East Dix via the Great Slide

Numbers in parentheses such as (ADK #123, McM #456) on these and all other pages of Adirondack Journey, refer to trail numbers assigned by the McMartin and ADK guidebooks.

Trip In A Nutshell:
This is far and away the fun route to East Dix and one of the best hikes in the Adirondacks for its terrific woodland beauty, culminating in a slide climb up East Dix's so-called "Great Slide". However, if your goal is to ascend all five peaks of the Dix Range during the day you are well advised to choose a shorter approach route than this, the longest of the various approaches to the Dixes.

This approach starts at Rte 73 and ends at the foot of East Dix. It is unmarked herd path is 5.5 miles long. It is fairly well defined along most of its route, but this can be highly variable. A hike through forests of sunlit birch that have predominated here since a major forest fire destroyed the mature forest a century ago, this forest will eventually be crowded out by the rebirth of the original mature forest.

The herd path follows the North Fork of the Bouquet River starting from wherefrom where the river passes under Rte 73. It soon jumps overland and begins following the South Fork of the Bouquet River. The herd path continues along the South Fork, climbing into the Dix Cirque until the trail finally departs the South Fork near its source to end at the base of the East Dix slide.

An option for a day hike is to continue from East Dix to climb all of the other Dix Range peaks. In this event, if you can spot a car at the Elk Lake trailhead, we recommend you descend via Macomb or Dix Mtn in order to get out of the woods before dark.

Difficulty:
The ascent from Rte 73 is strenuous. It is a 5.5 mile, 2700 foot ascent from the highway to the summit. The slide itself accounts for about 850 of the 2700 feet. The rest is very gradual over the two miles approaching the base of the slide.

The East Dix slide (aka "The Great Slide") is not difficult as slides go, and is a very good slide for a beginner, almost as good as the westernmost slide on Macomb for that purpose. Unlike Macomb, though, 80% of the slide on East Dix is bare rock surface inclined at 32-38 degrees for most of the ascent. When wet, the slide is slippery. If you fall on it, you are apt to slide a good long ways before something stops you or you grab onto something. It will be very difficult and dangerous to walk up this slide when wet. Also, the slide becomes increasingly steep as you climb. During the last 100-200 vertical feet the pitch increases to about 45 degrees (eyeball measurement).

When raining or wet there is, nevertheless, the option to ascend alongside the slide instead of on it. If that is your preference, then while you are still at the bottom look for a herd path that starts up the right side of the slide. It's more or less a continuation of the same path that brought you this far. It follows a route very close to the slide. At about one third of the way up the slide's border the herd path shifts sides; it crosses to the left side of the slice, but it does so at a spot where there are a few saplings and some good handholds on the slide.

For some, particularly if this is a first, it may be challenging to be out on open, smooth rock for 850 feet of climb, but this slide is nevertheless one of the least steep of the major slides in the High Peaks according to McMartin's guidebook. The average incline is between 32 degrees and 35 degrees. The last hundred to two hundred feet is probably at about 45 degrees. At this point the open slide is probably a technical climb, but at the left side of the slide there is a crevice or dyke with many hand holds that is easily ascended to the top. Terrain, from the start at Rte 73 to the base of East Dix is good to very good. Ground is even and generally has a firm soil base.

For those so desiring, there is a path in the woods at the right side of the slide. You'll find cairns that mark entrances into or out of the woods. This trail passes a few times from one side of the slide to the other so as to make the most of the terrain.

Best Tip for the Dix Range

1. Before leaving home use your compass and map to take the bearing from each of the Dix peaks to the next following the route you intend to take. Then, when you actually get to the first summit, compare the actual bearing of the next peak to the one you recorded from the map
2. As you progress through the actual hike, even if the herd path seems obvious to you and you see the peak you believe you are hiking to in the distance, be aware that the Dixes are full of herd paths that go nowhere. These were created by people that were already lost. Don't be one of them. Check and verify bearings against your map more frequently than you think necessary.
3. If a herd path seems to be leading you astray, STOP. Figure it out before proceeding. Don't guess.
4. The Dixes invite rain for some reason. And if the weather brings fog and rain, the need to know where you are is very apt to become easier said than accomplished. Have a bail-out plan before you climb.
5. Don't hike alone and be equipped and prepared to spend the night in case you have to.
6. There's no water in the Dixes.

Signed,
Been there. Done that.

Views:
East Dix offers unobstructed views from the top of the slide of the Dix Cirque that feeds the South Fork of the Bouquet River. From the summit itself, views include most of the rest of the Dix Range. Probably the most interesting sight is of the South Dix ridgeline or the views S from the East Dix summit, but this is not a peak you would normally climb for its views, however.

Water:
The route follows running water from the trailhead at Rte 73 almost to the base of the East Dix slide. Once you start up the slide, however, there will be NO WATER until you descend off the Dix Range, and not all of the common descents have water. If you are planning to transit all 5 peaks and are using a 100 oz. hydration pack, it would be wise to carry a pump-filter to refill your hydration unit before climbing the slide.

Trail Markings and the Wisdom of Women:
Although this entire route is supposed to be an unmarked herd path, some fool went through here with a can of fluorescent spray paint and defaced many trees. I pray to God that he will someday show up on my doorstep and announce himself that I might relieve him of his offending member and thus bring no further fluorescent irritation to Nature. It is at times like this I thank God that more than half of the world is made up of the fair sex in order to counterbalance the numbskulls. Whoever did this had no interest in the forest or the environment. This was a really stupid person who defaced a really nice hike. (Sure hope he's reading this.)

Trailhead Info for This Ascent:
The trailhead is on Rte 73, a distance of 4.7 miles north from Interstate 87, Exit 30. The trail is unmarked so there is no DEC parking lot nor sign of any kind to mark this trailhead. At the 4.7 mile point, Rt. 73 crosses the North Fork of the Bouquet River. In lieu of metal guard rails, this bridge has a nice looking, waist-high stone wall on both sides of the highway.

Roughly 100 yd. before you cross the bridge as you drive north on Rte 73, there is a very rough dirt turn-out on your left that parallels the highway and rises gradually up a low bank. That's it in the photo just above. It doesn't go far, maybe 150 ft or so, then it disappears into the trees where it immediately dead-ends. There is enough space to park 3-4 cars off the highway on the shoulder here. If the available space is occupied you can drive over the Rte 73 bridge (barely out of the photo) and find better parking just on the other side of the river.

Finding the Right Herd Path From the Rte 73 Trailhead:
There are two options as to how you get to East Dix and back from Rte 73:

We chose to bushwhack our way in (OPTION 1), and cruise out on the nice trail (OPTION 2) so that we could give you photos of both. Here is how to find both options: