Macomb, South Dix(Carson), East Dix(Grace) Hough and Dix, NY
Date: 07/30/2006
Persons in Group: Brian.
Weather Conditions: 75 Degree's, sunny and perfect.
Route: Elk Late, 2.1 miles to Slide Brook. From Slide Brook, followed the herd path east to the base of the Macomb Slide. Followed the Macomb Slide to .2 below the summit and herd paths from there. From Macomb to South Dix, easy to follow herd path. Likewise from South Dix to East Dix, although the path was more overgrown in places. Back to South Dix, the path to Hough was tough. Very steep. Likewise from Hough to Dix.
Total Miles: Somewhere around 15-16.
Total Time: Right about 11h30m
Notes: I left the Elk Lake parking lot @ 7:45 and headed in. I was on top of Macomb by 10:30...it was pretty wet the whole way, so the slide was a bit tricky on the footing angle of things. I could tell already that this was going to be a great day for views...things were already opening up, I had clear views of Marcy, Basin, Saddleback, Skylight, Allen, etc etc. I took a quick beather, and headed off the South Dix. The herd path between the two are very easy to follow, and the rocks you need to climb to the South Dix summit were great. The actual summit of South Dix is wooded, but cliffs all around to go out on. I located the herd path to East Dix and headed out. On what seemed like a long long descent, I finally hit a col marked with a cairn, and climbed .3 or so miles to the summit of East Dix, where again, amazing views. No haze at all, I could see almost the entire Long Trail from my perspective. I headed back to South Dix, and ran into two guys doing the same loop as myself. I had seen them on the bottom of the slide as I was nearing the top, so it was great to meet up with them. Once back on South Dix, I chugged some water, and headed to Hough. What a ballbreaker...this herd path was fairly easy to follow, but rough. I see why people used to do Dix/Hough on a different day. After dropping some serious altitude, it was strait up to the summit of Hough. I took a break here for an hour or so, and chatted with these two other guys, also from Burlington VT, who had come in from the Dix side. The views from Hough were great, visibility was almost limitless. I packed up, and descended Hough, which was again, strait down. You lose about 400 feet of elevation quickly, and then again, climb straight up Dix to almost 4900 feet. Amazing views again, the best of the day.
The only thing I would recomend watching out for is the Lillian Brook herd path that branches east from the campsite in the col between South Dix and Hough. You'll start dropping elevation quickly, and if you pull a compass bearing, you'll be headed more east than north.
The descent from Dix via the BeckHorn was essentially straight down, which seems never ending. I eventually hit the bottom, and did the 3.8 miles on relativally flat ground to the truck at Elk Lake. #17-#21 in the 46.
My GPS track for the day.
Rough elevation profile, I think due to some tree cover and such, I had a couple lost instances. But you get the general idea. It is very steep up Macomb, as well as the section between South Dix -> Hough -> Dix.
The sign at Elk Lake. I would be heading into Slide Brook(at 2.3 miles) and exiting Dix via The BeckHorn. (6.6 from the summit of Dix).
2.3 miles in, I come to the cairn marking the herdpath to Macomb. The path is easy to follow (hell, it's even flagged) to the slide.
A look at the Macomb slide (the middle one) that I would be climbing. The clouds were clearing up very fast.
A look down the slide. Very loose and sandy. Coupled with some wet weather the previous night or so, it made for some slipping around.
Higher up the slide, looking down. There are actually two people at the base of it in this picture.
Clouds are lifting...and the views would stay all day.
Marcy, Haystack, Basin, Saddleback, Colvin. Small clouds that cleared very quickly.
Macomb Summit.
View of Marcy, Skylight, Haystack, Basin, Saddleback, Colvin and Blake from Macomb.
Nippletop from Macomb.
Base of South Dix, looking up.
More looking up South Dix.
Me, moving up South Dix.
South Dix (Carson).
East Dix (Grace).
From East Dix, looking back at Macomb and South Dix.
From East Dix, looking to Hough and Dix.
Campsite in the col between South Dix and Hough. I believe the Lillian Brook exit path intersects here.
Hough Summit.
Marcy, Haystack, Skylight, Allen, Blake and Colvin from Hough.
Nippletop and Gothics to the right from Hough.
Dix from Hough.
East Dix from Hough.
Marcy and Haystack center stage from Hough.
Dix from a bump between Hough and Dix.
Hough and Macomb from a bump on the way to Dix.
Colvin Marker - Dix Summit.
The Beckhorn and Macomb from Dix.
East Dix from Dix.
Elk Lake from Dix.
Giant, Noonmark and Rocky Peak Ridge from Dix.
Gothics from Dix.
Wolf Jaws, Armstrong, Gothics, Saddleback, Basin from Dix. Nippletop is in the Front.
Back on the Beckhorn, looking to Dix before I head down the last 6+ miles...ouch.