| West Face - Hunters Slide Route |
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| West Face - Hunters Slide   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: New York, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 44.08401°N / 73.79869°W Route Type: Hiking, Scrambling Season: Summer, Fall Time Required: Most of a day Difficulty: Class 4 - 5... depending on your route
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| Page By: WalksWithBlackflies Created/Edited: Aug 9, 2006 / Oct 5, 2007 Object ID: 214231 Hits: 1833 Loading... Page Score: 87.36% - 6 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Introduction
West Face Slide Groups |
Dix Mountain is riddled with slides, and west face alone contains no less than nine. The author has combined these slides into four groups (from south to north): Devil’s Pitchfork (3), Triangle (1), “V” (2), and Hunters (3). These names are unofficial. To the best of my knowledge, they do not have official names, and since I’ve climbed two of the four groups, I’m taking the liberty of naming them until I hear otherwise.
Approach
Dix West Slides Aerial |
Begin at the Elk Lake Trailhead. Hike past the Slide Brook and Lililan Brook lean-tos. You will soon be hiking parallel to a brook that flows from Hunters Pass. When the gradient begins to level off, look to your right… you should be able to see views of the Devil's Pitchfork, Triangle, and “V” slides. Beyond these slides, you’ll see a buttress. As you continue up the trail, you will be able to see cliffs on north side of this buttress. Soon thereafter, there will be a series of open grassy areas, and you’ll be able to see the Hunters slides. At this point, keep an eye to the right of the trail. You should be able to see a large birch tree that has fallen over the brook that parallels the trail. Cross this birch tree over to the other side (or descend into the streambed if you’re not confident in your balance beam skills).
Route Description
Ascend the debris field on the opposite side of the streambed. You’ll soon reach a 30-foot vertical waterfall. Enter the woods and ascend up the right side of waterfall. Ascend to a small landslide that has created a small pool on the climber's left. The water is stagnant and stained by tannins, and is not recommended for drinking. The pool is located at the bottom of a large steep bowl, which may be too vertical for non-technical ascent. To ascend the easiest route, traverse to the climber's right of the bowl. Although this may be the easy route, it is very steep and exposed.
Mid-point |
Peering into the void |
Near the top of the main slide, you’ll see three fingers above you.
The left finger ascends close to the Hunters Pass trail at the top of the shoulder, but it is very steep at top (Class 4 to Class 5). You may need to bushwhack in the woods to ascend around the harder sections. The middle finger is the shortest, and there is thick cripplebrush and blowdown between top of the slide and the trail. The right finger is least steep at top and is the second longest of the fingers, but there is thick cripplebrush and blowdown between top of the slide and the trail.
If you pick your routes correctly, there is nothing technical on this slide, but it is extremely steep with major exposure. We ascended what appeared to be the easiest route, and it was a solid Class 4 climb. This is not a slide for beginners… those attempting this slide should have plenty of prior slide experience.
A vast majority of the rock has good grip, but always be careful on wet sections. You can make the climb harder by choosing a more difficult route. At the top of the slide, ascend through a relatively short distance of thick cripplebrush and blowdown to the Hunters Pass trail.
Essential GearTypical gear required for hiking and bushwhacking, including long sleeves, long pants, and eye protection
Approach shoes with good soles or rock shoes. If you bring boots, you may want to un-lace the uppers to give your ankles more range of motion.
Some may feel more comfortable using rope, but it is not necessary. If you bring rope, know how to use it. There are few places to install protection. Don’t trust the vegetation on the side of the slide to support your weight.
You may consider bringing gloves. The rock is imbedded with sharp mineral deposits. Although they help with grip, they can make micro-cuts on your fingertips.
Climbing SeasonsWINTER: The author has no knowledge of winter ascents of these slides. Obviously, be aware of avalanche potential... these slides are here for a reason.
SUMMER: Expect hot, hazy, and humid weather. Being on the west side of the mountain, a morning ascent will avoid the full intensity of the sun.
SPRING: Expect ice and snow to remain on the upper portions of the slide into mid-May. This area is likely a blackfly breeding ground. Typical blackfly season is Memorial Day (late May) to Independence Day (early July).
FALL: Expect ice and snow on the upper portions of the slide beginning in early October. Since the slides are on the west side of the mountain, overnight frosts may linger until late morning. Author's ExperienceThe author and MudRat descended the left finger and main portion of this slide in August 2006.
2006 Descent of the Hunters Slide |
Images
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Adirondacks
