Mount Redfield, at 4,606 feet the 15th-highest of the Adirondack 46, carries a name rooted in early American exploration: surveyor Verplanck Colvin named it for William C. Redfield, a meteorologist who organized an 1837 expedition to Mount Marcy and was the first to identify Marcy as New York's highest summit. The mountain sits in the remote southern reaches of the High Peaks Wilderness, flanked by Cliff Mountain to the west and Mount Skylight to the northeast.
There is no maintained trail to the summit. The approach follows the Calamity Brook Trail from the Upper Works trailhead, a long walk to the Flowed Lands before reaching the Uphill Lean-to, where a herd path departs up Uphill Brook. The path climbs past a small waterfall, then swings right onto steeper terrain toward the top. Round-trip distance exceeds 16 miles with roughly 3,225 feet of elevation gain, making this a full day at minimum; backcountry lean-tos in the Flowed Lands area allow the trip to be split over two days. Redfield is frequently paired with nearby Cliff Mountain to make the long approach worthwhile.
The summit is largely wooded but opens onto a rock outcrop with views stretching to the south. Wet trail conditions along Uphill Brook are common; waterproof footwear and careful footing on the herd path are advisable. Route details and trip reports are available for both the solo Redfield approach and the Redfield–Cliff combination.
