Lower Dixes

Macomb

4,405 feet  |  ranked 21/46 in height  |  17th peak climbed

South Dix

4,060 feet  |  ranked 37/46 in height  |  18th peak climbed 

East Dix

4,012 feet  |  ranked 42/46 in height  |  19th peak climbed

Erin and I met at a Thruway park-n-ride at 4:15 am on a Wednesday morning, and by the time we returned to pick up my car it was 11 pm.  This was a very long day for us (especially considering we both worked the next day, and I leave for work at 6:15 am).  However, we were desperate to get in a hike and this strategy made it happen.  I had been worried about the limited parking at Elk Lake and our late arrival due to the long drive, but luckily there was only one other car in the lot when we arrived around 8 am.  The bugs were horrendous, and we were bit all to hell as we put on our boots and made last minute pack adjustments.  Luckily once we started moving, the bugs dissipated.

The herd paths were straightforward and easy to navigate, and climbing the slide was so much fun!  We were very slow on that section, as neither of us had been on a slide before, and the wide open views were super distracting.  We also saw the only other hikers of the days there, in a bit of unfortunate timing, as they came up behind us, making us excessively paranoid about knocking debris into their paths (the slide is not slabby, but loose gravel and stones -- Erin and I had been deliberately climbing on parallel tracks, rather than single file).  But these two women were flying!  I later checked the trail register and recognized a familiar name, someone well known for her extreme speed.  Anyway, it was a relief once they'd passed us.

All in all, this was an extremely satisfying hike, with incredible views all around.  It was the first time either of us had done a three peak hike, and the first time we'd been on a slide.  I definitely want to check out some more of those!  Unfortunately I neglected to get photos from the rocky approach to the South Dix-Carson summit, but that is a manageable problem: I'll just have to go back.

Near the bottom of the slide

Higher up the slide

Benchmark on Macomb

The summit disk

View of Elk Lake from Macomb summit

View from the Macomb summit

Erin at the Macomb summit disk

On the Macomb summit ledge

View from Macomb summit

Summit marker for Carson (South Dix) -- look up... WAY up

View from the summit of Grace (East Dix)

View from Grace back toward Carson (center) and Macomb (left)

Grace was Erin's 12th high peak

We had the summit entirely to ourselves -- all three of them

At the Grace summit marker

Loving life on Grace