Redfield Herd Path, New High Peaks Guide & ...

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Mike P.

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Does anyone have an idea of the length of the Redfield Herd Path from the Uphill Brook Lean-to Cairn? I had thought initially it was 1.5 miles each way but is strickly a guess from looking at a map, took longer than what I thought a 1.5 herd path (it's a pretty good trail) would take with no blowdown left to navigate through/over/under/around.

Is Redfield & Table indicative of how clear the herd paths are now since it has been decided to try & concentrate useage on "A" herd path - or two?
It seems almost like cheating compared to the descriptions of climbs done since Floyd & other hurricanes & storms in the past & back to 1950. Parts of the Lake Arnold Trail between Lake Arnold & Trail 121 from Upper Works was narrower & more overgrown than parts of the Redfield path. Anytime it seemed there might be a question on direction, I could see a downed tree that had been cut. On some routes like Marshall, Street & Nye & I think a couple of others the new 2004 High Peaks map actually has a dotted trail marked on the map.

Are the other (I understand Street & Nye are close) "trail-less peaks like this too? ( I wanted to say easy but it was not a flat level walk & required paying a fair amount of attention.)
 
No map in front of me, but I think it might be closer to 2 miles. Our speed varied depending upon the terrain. I remember it being faster and easier while actually walking in the brook. I also remember it being more of a workout than the "piece of cake" descriptions led me to believe.

I think the dotted trail indications on the new map are those herd paths that have received special trailwork attention. I think Pete Hickey posted about this recently.

Cheating? Not at all, but the days of "trailless" 46ers is gone, unless you take a route different from the established herd paths. You're correct, some of the formal trails are in worse shape than some of the herd paths. Santanoni Mts. come quickly to mind.


Mike P. said:
Does anyone have an idea of the length of the Redfield Herd Path from the Uphill Brook Lean-to Cairn? I had thought initially it was 1.5 miles each way but is strickly a guess from looking at a map, took longer than what I thought a 1.5 herd path (it's a pretty good trail) would take with no blowdown left to navigate through/over/under/around.

Is Redfield & Table indicative of how clear the herd paths are now since it has been decided to try & concentrate useage on "A" herd path - or two?
It seems almost like cheating compared to the descriptions of climbs done since Floyd & other hurricanes & storms in the past & back to 1950. Parts of the Lake Arnold Trail between Lake Arnold & Trail 121 from Upper Works was narrower & more overgrown than parts of the Redfield path. Anytime it seemed there might be a question on direction, I could see a downed tree that had been cut. On some routes like Marshall, Street & Nye & I think a couple of others the new 2004 High Peaks map actually has a dotted trail marked on the map.

Are the other (I understand Street & Nye are close) "trail-less peaks like this too? ( I wanted to say easy but it was not a flat level walk & required paying a fair amount of attention.)
 
shorter than you may guess

The Redfield herdpath may be close to 1.5 miles, but not more. I base this estimate on two observations. First, the map distance is about 1.25 miles. My experience is that map distances are "rule of thumb" under by about 10% on regular trails and 20% on herdpaths due to the impossibility of accounting for all the twists and turns. Second, even with blowdown and before the rerouting my time was around 45-50 minutes leanto to summit.
 
Some background.

According to the UMP, path so the 'trailless' peaks are to be 'fixed' so that there is a single path (Not necesarily a single route) to its destination. A 'Trailless Peaks committee was established which was composed of the 46ers, the ADK, the DEC, and a few 'interested' individuals. The goal is to protect the environment, not to make it easy or hard for hikers. Many of the peaks have (had) pathe which split and rejoin. Many paths go (went) through widdening muddy sections. Many went through brooks, where high water had people walking ont he banks, causing erosion.

There were some who wanted the 'trailless' peaks to become trailed peaks, while others wanted to maintain the spirit of adventure. A compromise was made, where a single environmentally safe path would be established. BLowdown is removed/cleared if it is forcing people leave the path, but not just to make it easier for hiking.

The first peak we worked on was Tabletop in 1997 (I think). This was an 'experiment'. This was somewhat of a success. We had a problem in changing the start of the path, since the guide books had the location of the older start. It took quite a few years before people really started using the new start*.

The second path worked on, was Street and Nye. The DEC wanted us to do this, due to many false paths leading in loops, or the wrong direction which caused Street & Nye to have the largest number or SAR missions for lost hikers.

Floyd hit, and slowed things down.

Next on the list was Marshall, Redfield, then Esther. MacComb is almost complete, Cliff has a new route laid out and is awaiting DEC and APA approval. Grey has been scouted.

As these paths are 'refurbished' they are indicated as dotted lines on the ADK maps. We also got to Goodwin in time so that the planned start to Cliff is sort of mentioned in his description.

Also as peaks are 'refurbished', a 'path adopter' takes responsibility to maintain it, by walking it twice a year, and monitoring its use, and closing off secondary paths, and doing minimal blowdown clearing.

No, these are not what they used to be, but neither is todays world what it used to be.
 
Thank's Pete!

I had read a little about wanting to keep the impact down, I did do Tabletop in 2001 & with that trip & what I saw on Redfield, the compromise seems to be a pretty good blend, easier than the old stories in Forest & Crag but you need to pay attention unlike some well used trails.

more not less people (including myself) are out hiking.

When my wife & did Macomb in 1997, we had just a little problem finding the trail down below & no problem up. somewhere on the way down we missed the correct turn & ended off the trail, by listening we heard people on the slide & made our way back. Street & Nye's proximity to the ADK Loj probably has something to do with all the SAR too.

Now if only there were more direct routes (from CT) & a closer trailhead to the Sewards, Seymour, Allen.... ;)
 

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