Entire Dix Range In Winter

[critter]

My hiking buddy and I recently went on a scouting trip to the Dix Range for our hike this winter. What we decided was that our plan of hiking in on day one to camp, climbing the entire range on day two and going back to our camp and hiking out on day three might not work for us.
I was looking for advice on strategies that have worked for people to complete the entire range in one trip in the winter.
Some ideas we have had are to do a thru hike of the range and either going down East Dix to 73, or going down Macomb to Elk Lake. I am unsure of two things, the condition and difficulty of the route off of East Dix and whether or not you can park at or near Elk Lake in the winter.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hillman1]

We went in from 73 up the great slide on E Dix, and did the entire range, minus Macomb, coming out at round pond. That was a heck of a hike.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Elk Lake parking is available, but it is 1.5 miles further in Winter. Got skis?

If you start there, do the Macomb Slide, then South, East, South. From there, you can decide if Hough and/or Dix are in the cards. If not, return over Macomb.

Remember, these are mostly herd paths. They are not always easy to follow in the Winter. Have a backup plan for each peak.

 

[Aviarome]

I think your original plan is doable. You can hike in from the winter parking area by Elk Lake and camp day one at the lean-to/campsite where the herd path for Macomb starts. On day 2, climb the Dix range, and then come down the trail back to the the lean-to. Day 3, hike out. I think quite a lot of people have tried to do it all as a day trip, but many finish on Hough and come down the herd path instead of completing Dix. So it's certainly doable, especially if you start your day from the Macomb herd path instead of the parking area. It just might be dark when you start and finish.

Also, the trail was broken last year by late December there and throughout the rest of the season. Of course, it could change depending on the year/snowfall.

Aviarome

 

[Raymond]

Hillman, did you do the East Dix slide in winter? It looked pretty steep, what little I saw of it.

 

[Jay H]

When a bunch of us did the 5 dixes in a day in late january, we went in via the Boquet to South dix, out and back to East and Macomb, then to Hough and Pough to the Beckhorn, to Dix, then out to Round Pond... Was a very very long day and about 17 miles.. but we had a great bunch of strong hikers..

Jay

 

[John H Swanson]

The first time I did the dixes in winter I went from Elk Lake as a day hike(actually Clear Pond) We hiked Macomb, S, E, and Hough. Summited Hough at 3:30. We had a car at 73 but looking at the beckhorn on Dix in fading light made us feel that it could have been the Lhotse Face. We then went back on our tracks to the car at Clear Pond. 15 hrs.

The second time in winter, we dayhiked Dix and Hough from 73. Then we dayhiked East and South via West Mill Brook. Then we dayhiked Macomb from Clear Pond.

 

[mirabela]

I would not count on finding the HP from East Dix to 73 broken out in winter. If you try it that way, make sure you're waiting until far enough along in the season to freeze up the stream crossings really well, and watch what you're doing anyway. There are at least half a dozen crossings of the south fork Boquet, which range from trivial to fairly big depending on melt. Then there are three crossings of the north fork, which are never small, and are sometimes torrential. You can bushwhack up a high hillside to avoid the two closest to the highway, but the one where the HP leaves the north fork and crosses over to the south fork is mandatory.

Descending the slide in winter conditions is unlikely to be safe or fun, but there is a herd path down to the base of the slide that leaves the ridge between East Dix and South Dix, right at the bottom of the steep climb up to the East Dix summit.

As someone else said, finding things like that in winter can be really tough.

 

[Ashfordite]

My nephew and I did a similar trip a few years ago in March. We pulled sleds to the leanto near the start of the Macomb HP. We stayed there two nights. We did 3 of the five summits (Macomb/S Dix/Hough). E Dix would have been an easy addition and a strong hiker could have done all 5 without too much trouble. That day, the trails were all broken out and easy to follow. The snow and ice conditions on the Macomb slide made the ascent a little scary. For the return, we bushwhacked from the HP between Macomb and S Dix to the base of the slide. We liked that much better.

Good luck with your plans.

Len

 

[skidoc22]

Another choice

Since nobody mentioned the Lillian Brook path...

Day 1 Car from Clear Pond to Slide Brook LT - set up camp

Day 2 Macomb slide to S. Dix to E. Dix to S. Dix - decision point - to continue to Hough/ Dix or return to LT via either Macomb (climb back to Macomb and down slide) or down Lillian Bk path starting at col b/w Mac and S. Dix

optional Day 3 Dix/ Hough and out Lillian Brook starting at col b/w Hough and Pough and out to LT

What will make all the difference is which paths are broken out ...

 

[peak_bgr]

It can be done in a day without camping, if you are preparred for the long day. Broken out it took a group of us 12 hours to get them all. Round Pond and down to Bouquet River.

If you decide to camp, stay near Slide Brook and go for Macomb first. If the herd path is untouched, the traverse of the range will be near impossible in a day. Plan accordingly and be sure to check in here to see what the conditions are, you may need to alter plans.