Dix Rain oh I mean Dix Range

[1ADAM12]

Trip report long

Friday June 2 we arrived at the trailhead with sunny skies and temps in the 70’s. WE made it to the Slide Brook Lean-to in about an hour and set up camp. We made a fire and just enjoyed ourselves before the long hike of the Dix Range.

Saturday we awoke around 6am made breakfast and set off by about 6:45am. Seth, Kit, and I found the herd path to Macomb and started away. The blowdown was very minimal and the Macomb Slide was intense. As we started climbing the slide the weather started getting bad. The rain and the wind picked up and started getting cold. MY thermometer said it was 44 and I bet the wind chill was in the low 30’s. We had views of Elk Lake and the mountains that surrounded the lake but that was soon to change.

By the time we reached the top of the slide we were clouded in. We had the best views of inside a cloud that anyone could ask for. We took some pictured and pressed on. The longer we stopped the colder we felt. The herd path was easy to pick up to Carson and when we hit the boulder field there were……you guest it snow flakes in the air. We could not believe it. We almost walked past the summit of Carson as the summit marker was high in the tree. When you finally come to a flat spot in the trees you have reached the summit of Carson.

Once again the herd path was easy to pick up on the way to Grace. I cannot believe how fast the hike went. I think we made it to Grace in about 45 minutes. The faster we hiked the warmer we felt. All I can say is if you were not prepared with the proper clothing hypothermia was definitely in the air. A few times we found ourselves shivering. On top of Grace I put another layer of clothing on and felt a lot better. The whole trip we had our raingear on. Never once did we take it off. By the time we summited Grace we had ice pellets hitting us in the face and winds in the 30mph range I am guessing. Needless to say we did not stick around long.

We backtracked to Carson and then picked up the herd path to Hough. This was the kicker. I think this was the most tiring part of the trip and definitely the longest. We finally reached the campsite between Pough and Hough and had to get the compass out. IT made us feel a little more at ease knowing we were on a correct compass bearing.

We finally made it to the summit and saw the disk on a tree and it is not even marked “Hough” Carson and Grace had the names on the disks. Man it seemed like it took us forever to reach the Beckhorn. Plus we were whipped. IT had been a long day and we reached the Beckhorn at 4:30pm. On the herd paths I did not think the blowdown was bad at all. When I think of bad blowdown I think of how Redfield use to be when I climbed that.

If you are going up to the Dixes don’t worry about the blowdown it is minimal. The worse of the blowdown was descending from the Beckhorn. Here is where it starts to get interesting. On Friday while we were eating dinner a party of three came in 2 guys and a girl and they were all 20 years old. It is their first time to the Adirondacks and they plan on spending 10 days in the back country.

When the 3 of us reached the Beckhorn we hear “HELLO” “HELP” We answered back “Where are you” and finally we see a head come appearing from below. It was one of the guys we say on Friday. He had the girls pack with him and he was getting ready to head down and get his pack. We told him to turn around that he would never make it to the Boquet River Lean-to before dark.

We followed him back down to where he left the others. The girl was in bad shape and freezing to death. There was no way she was going to make it to the other side of Dix with the weather and the shape she was in. Seth and Kit took turn carrying her pack down the mountain while I stayed back with her to help her down.

Don’t ask me what happened to the other two guys they disappeared when they figured we would help her. I was kind of pissed off that they ditched her. About an hour later we ran into the guys waiting for us. Once they saw us they took off again, IT was almost like they were making sure she was taken care of. It was like she was a burden to them.

Finally after two hours of taking turns with her pack I caught up with the other two guys and told them to wait up. I told them in order for us to make our lean-to before dark we had to get going. They were off the ridge line the girl was warmed up and feeling better. So we made the decision to press on without the others. I talked with one of the guys and told him not to let her out of his sight and walk with her. He agreed and said that was a stupid thing to do leaving her behind. They only had about another hour to their lean-to. Later on we ran into a few others and said they made it back to the Lean-to so we were happy and relieved.

We finally made it back to our lean-to just after 9pm. The trail from the Beckhorn is a river and no way to keep your feet dry. There were areas of standing water 2 feet deep. I could not believe it. This trail was worse than the Bradley Pond area. If you plan on going to the Dixes in the near future be prepared for very wet trails.

This is the first time in June that I have experienced 3 season hiking. We had the spring rain, the winter snowflakes and the freezing rain ice pellets. UNREAL!!!!!!!! All in all we had a great time….just a little wet.

On the way out Sunday we ran into Wende Grubbs Hokirk and her husband Larry. They adopted the herd path to Macomb. They were going in to do a blowdown sweep. Those of you that don’t know her she is in the book “ Women with Altitude” So it was really cool meeting her. Finally back to the car and home. I am pretty sore hiking all 4 peaks it even hurts to type this long report.

A few questions! Would you have skipped Dix to help the 3 others that were ill prepared for the conditions in the mountains that day or would you have pressed on to the summit? Also are there fired allowed in the Dix Range? Wende told us she thought they were now prohibited. We never saw and signs that said fires prohibited.

One thing I learned from this trip was ALWAYS come prepared! This weekend showed how the Adirondacks are not FORGIVING if you’re ill-prepared!

When I get the pics downloaded I will put them up. There is not much do to the wet weather.

[Rik]

Great report. Way to go helping out other hikers. I love hearing about that stuff from our little group here.

[Mavs00]

Originally Posted by 1ADAM12

A few questions! Would you have skipped Dix to help the 3 others that were ill prepared for the conditions in the mountains that day or would you have pressed on to the summit? Also are there fired allowed in the Dix Range? Wende told us she thought they were now prohibited. We never saw and signs that said fires prohibited.

Personally, I probably would NOT have. You see, it's natures way. Nature intended for those people to die up there. Darwins "Natural selection" and all that, it how our species evolves and advances. Besides, now you gotta go back up there and bag Dix now, for your list...... Geeesh, I would think thats a no brainer there..

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Of course you did the right thing, and you will be richly rewarded one day for it one day. Sounds to me, like someone was quite lucky you guys came along when you did. Times of difficulty and how we respond to them are what define our character, and yours is quite apparent in your report. As for 3-season hiking in June.... fun, huh. We actually had some of that one early August on Mt. Adams (NH). 60 MPH winds, with chills in the 20's. pretty amazing stuff.

Actually, it's good that you left Dix out. You NEED to go back and do that range on a good day, it's simply amazing.

[lumberzac]

Great trip report. That weather sounds just like the weather I had the last time I tried hiking the Dix Range. You did an honorable thing helping that young woman off the ridge.

To answer your questions I most definitely would have skipped the summit to help. Hitting a summit is nowhere close to the value of a human life.
As far as I know fires are still permitted in the Dix Mountain Wilderness, it’s just not encouraged.

[adkdremn]

Great report Adam! Wow, I wish I could have been there with you guys. You had a little bit of everything wrapped up into one trip....interesting weather, a rescue, etc. Great memories! Let me know when you reschedule the good weather trip!

[Hikerdad]

1ADAM12:

Great report. I actually wondered about you guys this weekend what with all the rain...(I'm from just down the road from you in-between Owego and Binghamton)... Just goes to show how the weather can be a factor even in the summer. You did the right thing to help the others. It's always interesting to hear about situations like that...helps to keep you from getting over-confident. From the Beckhorn to the summit is very close so you were VERY close...

[1ADAM12]

I did not mind skipping the summit of Dix to help out fellow hikers plus I have already bagged Dix about 8 years ago. Come to think of it I did not have a view that day either. Its definately on my to do list the whole range is!

[adkdremn]

Look on the bright side Adam....I assume the black flies weren't a problem!

[timmus]

It must be frustrating to help out unprepared hikers, and seing some of them taking advantage of it... You did the right thing telling the guys about it, and I bet the girl will never hike with those guys again.

Skipping Dix summit was a good decision, although it's sooo close from the Beckhorn... But how can you tell someone : I'm gonna help you, but wait 15 minutes while I go on Dix looking at the foggy views ?

Great TR, and the Dix Range is such a wonderful place, you don't even need a reason to go back there a zillions of times.

[Rookie]

Nice report !
What an interesting experience.
You did the right thing. It means more than bagging a peak, any day !

[pete_hickey]

Originally Posted by Mavs00

Personally, I probably would NOT have. You see, it's natures way. Nature intended for those people to die up there. Darwins "Natural selection" and all that, it how our species evolves and advances

And I'll bet you eat peanuts on planes, too.

Hey, they're talking about outlawing perfume in Ottawa. What species will be be evolving to.

Hey, if you left them, and they died, you could'a been just like that everest crew. You most certainly would have had your 15 minutes of fame.

[1ADAM12]

One more thing I forgot to add. I wanted to thank Mike1889 for his fine efforts in taking care of the Slide Brook Lean-to.

Mike looks like we were the first ones to sign the book since you replaced the old one.

Thanks again,
Adam

[imarchant]

Nice report. Thinking about doing this trip in about a month. Hope the weather in better for me

[masshysteria]

Adam, you're a good man! Obviously the only one that young lady saw all day! The last time I did the Range was in the fog, but I got some great pics of the fog rolling off of Dix from E.Dix. Tom (Mini) and I are going to do the Range after the ADKHP Family Campout and Reunion, so thanks for the trail condition info.

[Neil]

Lemme see if I have this right. It's 4:30, freezing cold, raining etc. The guy goes up ahead of the girl carrying her pack while she waits. He's calling help as he does this. His plan is to go back down and get his pack and she was supposed to follow him. Then they were going to go over Dix and down to the lean-to. So while she sits around doing nothing she gets colder and colder. Or was she moving up the trail?

That sounds like a pretty crazy scenario. I know I would have helped in whatever capacity I could.

I think you can have fires there but without an axe to split open the wood and get to the dry inner parts I bet it would have been tough to get a fire giong.

[1ADAM12]

Originally Posted by Neil

Lemme see if I have this right. It's 4:30, freezing cold, raining etc. The guy goes up ahead of the girl carrying her pack while she waits. He's calling help as he does this. His plan is to go back down and get his pack and she was supposed to follow him. Then they were going to go over Dix and down to the lean-to. So while she sits around doing nothing she gets colder and colder. Or was she moving up the trail?

That sounds like a pretty crazy scenario. I know I would have helped in whatever capacity I could.

I think you can have fires there but without an axe to split open the wood and get to the dry inner parts I bet it would have been tough to get a fire giong.

Actually she was sitting on the trail when we found her in shorts and a T-shirt. She was just putting on her spring jacket when we saw her and it was not a rain jacket from what I could tell.

We did have an AXE with us so it was pretty easy to start a fire. Andy your right the black flies were not bad at all They were out a little on Friday but not to bad.

[Joe H.]

Nice report and well done. I hope they were appreciative of your efforts on their behalf. You are due a spell of good weather on the next go around.

[ajtiv]

Great report One heck of a weather day

Just to let you know I was hiking Santinoni on Saturday it was one really nice river even on the summit

[Hitched Hiker]

Sounds like a great hike. At least you lucked out the flys.

I can't imagine what that crew was going to do for the remainder of thier ten days if this was any indicator of things to come. That poor girl must still be up there with her shorts- frozen!
Some people like to learn the hard way. I guess she learned to get new friends. That's really too bad because an experience like that will deter her from ever hiking again. If she was prepared and knew what she was getting into she might have really enjoyed herself.

Nice job in helping them out and I'm glad you had a great trip.

[mike1889]

Originally Posted by 1ADAM12

One more thing I forgot to add. I wanted to thank Mike1889 for his fine efforts in taking care of the Slide Brook Lean-to.

Mike looks like we were the first ones to sign the book since you replaced the old one.

Thanks again,
Adam

You're welcome! We replaced the log book on 5/28 after hearing it needed replacing. Actually most of the old book was gone/missing. I wonder if someone used it to start a fire? Fires are definitely still allowed there. Here's a couple of pics of the lean-to area, one before we did any work, and one after. Basically we removed most of the big charred logs and useless branches, raked the area in the front and sides of the lean-to, rebuilt the fireplace (removed excess ashes and got rid of unneeded rocks), and removed what little trash there was (except for the heavy metal parts left over from the lumber camp). There was some camper's stuff in the lean-to when we did the work, we wondered if they noticed any difference when they returned from their hike (apparently they didn't write anything in the new log book).