Please excuse the repeat of this message. Planning climb up via Slide Brook on Saturday AM, overnighting in the range and completing as many of the other peaks as we can. An earlier poster asked if the gates to the Elk Lake access road are now open. Is there any clarification on that? More importantly, how are the ice conditions on the slide on Macomb, and is the herd path that avoids the slide reasonably clear? Any other problem areas? What's the overall summit cover like -- I'm assuming hardpack, but we are packing snowshoes, full crampons and ice axes. Any and all advice appreciated.
Dix Range Conditions
- Thread starter erd
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percious
Well-known member
we are heading into the same area this weekend. We are heading up slide brook friday morning, and camping up on the range somewhere (below 3500ft) We plan on bringing crampons, but that is about it. I think we will just suffer though through post holes as necessary. Should be a slushy time!! 
Jean
Active member
I just got back from there yesterday.
Conditions are very wet, with some ice and 3 feet of very rotten snow up top.
The trail to the Slide brook leanto is very wet.
First river crossing at Lillian Brook is tricky but manageable. The trail up to Dix is like walking is a brook for the first mile.
There are icy sections after that all the way to the Beckhorn.
Path to Hough is easy to follow with lots of postholing and spruce traps waist deep.
We did not do Grace and Carson be cause of the poor quality of the snow.
Macomb was much easier.
Slide up Macomb is mostly dry with an icy section at the very top just before you pick up the heardpath again. Then crusty snow to the summit. Brought the GPS but did not use it.
Hope this helps.
Conditions are very wet, with some ice and 3 feet of very rotten snow up top.
The trail to the Slide brook leanto is very wet.
First river crossing at Lillian Brook is tricky but manageable. The trail up to Dix is like walking is a brook for the first mile.
There are icy sections after that all the way to the Beckhorn.
Path to Hough is easy to follow with lots of postholing and spruce traps waist deep.
We did not do Grace and Carson be cause of the poor quality of the snow.
Macomb was much easier.
Slide up Macomb is mostly dry with an icy section at the very top just before you pick up the heardpath again. Then crusty snow to the summit. Brought the GPS but did not use it.
Hope this helps.
percious
Well-known member
would an Ice axe be useful?
I'm planning on ice axe, Northern Lites snowshoes (since I think we'll make better progress on the rotten snow with them and they aren't at all heavy to haul) and full crampons. I'm not 100 percent sure on the ice-axe, but with the colder weather this weekend I think it might be very handy. I'll maybe throw a bit of 5 mm static in my pack, for unforseen eventualities, but I'll see how burdened I feel!
percious
Well-known member
right now my pack is pushing 26 lbs for a 4 day outing. Thats not too shabby, but I might be a tad underpacked clothes wise. We are bringing the snowshoes in the car, but they will stay there unless we just cant handle the snow.
I have a feeling the snowshoes wont be any better then crampons for rotten snow anyway. This is a tough season.
I really dont know what to do about the ice axers. We are going to throw them in the car. Perhaps static line is a good idea. We will have a radio on us, but no batteries in it unless there is an emergency (take them from the head-lights). If you have a radio, what frequencies are you using?
I have a feeling the snowshoes wont be any better then crampons for rotten snow anyway. This is a tough season.
I really dont know what to do about the ice axers. We are going to throw them in the car. Perhaps static line is a good idea. We will have a radio on us, but no batteries in it unless there is an emergency (take them from the head-lights). If you have a radio, what frequencies are you using?
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