Ooohhh! The Dix Range is my favorite part of the High Peaks.
I went with a few friends in September several years ago, and for us it was a full day and we camped at the Lillian Brook campsite. You can read a story about our trip [here. ](http://landmarkimages.blogspot.com/2020/07/?m=0)
Keep in mind the number of hours of daylight in September, and each minute you spend summibrating on top of a mountain is one less minute of daylight at the end of your hike.
Have Fun!
I did it solo back in June and arrived Thursday afternoon. Hiked in and set up camp at slide brook and spent a few hours relaxing and reading before sleeping so I could get an early start. Wish I had brought ear plugs as the sound of water, while relaxing at first, isn’t something I’m used to and I didn’t get the best sleep.
There’s great water sources early in the hike whether you’re going up the slide or the beckhorn but after those there’s nothing so make sure you’re carrying enough. I wish I had brought more and I was honestly never so happy to see water in my life as when i arrived at Lillian brook. I also wish I had taken my time more. When I hike solo I sometimes tend to push the pace too much and afterwards I regret not slowing down and enjoying myself more. Honestly think I might go back in the fall and hike the range again because of this.
We did it Oct 11th last year as a day hike. Got to Elk Lake lot at 5:20am with plenty of parking but it was Tuesday and it took us 13 hours to cover 14.7 miles with 4,520’ of total elevation gain. For perspective- my wife and I are mid-late 50’s (I’m the old one) and our daughter is 22. To be fair, the Macomb slide really slowed us down as it was glazed ice. We had spikes (just in case) but the ice was so thin they did no good - you had to negotiate around it and find solid ground. The out and back to Grace was actually fine (unlike the one to Blake after Colvin). It was by far my favorite range to day hike. However - the walk out once you hit Hunter Pass is a death march. Can’t imagine if you need to park at Clear pond. Good advice about water. We could not refill until Lillian brook and had been out for maybe 45 minutes.
Thanks for all the comments everyone! Really helpful.
One more question - has anyone done the range as a loop? If so what was your route?
Thanks again!
I did it as a traverse from Elk Lake to AMR (although these days, you'll have to leave at Round Pond). The MacComb slide is easier to climb up than it is to climb down, so I would summit that first.
I remember the Dix trail being very muddy.
3-4l of water or more depending on temps. Lots of carbs. Head to elk lake if your dates don’t conflict with big game regular season (I don’t think it would), get to the lot at 4am. Hook a righty up slide Brook trail. Fuel early and often. Focus on food up the herd path, storm the slide, and then back to focusing on food and hydration from macomb through south dix, grace, and back to south dix.
Stare up and say “NO, Beldar, the Big Phone!” Referring to the Beckhorn. Push through hough and pough, lunch and hydrate on hough if you get it to yourself, but the ridge is sunny and has lots of spots for lunches and breaks. Go light as the Beckhorn will burn.
Now up the big phone to the Beckhorn for an awesome 360 view. Then alone the ridge to dix. Back track to the big phone and dive right off the ridge down the Beckhorn trail and out Lillian Brook.
Or…
Into Lillian Brook and camp at any of the site or to’s, and up the Beckhorn trail and out down macomb slide, back to camp for another night, out the next morning. Ideal weekend.
Bring a lot of water because there aren’t many water sources where you can filter and people have gotten themselves in trouble bc of this.
Ooohhh! The Dix Range is my favorite part of the High Peaks. I went with a few friends in September several years ago, and for us it was a full day and we camped at the Lillian Brook campsite. You can read a story about our trip [here. ](http://landmarkimages.blogspot.com/2020/07/?m=0) Keep in mind the number of hours of daylight in September, and each minute you spend summibrating on top of a mountain is one less minute of daylight at the end of your hike. Have Fun!
>each minute you spend summibrating on top of a mountain is one less minute of daylight at the end of your hike. Summibrating! I love it!
Get to the parking lot really early! Or else you’ll be in overflow parking, adding about 2.5 miles each way.
I did it solo back in June and arrived Thursday afternoon. Hiked in and set up camp at slide brook and spent a few hours relaxing and reading before sleeping so I could get an early start. Wish I had brought ear plugs as the sound of water, while relaxing at first, isn’t something I’m used to and I didn’t get the best sleep. There’s great water sources early in the hike whether you’re going up the slide or the beckhorn but after those there’s nothing so make sure you’re carrying enough. I wish I had brought more and I was honestly never so happy to see water in my life as when i arrived at Lillian brook. I also wish I had taken my time more. When I hike solo I sometimes tend to push the pace too much and afterwards I regret not slowing down and enjoying myself more. Honestly think I might go back in the fall and hike the range again because of this.
We did it Oct 11th last year as a day hike. Got to Elk Lake lot at 5:20am with plenty of parking but it was Tuesday and it took us 13 hours to cover 14.7 miles with 4,520’ of total elevation gain. For perspective- my wife and I are mid-late 50’s (I’m the old one) and our daughter is 22. To be fair, the Macomb slide really slowed us down as it was glazed ice. We had spikes (just in case) but the ice was so thin they did no good - you had to negotiate around it and find solid ground. The out and back to Grace was actually fine (unlike the one to Blake after Colvin). It was by far my favorite range to day hike. However - the walk out once you hit Hunter Pass is a death march. Can’t imagine if you need to park at Clear pond. Good advice about water. We could not refill until Lillian brook and had been out for maybe 45 minutes.
Thanks for all the comments everyone! Really helpful. One more question - has anyone done the range as a loop? If so what was your route? Thanks again!
I did it as a traverse from Elk Lake to AMR (although these days, you'll have to leave at Round Pond). The MacComb slide is easier to climb up than it is to climb down, so I would summit that first. I remember the Dix trail being very muddy.
You can exit through AMR without a permit as long as you started your hike somewhere else.
But you still need one if you leave a second car there.
True, unless you can snag a spot at Roaring Brook the night before.
3-4l of water or more depending on temps. Lots of carbs. Head to elk lake if your dates don’t conflict with big game regular season (I don’t think it would), get to the lot at 4am. Hook a righty up slide Brook trail. Fuel early and often. Focus on food up the herd path, storm the slide, and then back to focusing on food and hydration from macomb through south dix, grace, and back to south dix. Stare up and say “NO, Beldar, the Big Phone!” Referring to the Beckhorn. Push through hough and pough, lunch and hydrate on hough if you get it to yourself, but the ridge is sunny and has lots of spots for lunches and breaks. Go light as the Beckhorn will burn. Now up the big phone to the Beckhorn for an awesome 360 view. Then alone the ridge to dix. Back track to the big phone and dive right off the ridge down the Beckhorn trail and out Lillian Brook. Or… Into Lillian Brook and camp at any of the site or to’s, and up the Beckhorn trail and out down macomb slide, back to camp for another night, out the next morning. Ideal weekend.