skidoc22
New member
Well the day started out promising enough, one group signed in for the whole Dix Range and another for Dix and Hough. I gave it a 50 - 50 chance that the Lillian Brook herd path would be broken out by one of the groups from the top down. Donning skis for the road from Clear Pond and then on to the Slide brook Lean to things proceded well. Left the skis there and started the snowshoe portion of the trip - trail nicely broken to the start of the herd path but , alas the herd path was not broken out. Well it was only 7:30 AM and maybe it wouldn't be that tough...
Initially the remnants of the trail were easy to follow with only about a foot of fresh snow covering. As I ascended it became less obvious but still followable. Off the trail spine the snow was 4-6 feet deep so there was a stiff penalty for losing the track. Checking the GPS I noted I had only gone about 1/2 mile in the first hour. GU, gatorade and back at it.
Another hour and another 1/2 mile. By the third hour the Gu and gatorade were no longer cutting it. the snow was about 2 feet on the spine and the path became more and more obscured. In the flattish area near where the two trails from the cols meet, the remnants of the path ceased to be enough to follow. I had gone 3/4 of the distance but the steep portion to the col was ahead and the snow was 4 plus feet. MSR tails were happily sitting in my car. Hoped against hope that a group would show up coming down from the top but it was not to be. Deciding to turn back was the only real option.
On the way down the going was quick - 1/3 of the time spent ascending. That is until a quick dip in the brook up to mid calf. Seems that log I crossed on the way up was a snow bridge piled on top of blowdown. Not being as careful on the way down, part of the snow broke away and I slowly but inevitably slid into the brook. Getting out was a bit of a challenge but soon I was back on my way down the path to the main trail. By the time I hit the Lean to one foot was cold so I changed socks and used my Vapor barrier liner I had brought (beats a plastic bag) - soggy shoe but pretty dry foot.
Rest of the trip was pretty uneventful about 1 1/2 hours on skis (actually snowshoed a bit to avoid the rocky stream area at the slide brook tributaries.
Hope to see a trail report from someone finishing connecting my path to the summit herd path before the next batch of snow. Sadly it may be easier and faster going over Dix and bushwacking down - especially if the path between the peaks is broken out.
__________________
Initially the remnants of the trail were easy to follow with only about a foot of fresh snow covering. As I ascended it became less obvious but still followable. Off the trail spine the snow was 4-6 feet deep so there was a stiff penalty for losing the track. Checking the GPS I noted I had only gone about 1/2 mile in the first hour. GU, gatorade and back at it.
Another hour and another 1/2 mile. By the third hour the Gu and gatorade were no longer cutting it. the snow was about 2 feet on the spine and the path became more and more obscured. In the flattish area near where the two trails from the cols meet, the remnants of the path ceased to be enough to follow. I had gone 3/4 of the distance but the steep portion to the col was ahead and the snow was 4 plus feet. MSR tails were happily sitting in my car. Hoped against hope that a group would show up coming down from the top but it was not to be. Deciding to turn back was the only real option.
On the way down the going was quick - 1/3 of the time spent ascending. That is until a quick dip in the brook up to mid calf. Seems that log I crossed on the way up was a snow bridge piled on top of blowdown. Not being as careful on the way down, part of the snow broke away and I slowly but inevitably slid into the brook. Getting out was a bit of a challenge but soon I was back on my way down the path to the main trail. By the time I hit the Lean to one foot was cold so I changed socks and used my Vapor barrier liner I had brought (beats a plastic bag) - soggy shoe but pretty dry foot.
Rest of the trip was pretty uneventful about 1 1/2 hours on skis (actually snowshoed a bit to avoid the rocky stream area at the slide brook tributaries.
Hope to see a trail report from someone finishing connecting my path to the summit herd path before the next batch of snow. Sadly it may be easier and faster going over Dix and bushwacking down - especially if the path between the peaks is broken out.
__________________
