Another Tough Day in the Dix Range, July 21st, 2004.
Dix Summit from the Dix-Hough Trail.
| Will I never learn? Dan and
I hiked up Dix from the Noonmark-Round Mountain-Route 73 trail in
August of 2001. Hard rain and zero visibility greeted us at the
summit, and it proved to be Chino's final High Peaks hike. In early
July 2004, I chose the wrong herd path hiking up Macomb, and not only
had to bushwhack my way through Hurricane Floyd blowdown to the West
Slide to ascend Macomb, but I became disoriented in the col between
Macomb's north and south summit on my return to Macomb's main summit,
and had to bushwhack through blowdown halfway down the mountain, before
following a creek which led into Slide Creek at the Elk Lake trail. Two
weeks later, Roscoe and I hiked out from the Route 73 trail along the
North Fork of the Bouquet River, trying to reach East Dix, South Dix
and Hough, the remaining peaks in my Dix Range Horror Show. I
actually chose the correct trail, decided I was wrong, doubled back and
followed a trail which seemed to head in the right direction, then
petered out at a beautiful camp site along the river. To "save time", I
began bushwhacking towards the Dix range, over Spotted Mountain and up
the flank of Dix, where we encountered a black bear in a blueberry
patch. Roscoe stood his ground, the bear and I did a mutual "yikes!"
exchange of looks, after which the bear fled. We finally reached the
col between Dix and Hough about 5:00 PM. I quickly hiked
over Hough, South Dix and East Dix, finding myself on East Dix at 7:30
PM, many miles from any road. You guessed it: after hiking down the
East Dix Slide, and finally picking up the trail I was supposed to be
on much earlier in the morning, Roscoe and I had to settle in for the
night under a huge glacial erratic along the South Fork of the Bouquet
River, without a flashlight, matches, sleeping bag or even long
trousers. Good planning! After a chilly sleepless night, we hiked out
at 5:00 AM. If you decide to hike the Dixes, do yourself a favor, don't
follow my example, try planning your trip thoroughly, and whatever you
do, stay on the trail! |
Click on Photos to Enlarge
Hough and South Dix from Dix trail, Elk Lake from Dix trail, and the view from Spotted Mountain.
North Fork of the Bouquet River, and the campsite where I crossed the river and began the bushwhack to Dix.
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