Dix

[rup]

Hope to hit the Dix group this week - if the rain ever stops.

Can anyone suggest a trail report that is descriptive and accurate? I understand that the herd paths are a rat's nest, and would like to minimize wrong turns thru good advanced info. Although I would hate to give up the altitude gain, if time becomes a problem, I may need to do it in 2 parts.

 

[Neil]

HEREis a recent TR. And
HERE is the same person's thread requesting beta prior to the hike.

 

[rup]

Need a bit more info. Still getting the sea legs together after surgery, so time/milage may be an issue.

I remember a report somewhere - perhaps the ADR or one of the personal websites.

 

[elhefe007a]

I have some info on my site, here is a link to my report on the Dix Range from a month ago.

http://www.forthoseabouttorock.net/climb/adk/dixrange/dixrange.html

 

[Neil]

Adirondackjourney.com

 

[JoeCedar]

Dix Herd Paths

The charm of herd paths is that they are not laid out and maintained like interstate highways. Herd paths change every year, mostly due to blowdown. Over several years, they can then become circuitous, but the route is usually still logical. Sometimes multiple paths appear which raise the question "which is the right path". The answer is "it is the path which is going the direction I want to go".

On the Dixes, you only need to have a map and check your compass (you ARE using a compass and map, aren't you?) occasionally when changes in path seem to occur. If you are going in the right compass direction, then you are on the right path.

 

[Raymond]

My suggestion is to climb Dix first, from the Elk Lake end, then drop off the Beckhorn onto the herd path to Hough and it's all downhill from there back to your car. It will probably take about 12 hours. The herd path is straightforward from that end.

My son and I tried this last week and I have to admit that although I've done this hike twice before, I didn't see the herd path this time. Maybe because this time our ascent was via the Beckhorn trail? I don't know. It looked like it was going to rain anyway, so we had already decided that it would be better to put off all five for another day. We just summited Dix then went down again, this time through Hunters Pass. Of course, the sky cleared and it was beautiful, but that just gives me an excuse to attempt to go up Macomb slide some day.

I checked out the beginning of what I thought was the herd path to Macomb slide. at the cairn just after the second bridge, just before the lean-to, but the herd path there led to a campsite then split into two equally-good paths, and I have no idea which was the correct one to take, if either. Pete?

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I checked out the beginning of what I thought was the herd path to Macomb slide. at the cairn just after the second bridge, just before the lean-to, but the herd path there led to a campsite then split into two equally-good paths, and I have no idea which was the correct one to take, if either. Pete?

There shouldn't be a cairn there. The official herd path starts just after the first bridge (if coming from Elk Lake), and is marked by a cairn.

 

[Raymond]

Maybe I’m mixed up about which bridge it was. The red trail crossed a bridge and immediately jogged to the left; the cairn was to the right of the trail and the path curved uphill to the right. It led to a fire ring in a campsite. There was a second cairn at the back right corner of the site, the path went behind it and curved left, then split into two. I couldn’t tell which was the proper one of those two.

This is why I prefer to go to Dix and then drop onto the herd path, although, as I said, I didn’t see the path up there this time, either.

 

[BorealChickadee]

You've got the right description at the back of the campsite. The path follows along the brook for a while. I don't remember the second split behind the site so maybe they join up? I followed it twice this summer and it was a piece of cake.

Funny but I also remember it as being after the second bridge. The first one being more rustic. I remember pausing at the first one and my son looking at me with disdain as he knew we weren't to the correct bridge yet. Teh second bridge is a real bridge. Maybe the first one is classified as laid down split logs. Maybe it was all a dream.

There is a path leading out the left of the tentsite that appears to go to the potty area.

 

[tgoodwin]

Rup - Since you asked about possibly doing just part of the range, you might want to know the current status of the Lillian Brook route. Having heard conflicting reports this past summer that ranged from "all cut out" to "worst two hours of hiking ever", I checked it out from the bottom. There is now a route that has been cut through the worst of the '99 blowdown. It follows as closely as possible to the original herd path that followed the old lumber road on the south side (left side looking down) of Lillian Brook. This path diverges/joins the Dix Trail about 0.7 mi. from Slide Brook Lean-to. At the top of the cut section there is, curiously, a cairn on the north side of the brook with a herd path starting down that side. Don't take that as that is the route followed by those who described it as "the worst...."
Above the cut section there is some intermittent blowdown and the herd path has become somewhat vague due to lack of recent use. It is especially vague in the flatter area around 3,100 feet. I followed the branch that led to the South Dix/Macomb col and had to concentrate to follow the herd path both before and after the junction of the two herd paths. I would expect the path to the Hough/South Dix col is similar. The bottom line is that Lillian Brook is again a viable escape hatch - provided you stay on the left side of the lower part of the brook.

 

[Raymond]

Tony, does that path leave the Red Trail at the cairn on the rock with the pink ribbon hanging nearby? I took a peek at that last week and it didn’t appear to go very far. I wasn’t going to take it anyway, so I didn’t spend much time looking, but it sure didn’t look like much at that end.

Also, Barbara McMartin wrote in her book that the route (from the Hough-Pough col, anyway) should only be used for emergencies (too steep for regular use). Would you agree with that, or is it all right to take it whatever the circumstances?

 

[mavs00]

Also, Barbara McMartin wrote in her book that the route (from the Hough-Pough col, anyway) should only be used for emergencies (too steep for regular use). Would you agree with that, or is it all right to take it whatever the circumstances?

I think that may have been because of the independability of the paths at the time. Since Floyd decimetated the area and there were multiple nightmare stories about getting lost back there.

I've also heard that the path iwas recently cut out nice and in the best shape its been in years. Again, hearsay at this point, but if true, probably could lift the "emergency only" status.

 

[tgoodwin]

Yes, the cairn and flagging indicate the start of the reconstituted herd path. Barbara McMartin's comments probably stem from the fact that the upper section of that herd path is somewhat steep and eroded - therefore she didn't want to encourage further use. In my view, whatever damage has already been done, so additional use is not a significant issue. Hope this information helps.

 

[Raymond]

Thanks for the information.

That route has been a frequent subject here and I’ve always tried to discourage people from using it per Ms. McMartin’s concern. I figured she didn’t want to see another slide develop à la the one on Gray Peak.

If you think it’s okay to use, I’ll shut up about it.

(Tim, the book I have was originally published in 1989, and updated in 1998. Floyd hit in September 1999. I don’t know what the blowdown situation was like pre-Floyd, but it wasn’t the damage from the hurricane on her mind.)

 

[Pete_Hickey]

FWIW, the Lillian Brook path is listed in the Giant Wilderness UMP. We (46ers) are going out in a couple weeks, for a survey for re-frubishment. It'll probably be on the refurbished list and have an adopter next year or so.

 

[BorealChickadee]

FWIW, the Lillian Brook path is listed in the Giant Wilderness UMP. We (46ers) are going out in a couple weeks, for a survey for re-frubishment. It'll probably be on the refurbished list and have an adopter next year or so.

Wow! I just loved the Macomb,Carson and Grace area, but I don't like adding on the added length up to Dix and the steep trail down the becckhorn. Having the path down Lillian Brook would make a wonderful day loop up the slide and down lillian with a visit to Grace.