Cliff Mountain sits at 3,960 feet as the lowest of the Adirondack 46 High Peaks, falling just short of 4,000 feet yet remaining a required summit by long-standing tradition. The mountain earns its name: the final push to the top involves scrambling up a genuinely steep and sometimes slippery rock face. Cliff is nearly always paired with neighboring Mount Redfield, and the combined day is a long, serious undertaking with no maintained trails above the lean-to area.
Two approaches are common. From Upper Works via the Calamity Brook Trail, the round trip for both peaks covers about 15.5 miles and 3,450 feet of gain; from Adirondack Loj via Avalanche Pass and Lake Colden, the route stretches closer to 19 miles. Either way, the path tracks through attractive waterways before reaching Flowed Lands and Lake Colden. Near the Uphill lean-to, a cairn marks where the herd path splits toward Cliff and Redfield. The Cliff spur climbs 0.8 miles through muddy forest and onto the cliff face itself. A false high point near the top can mislead; the true summit has a wooden sign.
Summit views are modest, but the steep approach opens sightlines toward Lake Colden and the surrounding peaks. Spring mud and seasonal water crossings add time and difficulty, and winter conditions call for crampons or microspikes, extra layers, and careful judgment at Flowed Lands. An early start is essential for this ambitious double.
