Parade Of Fools: ADIRONDACKS !!!!!

[wrongway_08]

Been wanting to do this one for a while! Going to be a great time !


What: 17.3 mile loop
Where: Adirondacks, NY
When: Sept 18,19,20. (Friday Saturday, Sunday)
Who: Anyone able to safely complete hike
Length: 2 nighter
Plan: Drive 14 hours after work and start hiking to a camp area, (might just be a big flat rock - not going to be tooooo picky after being awake for over 24 hours,. ) sleep, then wake up and start hiking again.

Oh yea: As usual, you are responsible for you on this trip. Sounds like some of the trail is really old game trail, so semi-expect to take one or two wrongways on this hike.

Directions TO TRAILHEAD: Take I-87 to exit 30 and head northwest on US 9. In 2.4 miles, continue northwest on NY 73 for 1.2 miles to the parking area. From Lake Placid, take NY 73 southeast for 26.2 miles to the pull-off

Click for link: http://bp2.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewT...?tripId=368779

Description: South of Lake Placid, this 17.3-mile loop tracks unmaintained trails and herd paths through lush forest to a peak-bagging route along an Adirondack
cirque. From an off-the-road parking lot, follow a herd path past several campsites and killer swimming holes before crossing the Bouquet River. Before the steeper climbing kicks in, you'll reach several group-size campsites.
Veering south up East Dix, the trail gets steeper, turning to cobbles and roots as it ascends the trickling headwaters of the Bouquet and then the East Dix slide, an open slab of blue-grey rock to the summit (where a single-tent campsite awaits). At the rocky summit, take in views of the entire Dix cirque then follow cairns along the rocky ridge to the South Dix summit.
From there, descend rocks and drop into a col on an optional 1.4-mile detour south to the summit of Macomb Mountain. Retrace to the South Dix col, and head north towards Hough Peak as you climb, descend, and scramble past ledge overlooks of Dix and Elk Lake. Hiking through a blow-down, you’ll climb steeply toward Dix Mountain. Take in 360-degree views, then hike down a steep, rooty (but marked) trail along the Dix slide, descending about 1,600 feet and following cairns and paint as you cross the slide.
At the bottom of the slide, the maintained trail descends gently through hardwood forest, eventually crossing the Bouquet to a lean-to (one of three in the Dix Wilderness), and continuing another 4.2 miles back to Route 73.


Whos going:
- Wrongway_08 & Erwin the dog (if allowed on this trail)

[Tinker]

I'd love to go but if all goes well for me I hope to be doing a thruhike of the Long Trail. I know, I sectioned the whole thing, but I think this would be more of an adventure.

[wrongway_08]

Awesome Tinker! Glad you get the chance to do it all in one shot ! Will be easy going for you the second time around - this time you will know all the good camping spots and have a good idea of how to plan your days to make the hike "easy".

[Tinker]

My wife isn't too crazy about me being away for three weeks. Most of my hikes have been up to two. I invited her but................

[wrongway_08]

It gives her a break from hearing about all you'r crazy hiking talk ....

[Tinker]

She doesn't listen anyway - that's why I'm here!

[sasquatch2014]

I will have to play it by ear. I had promised to do a cannoe trip with a friend of mine about that same time frame.

[CowHead]

I busy every weekend in September but October I have 9 days in a row to hike hike hike and hike
Planning to go Pen Mar to Dunccanon PA

[wrongway_08]

CowHead, let me know when you are doing that trip, I can meet up with you for at least a overnighter - if not 2 nights, if you want company. Should have off week days then, most likely mon/tues or wed/thurs.

[CowHead]

CowHead, let me know when you are doing that trip, I can meet up with you for at least a overnighter - if not 2 nights, if you want company. Should have off week days then, most likely mon/tues or wed/thurs.

Will let you know for sure alway's enjoy the company

[VegetableRing]

I might be in pending the date and house closing

[wrongway_08]

Just posed the dates, Sept 18,19,20

- Friday, Sept 18 : Driving up after work, shhould get up there around 2 or 3am, we can start night hiking then - if up to it. OR If the group wants to hike in a few miles and I will meet them at the campsite.

- Sat, Sept 19 : Start the hike, would like to cowboy camp on the ridge.

- Sun, Sept 20 : Finish the rest of the hike and then I can drive back the 12 or so hours, just in time to go to work at 5:30 am.

I called the local outfitters and the said there are no trail maps for this ara, they only have a area map of the mountains. Ordered it in, should have it Saturday. Plan is to try and pull some GPS points off the web and mark them on the map - dont know if there are any GPS points.... have to find out.

[VegetableRing]

That is the weekend I close, hope you have a wonderful time. See you on the next go around.

[wrongway_08]

That sucks.

Have fun with the house , Congrats on the house also! Get ready for that honey to do list .....

[sasquatch2014]

Just posed the dates, Sept 18,19,20

- Friday, Sept 18 : Driving up after work, shhould get up there around 2 or 3am, we can start night hiking then - if up to it. OR If the group wants to hike in a few miles and I will meet them at the campsite.

- Sat, Sept 19 : Start the hike, would like to cowboy camp on the ridge.

- Sun, Sept 20 : Finish the rest of the hike and then I can drive back the 12 or so hours, just in time to go to work at 5:30 am.

I called the local outfitters and the said there are no trail maps for this ara, they only have a area map of the mountains. Ordered it in, should have it Saturday. Plan is to try and pull some GPS points off the web and mark them on the map - dont know if there are any GPS points.... have to find out.

The weather started getting rough.......A three hour tour a three hour tour. Say hello to Gilligan for me.

[Toolshed]

This area is all herd paths, except for the marked trail up Dix. I have been up once in summer and once in winter (got all 5 peaks in one trip in summer, but not in winter). There are bailout paths off the col between Hough and Dix.
You might want to go onto VFTT (viewsfromthetop.com) or ADKhighpeaks.com. therer are regular groups of 46ers that hang out there that have been up much more recently than I have.

A 46er acquiantance leads annual trail maintenance work trips in that area to make the existing correct herd paths more noticeable and cut down the trampling of new/incorrect herdpaths. I can reach out and see what they are using to mark the HP's nowadays, if you would like....

[wrongway_08]

Thanks, will check it out. All the help i can get to stay on the path is appreciated!

[Deadeye]

Should be a great trip. Be aware - once you leave the Bouquet head waters and head up the slide, water will be scarce to non-existent along the ridge to Macomb, and over Hough and Dix until you're partway down Dix. You could make a side trip down to find water in Lillian Brook that drains the Macomb-South Dix col, otherwise Camel up!

It's a beautiful part of the 'Daks. If you don't have it already, I recommend "Discover the Adirondack High Peaks" by Barbara McMartin (lake view Press). Good descriptions of the unmarked trails (most of which are pretty easy to follow) and maps.

This site http://www.adirondackjourney.com/ has good current info as well. Also contains good advice and 'Daks information, including a repeat of my warning above, although more to the point "there is no water in the Dixes"!

Enjoy

[sasquatch2014]

Thanks, will check it out. All the help i can get to stay on the path is appreciated!

And the Understatement of the Year Award goes to ..... (drumroll)....... Wrongway!

[coss]

I second the advice to check out the www.adirondackjoruney.com website, especially for the downloadable maps. I frequently use these, sealed in ziplock bags in my pocket, while on the herd paths of the Adirondacks.

The route along the Bouquet river should be beautiful and wild, but might be difficult to follow on a night hike. One alternative would be to enter the Dix range area from the south, at Elk lake. The trail from the lake to the start of the herd path up the Macomb slide is wide enough to follow in the dark, and if you reached the slide at dawn, you'd then have an easy (relatively) day.

I've done all 5 of the Dix peaks in one day from Elk Lake. There is sometimes a sketchy water source in a bog on the south side of Hough, but I wouldn't count on it except for emergency use. The trails have been getting more distinct in recent years, now that the catastrophic blowdowns from Hurricane Floyd in 1999 have been cleared, little by little.

I did a Great Range traverse last weekend--spectacular in good weather. Enjoy it.

Coss