Cliff...

[maineguy]

Is the best route to Cliff still to follow the Redfield herdpath a few hundred yards from the start, then branch off to the right? I understand that this will take you to the old Twin Brook trail and then you turn right at a cairn to start the fun. It apparently avoids some nasty mud.

I've read where the 46ers have been doing/or are planning a re-route of the herdpath. Just wondering what the status of this was.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Rivet]

Is the best route to Cliff still to follow the Redfield herdpath a few hundred yards from the start, then branch off to the right? I understand that this will take you to the old Twin Brook trail and then you turn right at a cairn to start the fun. It apparently avoids some nasty mud.

I've read where the 46ers have been doing/or are planning a re-route of the herdpath. Just wondering what the status of this was.

Thanks for any help.

I think the 46ers marked a new route, but haven't cleared it yet. Maybe this summer?

 

[Doc McPeak]

The Redfield start is what you want, as it does take you past at least a chunk of the muck. The 46er path is still awaiting approval, but has been flagged. Careful up on the ridge between the false and true summit. There will be flagging of the proposed route that has apparently lead some people astray. That flagging would head back toward the trail from Lake Colden to the Uphill.

I believe there was a detailed trip report recently that more accurately described where they were lead off course. Hopefully the DEC will kick it up and push through some of the herdpath approvals, for the work done on the Redfield path (and others) shows the amazing job the 46er crews do. On Macomb recently it was incredible the work through the old Floyd damage they did, and just as shocking when you got to the limit of what the DEC had approved. Apparently they only let the crews go halfway to the slide! Nothing like a beauracracy!

Have fun, and enjoy the variuos unique views you get. They are there.

 

[TCD]

It's been a few years, but I don't think the Redfield herd path ever was connected to the old Twin Brook trail.

The Redfield herd path starts along the Left (W) bank of Uphill Brook, behind the camping area. The path follows the brook, S and then SE, towards Redfield.

The old Twin Brook trail leaves the current marked Opalescent River trail about 100 yards (I think) W of the camping area (before you get to the camping area, if you are coming from Upper Works). That trail makes SW into the notch between Cliff and Redfield, and never meets the Redfield herd path. I don't believe you will get to Cliff by starting on the Redfield herd path.

I always have trouble finding the start of the old Twin Brook trail. But you'll know it when you're on it, because it's basically a river of water and mud, with old corduroys floating in it.

The "traditional" herd path to Cliff is a right turn off the old Twin Brook trail, near the height of land in the notch. This nasty path leads to the top of the NE summit of Cliff, after which a walk along the ridge over a series of bumps, fianlly leads down into a small col, and then up the the true summit (which should have a sign).

I have also heard abou the "new" path which is being planned for Cliff, but I haven't seen any information about the status. I think maybe it's been flagged, but is not ready to use. My understanding is that this path will surmount the NE end of the Cliff ridge, avoiding the old Twin Brook morass.

I believe I have seen discussions on this site that the flagged trail has not been cleared, and that it should be avoided, becausre the flagging will lead yuou into heavy blowdown. Pete Hickey should be able to provide more detail.

 

[rhihn]

Pete Hickey recently posted the following on ADK Forum about Cliff:


"Cliff: Current herd path is a mess. We laid out a route which starts from the hight of land on the trail coming from Lake Colden (Tony Goodwin already mentions in his book, that it will be the future start.) This will be a beautiful trail, which will take you switchbacking up a gentle slope to the summit ridge. Again, do NOT follow it now. It goes through some extremely thick blowdown. It took us something like three hours to cover the half mile. We expect to get DEC (and APA) approval for this route some time this summer."

Mavs00 posted an excellent description last summer on his site (Adkhighpeaks.com), which I assume is still accurate, though I don't know how, or if, the turn-off from Redfield trail is currently marked. Once on the Cliff path, I recall the suggestion to ignore the first cairn and go to the second one, which takes you around the messiest part of the mud. Tim's description is here:
http://www.adkhighpeaks.com/46er-flash/mountains/interior1.htm

This description worked well for us last summer.

 

[Hikerdad]

The Redfield path starts right behind (I mean RIGHT behind) the Uphill LT (off the trail from Lake Colden). The start is very obvious due to the trail work done recently. The Cliff path starts about 75 feet down the Colden trail from the LT (toward Lake Colden). The first part of the Cliff path is muddy but can be navigated. I've heard of people starting on the Redfield path and then switching over but don't know if that is marked/flagged yet and haven't done it that way myself.

Pat

 

[TCD]

Mavs00's desription has good detail. Remember that Mavs00 was coming from the Loj, not Upper Works, so be careful, depending on where you're coming from, of the "left" and "right" and "just past" descriptions.

 

[rhihn]

I've heard of people starting on the Redfield path and then switching over but don't know if that is marked/flagged yet and haven't done it that way myself.
Pat

When we did it last summer, the turn-off from the Redfield path was then marked with a lime green ribbon. We heard afterwards that someone tied a white plastic bag there, and that others were planning on taking it down. I don't know what's there now.

 

[percious]

When we did it last summer, the turn-off from the Redfield path was then marked with a lime green ribbon. We heard afterwards that someone tied a white plastic bag there, and that others were planning on taking it down. I don't know what's there now.

I took the plastic bag down, and built a small cairn on the Redfield path to mark the start of the Cliff path. I do not know if the cairn is still there, but if it is, then take a right at the cairn, and carry on up the trail. It is muddy in the first part of the trail.

-percious

 

[AntlerPeak]

It's been a few years, but I don't think the Redfield herd path ever was connected to the old Twin Brook trail.

I always have trouble finding the start of the old Twin Brook trail. But you'll know it when you're on it, because it's basically a river of water and mud, with old corduroys floating in it. ) end quote

I resort to memory on this one and a real old guide book with map. The old Redfield herd path was "connected" to the Twin Brook Trail. Because Uphill Brook next to the lean-to was the starting point. You could see Uphill Brook Lean-to from the Twin Brook trail and a short path led to the lean-to before the junction from Twin brook. The Twin Brook Trail was a shorter route to Uphill than the Calamity route and was used as the primary trail for the purpose of Cliff and Redfield.
With that in mind though not technically correct many considered Uphill Lean-to to be on the Twin Brook trail. It wasn't but as you could take ten strides or so from that trail and be in the lean-to it may as well have been.
The Twin Brook Trail joined the Trail from Lake Colden (Calamity Brook-Marcy Trail) .07 below Uphill Lean-to.
This trail along upper Twin Brook was in very bad shape with excessive corduroy and many muddy steep banks. I would expect there would be no trouble following the old route if one had a mind to. But this thing rivaled the Bradley Pond Trail as a mud wallow. I can't imagine why anyone would want to.
The old Cliff herd path did exit at a height of land about one quarter mile from the Twin Brook Trail and lean-to. Actually rather than a height of land it was better described as "at the point where the Twin Brook Trail begins its descent. The slide route was a bit below that and there were places where you could get a glimpse of the slide but if you walked that far down the trail you went too far.
I helped flag the route to Allen with Jim Goodwin from near the lean-to at the twin brook-Flowed lands junction. That was the route that went over the little nasty hill then down to Skylight Brook. That is no longer the route but at the time it was all Finch Pruyn would allow. I knew some people in the hunting camps and gotten permission to use the very old logging road route including the bridge that spanned Lower Twin Brook. That was actually much easier than the flagged cut route we put in. hope this helps.

 

[mavs00]

We took both ways (one in/one out). I too sugest you take the way in from the Redfield Herd Path. The other area is a swamp and in horrible conditions (IMO). I quote the relavant portion from my site (for those that don't want to sift through the whole thing). The start of this description will be the Uphill Brook Lean-to area, no matter what direction you come in from. Opposite the lean-to is the Redfield path start cairn.

At that point you’ll come across a cairn on the left side marking a path to the left and you’ll also notice a lean-to to the right in the trees. This is the Redfield herd path start and the Uphill Brook lean-to. Traditionally the Cliff path starts just past the lean to but I WOULD suggest turning onto the Redfield path and heading in for about 100 yds. At a point just in front of a large rocky area, there will be a definite path that splits to the right (it was marked with lime green flagging when we were there).

This path will take you over to the traditional path above a real messy area. The section you enter will be part of an old abandoned trail (Twin Brook) and you will travel along the rotted corduroy through some blowdown. Soon you will reach the first of two cairns and paths . I would ignore the first one, and continue several minutes to the second one. This path goes above and skirts the worst of the extensive blowdown field in this area. From the second cairn the trail will wind through the debris and lead you to the base of a steep cliff.

It's been a year so the flagging may be gone/different but the path will be obvious. Good luck.

 

[maineguy]

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

 

[percious]

I would like to be updated as to the condition of my cairn

-percious

 

[Raymond]

The Cliff herd path actually begins on the marked trail at a big upturned tree, but if you go a bit further along, to the Redfield herd path, you can avoid the worst of the mud. Follow the Redfield path to a wooden bridge over a stream, then do a 180 and head roughly west, parallel to a muddy stream (on your right), and you should pick up the Cliff herd path all right.

The path stays in a depression for a little distance, then exits up the bank to the right and heads toward the cliffs. There's probably a ribbon. Maybe a ski pole, if you go past the ribbon.

There are several steep climbs up rocks, the last being the worst. A root hanging over it can provide some assistance here. There's also a monster blowdown on one of the summit plateaus with a crawl hole through it. You have to go farther than you expect across the top to reach the summit sign.

It's tough, but not that tough. I think it took me about an hour each way (the herd path part, that is), maybe 75 minutes, when I first climbed it back in aught-one.

 

[mike1889]

I would like to be updated as to the condition of my cairn

-percious

Your cairn is gone. I suspect someone removed it to avoid confusion. Maineguy - was that you I ran into on Redfield and Cliff on 6/11? Nice talking to you. Don't you just love Cliff now?

 

[maineguy]

Follow up:

We climbed Redfield and Cliff on Saturday (6/11) using Flowed Lands as a basecamp (see Trail Conditions). The turnoff for the spoken of "shortcut" to the Twin Brook Trail (and Cliff) off the Redfield path is no longer marked, and has actually been brushed-in.

However, due to Mavs excellent description of its location (thanks Mavs) we located it. You can still see some red flagging and it is clearly a path. It does indeed bypass much of the morass that passes for the old Twin Brook Trail leading up to the two cairns which mark the herdpaths to Cliff.

The uppermost cairn had red flagging leading from it to the base of the cliffs. This was a big help. However, the flagging ends more or less at the cliffs. The flagging on the false summit area is for the new, yet to be constructed, herdpath. DO NOT FOLLOW IT. We spoke firsthand with a duo that did just that, and regretted it.

Again, thanks to everyone for all the info. This trip would have been immeasurably more difficult without the information gleaned from these pages.

ps. Hi mike1889, yes that was Rick and I. Nice talking to you!! Yes, Cliff has added a new perspective on just how bad a "herdpath" can be.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I think the 46ers marked a new route, but haven't cleared it yet. Maybe this summer?

Not this summer. Probably not next summer, either. Most likely, next fall.

 

[mavs00]

However, due to Mavs excellent description of its location (thanks Mavs) we located it. You can still see some red flagging and it is clearly a path. It does indeed bypass much of the morass that passes for the old Twin Brook Trai.........

Most welcome. Glad you had a good trip. From what I understand about the "proposed" new trail, I suppose ole cliffy just won't have the same bite, once he's neutered