Nippletop. The Other One. South Dix Wilderness (SDW). Walker Brook. April 7, 2026
One of the finer summits in the SDW, Nippletop almost defeated us but there was no way we were giving up on MJ’s 203rd ADK-3K peak.
I first did Nippletop as part of a triad in late November, 2010. Nippletop-Niagara-Camel’s Hump. Yesterday just Nippletop was plenty, requiring more than 8 hours of effort.
Over the years I’ve done at least 20 hikes into the SDW going under the Northway and have hiked up just about every bump in the area (except Old Far), including bushwhacks of Macomb, Grace and S. Dix). It’s one of my favorite areas in the Adirondacks so I was happy to be returning after 7 or 8 years.
The adventure began right off the bat with a waist-deep crossing of a freezing-cold Schroon River. Very achy! But the next hour or two were so pleasant! Once you cross under the Northway Walker Brook is a storybook trail that begins amid huge Hemlock trees. Because it was snowing heavily the steep-walled valley with the engorged brook cascading down it was a visual and auditory treat. We made 900 feet of gain easily with some ankle deep post-holing before leaving the trail (where it crossed the brook at 1800’). We then followed a 220M bearing upwards for another 1200’ in deepening but supportive very snow. (we determined the same bearing independently. MJ used Gaia and I used the old-fashioned M&C method. Pretty cool we came up with the same number!). The going got steeper and slower until we were just below the fully exposed SE summit. The temperature was in the low teens and the wind was howling. The wind had been creating dense snow showers throughout our ascent. We put on layers and clambered up onto the bare rock taking the full blast of the wind chill in the face as we looked upon many summits (Marsh Pond Peak, Niagara, Camel’s Hump, Wyman, Sunrise, Macomb in the clouds, S. Dix, Grace, Giant, RPR and many more. Wow!
We could see the main summit (more exposed rock) a scant 0.2 miles to our NW and headed over. But unlike the last time I did the traverse we balked at the steep, icy cliffs and decided to turn around and do an end run. However, we encountered cliff after cliff and kept having to lose precious elevation as we tried entering the col that separates the two peaks. Progress in thick cedars was slow and we probed, retreated, descended some more and probed again etc. The extent of the cliffs lining the col was unlike anything I’ve encountered.
Last week I wrote that what I loved about bushwhacking trailless peaks was how you appreciate so fully the size and complexity of the mountain and realize how small you are in comparison. Thinking of that made solving the riddle of the col a rather interesting endeavour. And, we had all day to do it having long decided that Nippletop would be our only peak of the day. Our final attempt of dropping into the col was a big gamble. Quite steep and committing but it solved the riddle. Yes! After skirting more cliffs we stood on top of the true summit. It had taken us 2 hours to go 1000 feet. We admired the view and grew chilly. We decided to follow our tracks back down to the col and then aim for the Nip-Niagara col. We were worried about getting cliffed out but it turned out to be OK. It was quite steep and we detoured around a few cliffs. Our route was lined by ice-caked cliffs for a long way. The map gives no indication of this topography.
Once we were down (summit = 3000’, col = 2450’) the woods opened up, the slope relented and we followed a trib of Walker Brook making great time. Back on the Walker Brook trail our inbound tracks were buried by the 4” of snow that had fallen throughout the day. And then it was time to re-cross the Schroon River!
Special thanks to
tcd
for his valuable book, “Under the Fast Lane”, which details thirteen crossings of the Northway.