Cliff and Redfield Backpacking Adventure! (6/30/10)

I was looking forward to this hike, not so much for the mountains themselves, but for the fact that this was my first actually backpacking trip! I've done many a day trip, but this was my entrance into the overnight scene. Three of use made the venture in from the Upper Works trailhead on Tuesday morning, back to the Flowed Lands, and around to our campsite at Colden Dam. Our campsite was superb: flat groomed tent-sites, easy access stream water and great views from the dam itself. A special thanks to Jim for bringing some dessert that night! Well in the morning we woke up, cooked breakfast and were on the trail by close to 8am. The two days before we arrived in the Adirondacks, there had been some heavy rains and the trails back to camp were extra muddy to show for it. This was also apparent on our hike back along the Opalescent River which was roaring and the most spectacular display of flumes, falls and cascades I think I've ever seen! Truly worth the hike just for that. We followed the trail up the the Uphill Leen-to, followed the herd path to the split and slogged through the water and mud up the the cliffs of Cliff Mt. I think the ascent up Cliff takes the award for the most mini rock cliff scrambles of any mountain I've hiked. They just take time and caution to navigate them properly, but I really enjoy the rock scrambles so it didn't bother me. Having been properly warned, we made it to the top of the false summit, and continued on, for what seemed like a long time, before reaching the sign and the actual summit of Cliff. We snapped a few quick photos but didn't linger knowing that we still had to retrace our steps, head over and climb Redfield, go back and break camp, and hike out still. Much of the herd path up Redfield either followed the brook or was directly in the brook and led to numerous beautiful vistas along the way. The trail up to the summit was easy to follow and by comparison to the high peaks on a whole, not that rough. We took little bit to have lunch and enjoy the views off the top, most to the South, then began the decent back to camp. My feet were a bit sore from all the hiking and backpacking to that point so I reserved a few minutes to soak my feet in the cold water of Lake Colden before breaking down camp. We were fortunate that we were able to get all packed up and start heading out when we did, because withing 2 minutes of leaving camp, a heavy rain started coming down and continued on and off for most of the death march back to the car. I for some reason seem to dislike the walk out of the Flowed Lands more than any other. It just seems to get longer and longer each time I hike it. But, overall my first backpacking trip was a great success. Two more high peaks down, no bear visits, and safe and sound!