ADK 46: Mount Redfield

Jun 12

Region: Adirondacks, High Peaks Wilderness

May 29, 2021 | Near Newcomb, NY

The background: After what seemed like a never-ending winter, I was eager to be back in the North Country and kick off my Adirondack hiking season Memorial Day weekend! Ely, Lauren, and I had discussed selecting one (or a few) of the 46 High Peaks as a day hike over the weekend; we settled on attempting Mount Redfield and Cliff Mountain. Ely and I both needed these for our 46-ers, so it made sense to start off the season working towards our goal. We were aware this was going to be a mentally and physically challenging day since it is tucked in a remote section of the High Peaks Wilderness - but we couldn’t wait to be back out there! In true ADK fashion, the weather forecast changed about ten times leading up to the day of our hike – read on below to find out what we were in for that day! (hint: we were sunburnt!)

(Spoiler alert: we only had time for Redfield this trip, so the below focuses on that. Note that adding Cliff = more mileage to what is listed below.)

The route: Upper Works Trailhead - > Calamity Brook Trail -> Mount Marcy Trail - >Mount Redfield Trail (the last 1.2 miles to the summit is technically trail-less and not maintained.)

The hike: out-and-back, 17.5 miles, elevation gain of about 3,200 feet from Upper Works trailhead. This is the 15th tallest ADK High Peak.

Note: you can also approach Redfield from the Adirondack Loj, but my trip below will focus on the route from Upper Works. Whichever route you choose will be a long (but fun!) day (or two) in remote wilderness!

Getting there: This trailhead starts on Upper Works Road in Newcomb. If you’re taking I-87, one way to get there is from exit 29. You’ll make a left onto Blue Ridge Road for 17 miles, after which you will turn right onto Tahawus Road for 6.4 miles; then, you’ll take a left onto Upper Works Road, where in about 3.5 miles, you will reach the end – this is the parking lot trailhead parking for this trip.* (Note: Mount Adams and Allen Mountain parking are before this spot, as well as the trailhead for the Santanonis.) The parking area is decently sized, and there is no fee to park. In 3-season weather, your vehicle will make it just fine (says my front-wheel drive 14-year old Jetta.) In terms of where this is in the park: to put into perspective, if you are staying in Lake Placid, this is about an hour and 30-minute drive away.

*Note: as of mid-June 2021, the parking lot has changed- but not significantly. The current area is now closed. take the same directions listed above, but instead, make a right into a designated lot before the road ends. It will be obvious, as there is a gate preventing you from driving any further. This will not add significant mileage to your day!

Important: you will not have any cell service during this trip – neither at the trailhead nor the summit! While sometimes during ADK hikes I might pick up a tower on or near the summit, my phone only picked up AT&T service for a split second on a random section near the summit – and then I immediately lost it. Do not rely on your cell phone for this peak (or for any, really.) Let the people who you share your hiking info with know this. You will most likely pick up service again about 20-30 minutes from the trailhead back towards town.

The hike: We arrived at the same time at the lot around 5:15 AM, thrilled to be reunited and hiking together. The lot was about a third full, as many hikers probably went camping for the holiday weekend - but still plenty of space for us and other cars to come. This was my first time at this trailhead (I had only been to the Mount Adams trailhead further up the road) but it’s pretty much what I expected it to be. By 5:50, we geared up, signed in, and started our day on the Calamity Brook trail.

Since the sun rises early this time of year, we ended up not needing our headlamps to start our trek. This section is relatively flat and well-marked – but long. We kept a good pace, catching up, singing Celine Dion karaoke (yup) and laughing the whole way through. We stopped at the memorial for David Henderson (he was an Adirondacks pioneer in the 1800’s fatally wounded in 1845) which is a very slight detour off the main trail. Before we knew it, we found ourselves at the Flowed Lands - now 4.5 miles from the trailhead. We signed in at the register (yes, another one), took a quick break, and made a left to continue on the Calamity Brook trail towards our destination. We passed the cairns for Marshall (another trail-less High Peak) the McMartin lean-to, and soon enough, were face to face with Lake Colden. We took a right and passed over the Opalescent River via the bridge, as I stared in awe at the lake. As mentioned, this was my first time on this trail, so everything was new to me (and rugged and beautiful as ever.) The day was still a bit overcast, but temperatures remained perfect for hiking.

We kept going, now on the Mount Marcy trail, which would take us to the Mount Redfield trail and ultimately the unmarked trail to the summit. Up until this point, elevation gain had been gradual – but we were far, far into the wilderness. And we weren’t even there yet! Our spirits remained high, as any day in the woods together is a good one.

Ely’s pack had been giving her some trouble, so we decided it was time to take a break and eat lunch before pushing towards Redfield, which would be our first summit of the day. Lauren had hiked this trail before and knew we could find a spot nearby. We ended up taking a break at the Uphill lean-to, fueling up and attempting to fix/adjust Ely’s pack, when Caitlin and Assistant Forest Ranger Matt appeared!! We had never met them before in person but had been following them on Instagram –it is always so cool to meet people IRL! We had a great conversation as they tried to help Ely get her pack in a better place – and they did! Although this wasn’t technically a rescue they did “rescue” Ely from suffering from her ill-fitted pack. 😉 After some laughs and photos, we got back on the trail. Now it was time…

Mount Redfield: We started the roughly 1.2 miles up to the wooded summit of Redfield, an unmarked trail that is not too difficult to follow. This is where the real focus and determination kicked in – as well as the bright, hot sunshine. I felt myself burning up a bit, despite putting on my sunblock, but just thought I was sweating since were gaining elevation and climbing. In terms of conditions, the trail was rather dry, which Lauren confirmed to be true from previous experience here. For this hike, you are climbing up a waterfall – and it was beautiful to have the soundtrack of the water and be able to look back and see the glorious high peaks. Despite the rugged terrain, we persevered, stopping to take photos with the formidable mountainous backdrop, continuously laughing our way up the mountain. We finally made it up to the summit, joining a few other hikers, feeling the heat of the day – it turned out to be a gorgeous, sunny day in the region. We snapped our summit sign photos quickly, took in the view (there is one if you walk slightly past the sign), and began our descent.

We acknowledged it was getting late in the day and that we had about 8 or so miles back to the trailhead. It was now time to make the call that we all knew was coming –summitting Cliff was not going to be possible without walking out in the dark, as we were not planning to camp. This was going to be a tough pill to swallow- but one we ultimately did.

With that, we stopped on the descent and enjoyed time at the waterfall. We fueled up and soaked in all that this challenging, complex, and rugged mountain had to offer. We were all together, spending time in the place we love most – and this is what was important and mattered. The mountains will always be there for us to come back to – I had to keep reminding myself of this. After our waterfall stop, we kept going, knowing we had to get to the trailhead before dark.

Unlike my experiences on years’ prior hikes, my nutrition and hydration were now on point. I had learned this the hard way and vowed moving forward to make an effort to improve in this area - and so far, I can say it’s been good. I even started using an Osprey 2.5 liter water reservoir (after buying it last year and having struggles with getting it to work) and admit it is a game changer!

HOWEVER: I don’t know if it was the fatigue setting in, or what, but I started to feel not-so-good as we made our way back to the Calamity Brook trail. I didn’t hesitate to tell the girls – I knew I had to in case things got bad for whatever reason. I was confused because I had been eating and hydrating the whole day – what could it be?! I felt frustrated and defeated. It didn’t dawn on me that it was the clothes I had on, trapping in all the sun and heat that was making me feel slightly terrible. The girls mentioned this and realized it was probably what was causing my fatigue and pounding headache. As always, they were solution-oriented and caring – I took off the layer that was making me sick, and we found some cool water from Lake Colden to put around my neck. With these provisions, we carried on, making good time back to the trailhead, as I slowly started to feel better. A few hikers who had planned to camp were passing us, and we vowed to come back and do the same one day. We met our goal (and then some) of returning before dark, exhausted yet inspired by the awesome, hard work we put in to kick off the season.

And we are just getting started…

Concluding notes: I would be lying if I told you I thought this day wasn’t going to be challenging; however, it proved to be truly even more challenging than I anticipated. Long, tough, treks in the wilderness require a mental stamina like no other – this is still something I am working on building up. It doesn’t happen overnight. But with practice, focused energy, and commitment, like anything, you will improve with time, and it will get easier (but I’ll keep you posted…)

While you will be putting in the physical work to accomplish this, it will be your mental strength that will be tested and sharpened the most for this one. This is far from a walk in the park; this is straight-up grueling, rugged Adirondack High Peaks hiking at its finest. But don’t get me wrong – it is beautiful and inspiring the whole way – and you’ll learn more about yourself then you ever thought was possible. While we made the right decision by orphaning Cliff this round, I would recommend enjoying this trail by overnight camping nearby (it’s possible, but please read all of the region’s regulations which are available online) so that you have time for both peaks (and more!) without rushing or worrying. That’s not to say you can’t complete both in a day – it is doable, and many people accomplish it.

As someone who feels confident as a solo hiker, I can safely say I could not have done this on my own. A huge shoutout to Ely and Lauren who always make the day an amazing one – I am lucky to call them friends and to have been able to experience this with constantly supportive and encouraging women.

A few learnings…

An “Adirondack mile” is not a like a regular mile – I find myself needing this reminder every single time I’m out there (!) Buffer more time than you think you’ll need.

While it was hard to orphan a peak when you’re out that far, it was the best and safest decision of the day that was made. I am honestly so glad I experienced this, because now I understand that it is no big deal. It just means that I get to go enjoy and be challenged by the wilderness another time! Safety > everything else.

I’ve said this in previous posts, and I will repeat here since it is so important: be honest with how you are feeling. Speak up to your hiking partners and let them know what’s going on if you’re not feeling well or if you need something; if you stay silent, everyone will assume everything is OK. And if everyone assumes all is good, no one can potentially help you with what’s going on. It seems like a simple concept, but it isn’t always easy to admit to; however, you will feel SO much better leading with honesty, even if it’s embarrassing.

Other reminders:

Pack and plan as if you’ll spend the night. You never know with such long days and rugged trails what can happen (think extra water or filter, food, bevvy, clothing, matches, etc.)