Ques re: "trail" to Redfield

[linehant]

My two hiking partners and I are heading up to the ADK's tomorrow after work for some winter backpacking and 46er work. The plan is to tent camp near the Opalescent LT and hit Gray, Skylight and Redfied. Skylight has a trail from the Four Corners, Gray appears to be a simple 'whack from Lake Tear, but I'm not exactly sure about Redfield.

So, a couple of questions:

It appears that we should NOT attempt to go directly to Redfield from the summit of Skylight, even though that is definitely the shortest way per the map. Is it quicker (and less strenuous) to head back down the trail from Skylight and 'whack up to Redfield along/near the Uphill Brook?

Is there a herd path? If so, where does it start up (I'm assuming it's from the trail b/w Redfield and Cliff, but am not certain.) Does it closely follow the Brook, does it follow the ridgeline that heads down the side of Redfield toward Cliff, is it somewhere in between, etc.?

Any comments appreciated.

TIA.

 

[linehant]

OOps. I see I've duped a recent thread. Sorry for the noise. Again, any additional input would be most welcome.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Gray appears to be a simple 'whack from Lake Tear, but I'm not exactly sure about Redfield.

It appears that we should NOT attempt to go directly to Redfield from the summit of Skylight, even though that is definitely the shortest way per the map. Is it quicker (and less strenuous) to head back down the trail from Skylight and 'whack up to Redfield along/near the Uphill Brook?

Is there a herd path? If so, where does it start up (I'm assuming it's from the trail b/w Redfield and Cliff, but am not certain.) Does it closely follow the Brook, does it follow the ridgeline that heads down the side of Redfield toward Cliff, is it somewhere in between, etc.?

This winter, Gray is probably not a 'simple whack'!

Not having gone directly to Redfield from Skylight, I do not know about that route, but I have heard you are better off going around. There is a herd path and it gets a good amount of use. It starts at the same place the Cliff path starts, (almost across from Uphill leanto), and splits off left after a few minutes. It eventually hits the brook, and then you turn right when the brooks divide.

 

[Jay H]

There's a pretty obvious (at least the times I've seen it) herdpath across the the little marked (yellow disc that says "lean-to") spur trail to the Uphill brook LT. The ADK trail crew worked on the herdpath a few years ago so it's fairly nice. Partway up you'll still see some flagging on the trees to indicate the cliff herdpath which now shares partway the herdpath to Redfield. This is because the old herdpath to Cliff was always under water...

Jay

 

[ADKdremn]

Partway up you'll still see some flagging on the trees to indicate the cliff herdpath which now shares partway the herdpath to Redfield.

Don't count on seeing the flagging. I hiked Cliff in early January and the flagging was just about covered up with snow then. The herd path usually starts right across from the lean-to, but when I was there is started up the trail further right up the brook. We started up that way and then cut over to head towards Cliff. Obviously, a lot probablly has changed since then. Just be aware that in winter the path does not always follow the summer herd path.

 

[Jay H]

I did Grey/Skylight/Redfield two weekends ago and the yellow flagging was about 2ft above the snowline...

Jay