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  • #16
    Interesting. Sounds like progress has been made.

    Although if Lyme Timber wants to play hardball, there is potential for a new trail entirely on state and county land. The county parcel on the summit adjoins state land (part of the Lake George Wild Forest) as well as Lyme Timber lands. And a new trail could be constructed from a trailhead further west on Route 8. It'd be a longer route, with more elevation gain (but ultimately this might not necessarily be a bad thing, as it could be routed more sustainably than the old route).

    In the image below, the orange hatched parcel is the county parcel on the summit, the green hatched parcels are the state owned land, and the red hatched parcels are the parcels owned by Lyme Timber.

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    • #17
      Per Matt Simpson, the Horicon Town Supervisor, the funding has been approved at the Warren County level removing the last roadblock. Details are still being worked out but expect the Forest Fire Lookout Association to be looking for volunteers to help restore the tower. Although it's been over 30 years since I've climbed Swede, my memories are still vivid. The views are excellent. The short distance and the gentle trail will rival Belfry Mountain for easy access to a fire tower. But more importantly, without the gravel road and cell towers. A round trip will take under an hour but I'm sure people will want to linger and enjoy the views.

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      • #18
        Excellent news!

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        • #19
          Swede Fire Tower seen from a bushwhack, from the southwest, at a beaver pond.
          Attached Files

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          • #20
            A small falls southwest of Swede Mountain
            Attached Files

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            • #21
              Progress continues to be made. The county will fund the construction of a new foot bridge over the outlet of North Pond. I'm told the current efforts involve determining the legal status of each parcel of land. Lawyers are certainly involved so keep your fingers crossed. When all the formalities are complete a "Friends of Swede Mountain" group will be formed. Stay tuned for more information.

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              • #22
                Does Makomis still have a firetower? And if so is it accessible?

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                • #23
                  That tower reminds me of one just like it in PA on Mt. Davis. A few years ago I drove up there and found clouds near the summit. I was parked in a lot not 100 feet from the tower when I heard an awful loud roar. A small plane flew 50 feet over my truck obviously flying VFR probably not IFR rated nor certified. When he realized how low he was he tried to climb. I though for sure that I would hear him crash into the treetops and certain I would have been the first on the scene but he didn't. Of course a few yards to my left he would have lopped the top of the tower off. I will never forget that. Sorry for the derailment of the topic but I just had a crazy flashback.
                  Never Argue With An Idiot. They Will Drag You Down To Their Level And Beat You With Experience.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Woodly View Post
                    Does Makomis still have a firetower? And if so is it accessible?
                    It was removed in 1978. This article has some more info: https://www.suncommunitynews.com/art...-and-restored/

                    The summit is just barely on private property. I've never climbed it but I've heard that it's not hard to get permission from the property owners (The Underwood Club) to access the summit from the state land side of the mountain (which necessitates a bushwhack ascent).

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by DSettahr View Post
                      It was removed in 1978. This article has some more info: https://www.suncommunitynews.com/art...-and-restored/

                      The summit is just barely on private property. I've never climbed it but I've heard that it's not hard to get permission from the property owners (The Underwood Club) to access the summit from the state land side of the mountain (which necessitates a bushwhack ascent).
                      Thanks for the info DS. 78 hey? I was up there just before that. Was also a leanto there then. That had to have been the easiest tower to get to since I recall young children with us and an easy walk and if I recall correctly the walk was on a grassy driveway.

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                      • #26
                        Swede Mountain maybe this summer? https://poststar.com/news/local/new-...a24977bcc.html
                        We will either find a way , or make one. Hannibal (247-182 B.C.) Cartagiaian general

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                        • #27
                          Some volunteer work has already begun. The trail is brushed out but still needs some hardening.

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                          • #28
                            Swede Mtn. Fire Tower Trail in Hague open to public
                            Warren County’s newest hiking trail offers spectacular views
                            It’s time for a walk on Warren County’s newest hiking trail, a trail with fabulous views from a 47-foot tall fire tower!
                            The town of Hague in Warren County is home to a new trail and publicly accessible fire tower on Swede Mountain, a nice jaunt through woods and fields that ends with miles of views of mountains and waterways to the west and north.
                            The tower sits about 11 miles east of the hamlet of Brant Lake, and 5.5 miles west of the hamlet of Hague.
                            Warren County owns the fire tower and a parcel of land around it, and the county has an agreement with a landowner to have the trail cross private property to get to the summit.
                            (Please Note: A portion of the private land the trail crosses is leased by a hunting club, so the entire trail and the tower will be closed and inaccessible each year from September 10th through December 16th.)
                            The tower was taken out of service for fire watch purposes by New York State in 1968, and was purchased by Warren County in 1995 for use as a site for radio communication equipment. That communications plan was later reconfigured and the site not used.
                            The fire tower was rehabilitated this spring and summer by Warren County Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works staff, and a trail was cut from Route 8, starting at North Pond. A New York State highway rest area provides parking for about 15 vehicles.
                            The trail is a relatively easy walk, 1.8 miles round trip, with about 240 feet of elevation gain. Other than a stream crossing and steep dirt embankment at the beginning of the hike, the majority of the trail is a gradual uphill climb.
                            The re-opening is exciting for the town of Hague, where the tower was a local attraction, Hague Town Supervisor Edna Frasier explained.
                            “For me this tends to be nostalgic,” Frasier explained. “The memories I have of my brothers and sisters hiking up to the tower, climbing the tower and exploring the area are still vivid. It is exciting to know that others can now experience this.”
                            Warren County Parks and Recreation Department crews battled the elements this summer to get the work done, dealing with frequent rain and deep mud that hindered the ability to get equipment to the site. Virtually all of the wood stairs and tower floor had to be replaced.
                            “We are very proud of how this project turned out. It involved a lot of work under some difficult circumstances,” noted Kevin Hajos, Warren County Public Works Superintendent.
                            For more information on this trail and other recreational opportunities in Warren County visit our Warren County Rec Mapper website at warrencountyny.gov/recmapper. Swede Mountain is trail #55 on the Rec Mapper site.
                            Adirondack Mountain Club plans to add this hike to its “ADK Fire Tower Challenge.”
                            Warren County would like to thank Lyme Timber Company, New York State and the volunteers who helped Parks and Rec staff with trail fine tuning.
                            Swede Mountain facts:
                            Mountain: 1,904-foot-high summit.
                            Fire tower: 47 feet high, 7 flights of wooden stairs.
                            Location: Trailhead is off New York State Route 8 between Brant Lake and the hamlet of Hague.
                            Parking: Limited at a New York State rest area off the eastbound side of Route 8, GPS Coordinates -- N 43° 44' 33.009" W 73° 35' 17.749"
                            https://www.facebook.com/adkpaddleski/

                            https://northeastwild.blogspot.com/

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                            • #29
                              Nice! It's always great to see new fire towers being restored and opened to the public. Looks like this one delivers a lot of bang for your change, similar to Belfry and Rondaxe. According to the article, it will soon become the 31st peak on the Adirondack/Catskill firetower challenge.

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                              • #30
                                I will be there

                                Now let's get going with Cathead, solve it already!!! It's been what 20 years now.

                                Maybe there is hope for Salmon Lake too, now that the Whitney property is for sale. I already have Buck.
                                Last edited by Lonehiker; 08-13-2021, 10:19 PM.

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