August 12, 2020 | North Hudson, NY

This was not only one of my favorite hikes from this past summer, but also probably one of the most challenging in some ways, both mentally and physically. There is little that compares to this jaw-dropping remote wilderness where 360-degree summit views and rugged, unique terrain is a constant the entire day.

The background: I was ecstatic Brittany had invited me to come along on a Wednesday in August with her and Lauren to tackle this range, since she was working toward completing her ADK 46 and still needed these peaks (as did I.) The plan was to initially camp for one night, but it was then decided we would make a day out of it. In my opinion, it is doable either way- I would say if doing the day trip route to go when you have significant daylight on your side (which we did) since it is unavoidably a long mileage day.

Getting there: Unlike the location of the Adirondack Loj or the AMR lot, this trailhead is located off exit 29 from I-87N in North Hudson. It is a bit of a drive from Lake Placid or the Saranac Lake region, especially at the dark hours of 3/4AM. If you are staying in the Lake Placid region and decide to drive from there, maybe you won’t get pulled over like I did at 3:30AM by the LP Police, either…(I reached a littttle bit too far over the passenger seat for my banana and breakfast, and then the sirens went off…an interesting start to the long day for sure!)

Important notes: As of August 2020 due to a Covid-related closure of the Elk Lake Lodge (or so it is my understanding), the road to the main trail parking lot is closed, and we had to park 2-ish plus miles from the start of the trail at Clear Pond (the road is blocked and there is a clearly marked lot of where to park.) Although it is a flat roughly 2+ miles to the trailhead (and then back) this should 100% be calculated into your day and not underestimated. The lot we parked at is on the smaller side, and I don’t recall if you can park on the road (if you know one way or the other, please let me know and I will update this.) It seemed quite a few people had camped the night before, so we snagged some of the last “real” parking spots around 4:30 that morning. You will also be near/ approaching private property, and this should go without saying, but please be respectful and mindful of this.

The route: Counter-clockwise loop. Started with Macomb, then to South Dix, out and back to Grace, over to Hough, ended with Dix, and looped back out the Beckhorn.

First stop: Macomb Mountain (ADK High Peak #21 on the list)

Despite the usual High Peaks early-hour start time, we began the day in great spirits at a good pace down the 2+ mile dirt road to the trailhead. It was expected to be a beautiful summer day in the Adirondacks, and it was already starting to heat up even before sunrise. We said hello to two men who were out hiking barefoot (the “pedicure” I would later learn) and we would see them again during the day, as they were headed the opposite loop as us. After steadily hiking the 2.3 miles to the Slide Brook lean-to, we then picked up the herd path to Macomb. This was a gradual elevation gain from what I recall and nothing too strenuous at this point. We reached the base of the mountain at the famous Macomb Slide, which is full of interesting rocks and dirt. We took a quick break here (and to also soak in the view of Elk Lake!) and a man came up behind us (I think from Pittsburg) who said one of the Elk Lake Lodge employees actually gave him a ride to the trailhead – we were not to be as lucky that day! After devouring the bagels Brit brought for us, we started the ascent up the slide. I found this section to be super fun! The challenging part was navigating some of the rock formations as not to accidentally slide down or misstep. After we reached the top of the slide, we had a bit more scrambling and navigating, and then finally made it to our first summit of the day! As of August, there is a sign at the summit, and of course that signature Dix Range phenomenal view.

Onward: South Dix (ADK High Peak #37)

The short trek over to South Dix was uneventful from what I recall, as we had gained most elevation already for the time being. Another sprawling peak where we stopped to soak in all the goodness of the range. It is here we did see some ominous clouds – these would pass us and be a non-issue for the rest of the day.

Pure magic: Grace Peak (ADK High Peak #42)

Still feeling great, we began the out and back to Grace from South Dix. Lauren was an expert at navigating as she had hiked the route several times before, since all of these are technically unmarked trails until reaching Dix. I will say most of the time, it is very clear where you are supposed to be going and the trail is apparent; however, definitely be wary that these are not marked and you should keep an eye out when something does feel “off.” We would then pass our quick-paced Pittsburg friend as he was heading back from Grace to South Dix. Shortly after, we would arrive at the summit in awe. I felt so far away from everything in life, yet so close to Mother Earth and her vastness in this moment. We took a well-deserved break here to truly soak in everything this peak had to offer. It was even more special that it was recently renamed (from East Dix) to Grace Peak in 2014, after Grace Hudowalski, the first woman to climb all 46 High Peaks. I don’t think I’ll ever forget how I felt atop this peak (and neither will my dirt-laden sore legs!)

Gotta keep movin’: Hough (ADK High Peak #23)

After a good refuel and still on a mountain high, we continued back the way we came to South Dix, where we would then continue to Hough. Yes, I pronounced this mountain as “Hue” until I learned it is called “Huff” and rhymes with “Tough” (you don’t even want to know how I was pronouncing some names of mountains in the ADK!) We passed a few other hikers at this time, but still for the most part, felt alone most of the day. We would now see the end goal in sight getting much closer to us: Dix. We still had a bit of a ways to get there, though, and would still have to get over Pough (Puff) before approaching Hough. This was a smaller mountain, but still worth noting as the sun was shining down on us even more on this hot summer day. The viewing area of Hough is smaller than some of the others and marked with a yellow disk. It is here where I realized I was starting to slow down a bit…

The finale: Dix (ADK High Peak #6)

A few more nutrients and one pep-talk later, we were now on to our final summit of the day. So close! It is here where I felt the ascent got slightly more technical. We helped each other up the rock crevice closer to the summit (after some pausing, analyzing, shimmy-ing and some pack throws.) Finally, we got closer and closer until we were there…and WOW. Just wow. It was awesome to see how far we had come the entire day and to look back on Lake Elk where we had started. This was such a powerful visual reminder to us. We met a bird (named George) and another female hiker who had made the approach from Route 73. After lots of photos, more snacks, laughs, and soaking in the last of that mountain sun, it was time to start our descent back to the trailhead.

The descent a la the Beckhorn

We chose to descend via the Beckhorn; the other way you could go is Hunters Pass – my understanding is it is a bit further in mileage but perhaps a bit less difficult (not sure the truth to this.) This descent was definitely a bit technical in my opinion, but not impossible. I struggle coming down often (#pigeon-toed problems) and we had to assist one another in certain sections after returning from the high point of Dix. We were then on the Beckhorn, a DEC-marked trail. If you’ve heard about it or experienced it, then you know. My opinion as someone who has hiked a decent number of peaks in the Adirondacks (but certainly not all of them) is that it requires some footwork and careful planning in some sections. It’s one of those trails where you should certainly take your time. Mentally and physically, this is the part of the day where everything started to hit me- I was moving a bit slower and this trail seemed to go on and on and on. It also occurred to me we had a long way back to our cars. Fortunately, the girls are awesome at lifting spirits, and we kept a positive attitude the whole way back, even if we were all beat from the incredible but challenging day. We finally made it to Lillian Brook, where the girls filled up on water and we took another quick break before heading to Slide Brook where we had passed earlier. Both of these areas have marked campsites and would be a great place to stay if you were making this a multi-day hike. After approaching Slide Brook, we still had roughly 4.5 miles to get back to our cars. We had our headlamps and made it back to the dirt road to walk back just as the sun set. Despite feeling beat, I somehow harnessed one last dose of mental energy on the road walk even though I was moving my body s l o w l y down the road that seemed to never end. All in all, with multiple summit breaks and snack stops, about 19 miles later and nearly 5,000 feet in elevation gain, we finished in about 16 hours. Not to mention 5 High Peaks summited- what a day!!! I’m still on a mountain high from this nearly 3 months after the fact. 🥰

Concluding notes: Everything seems impossible until it is done. This range is nothing short of awesome and breathtaking, and everything incredible you would expect from the High Peaks- including the challenges and the terrain. The good news is there are also some bail-out points if you decide for whatever reason you don’t wish to continue to all 5 peaks. I wish I could tell you one of them was my favorite, but I can’t pick just one. Each was magnificent in its unique way, and we all had moments and laughs atop each peak.

So what did I learn? This was the day when I realized it was time to invest and upgrade my pack. It was truly struggle city to use the smaller one I had, since my bigger pack was still soaked from earlier in the week after falling and accidentally “swimming” in the Lake Arnold Trail. I also wasn’t drinking enough water or eating enough substantial food – this was sort of the (unfortunate) theme for all my hikes in 2020. I do remain committed to overhauling my approach to this for 2021 and onwards. 😉

All in all, this day was amazing, and another humbling day out on the trail. Don’t underestimate the collective power of good energy – a big shout out to Brit and Lauren for making it the most memorable and fun day with tons of laughs and snacks!

One last important reminder (or a few): this is a remote area, and you will not have cell service most of the day, if at all. Be absolutely sure to carry out what you carry in, have a physical map, an understanding of your route and game plan (since most of the day is herd paths.) In addition, lots of water and a filter, food, a headlamp or a form of illumination that is not your cell phone, proper gear for the season/layers for if the weather changes abruptly, and lastly, but most importantly, determination and a positive attitude. You will need all the mental strength you can muster for this route; however, you will be rewarded with an experience like no other and your love of the Adirondacks will become even greater than it was before.

As always, please comment below or reach out with any thoughts, questions, or anything you think I missed- I can talk about hiking all day long!