ice/pavement and it is being sanded. Trucks working on the road nearer the lake even passed us by as we walked.
The trail to the cairn/turnoff for Macomb's slide is clear and easy going.
The path to the base of Macomb's slide was packed and easy to follow visually; however there was some blow-down... the worst kind that you can't quite throw a leg over, but can't quite duck under! =P
The slide was (mostly) powder and easy to kick steps; we didn't even use snowshoes.
This may seem vague, but really once on top of the range it was easy going. Clearly defined and packed paths. There were only some exceptions when moving toward Hough and The Horn: one or two splits in the herd path and some VERY tight bush, but if we just chose which paths we thought would make most sense and pushed through the bush on the trail that was already established and we got there just fine!
From Dix/The Horn we went down the yellow trail and then out the Elk Lake trail!
It snowed early in the day and was still shockingly easy to follow. I had a compass, a GPS, a map, and took DETAILED bearings from many points at home just to hardly need a single navigational aid.
!!!We all know one good day of snow can erase a visible packed trail, so take this information with good judgement!!!
According to the register, quite a few trips had already been made since the new year along parts or the whole of the range. We actually ran into two guys camping on our way out who planned to do at least Mac, Grace, and Carson the next day.
As always, bring a lot of water, food, and emergency overnight gear. This was my first time on this range and I could see how things could turn dire very quickly and very easily!
Left Vehicle: 630am
Collapsed back into vehicle: 830pm
Miles: 17.5
