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#1 |
Footslogger
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 144
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Swede Mountain
Does anyone have any information about Swede Mountain? I used to climb this all the time when the trail was open from Rt 8. The cabin used to be in pretty good shape. I know the area has been heavily logged but I've been wondering if there are any plans for restoring access and/or restoring the tower?
Last edited by Dave Bourque; 01-24-2020 at 07:35 PM.. |
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#2 |
ɹǝqɯǝɯ
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5,448
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There was some discussion about it on here a few months ago. I believe the summit and the old trail is owned by the county, and public access is not permitted. There are copious "No Trespassing" signs at the old trailhead.
I've read in a few sources that the county has long term plans to re-open it to the public, but there's nothing recently to indicate that any movement has been made towards this goal. |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 16
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Any info on any other abandoned towers that might still exist? Any info ive found is dated by atleast 15 years. Swede mtn, mt morris, jackie jones look out, wondering if im missing any possible fire tower hikes
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#4 |
ɹǝqɯǝɯ
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5,448
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I think the one on Meenahga Mountain, north of Rainbow Lake, still stands but it's also on private property and not open to the public. Google earth shows what appears to be a few private camps on the summit.
There's a number outside the Adirondacks/Catskills that still stand. Some are actually in pretty good shape. Beebe Hill, Sugar Hill, Dickinson Hill to name a few. There's a bunch in PA but a lot of them are in pretty rough shape. There doesn't really seem to have been much of a movement towards restoring them like we've seen in NY. VT has a bunch as well, and also has its own Fire Tower Challenge. |
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#5 |
ɹǝqɯǝɯ
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5,448
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Also, I think there's a fire tower in Allegany State Park, just off the Finger Lakes Trail.
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: WNY/Tupper Lake
Posts: 285
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There are two in Allegany State Park. One in the Red House Area which is the Summit FT which is in good shape.
The other is in the Quaker Lake area, Mt Tuscarora(pictured below) it is located off of the FLT but the most direct accessed is from APS 3 right by Quaker Lake. It s just a shell of it's former self which you are unable to climb. |
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 16
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Thanks for the info guys! Also i read somewhere about a possible bushwack on swede to avoid posted lands? Sounds like wishful thinking to me but jackie jones lookout was the same way and behold i went there and its still there! Climbable if you can get past the first stairs which have been torn down. Not sure why though the rest of the tower was very sturdy. My guess is they dont have anyone checking up on it so they didnt want the headache.
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#8 | |
ɹǝqɯǝɯ
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5,448
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Quote:
I would encourage you not to try to push the boundaries with the closed/inaccessible fire towers. When people start trespassing to get to them and/or climbing the ones that have had the stairs removed (and especially when they advocate doing so on a public message board), they risk ruining the chances of having those towers re-opened to legal public access again in the future. There's also a fire tower on Mt. Beacon in the Hudson Highlands, and that one I believe is open to the public (the tower itself was recently restored). The Breakneck Ridge ascent up Mt. Beacon from the Hudson River is hands down one of the most spectacular hikes in NY State. |
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 16
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Thanks for the info! Yea I suppose it isnt a good idea, im just consumed with these fire towers. I have a personal photography project im working on involving polaroid photos of the towers and its hard to think about anything else. Panoramic photos from inside the towers look so amazing!
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 16
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How would one go about organizing a group to get involved with restoration of a firetower when one doesnt live in the general area of the fire tower?
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#11 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NJ / Brant Lake
Posts: 235
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Warren County seeks to reopen long-closed fire tower in Hague
Quote:
https://poststar.com/news/local/warr...084199304.html |
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#12 |
ɹǝqɯǝɯ
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5,448
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I had thought that the county owned the entirety of the old trail, but that article indicates that this is not the case. I took a quick look at the tax information for Warren County, and the county indeed only owns the summit. The old trail (and most of the land on the north side of the mountain) is owned by Lyme Timber. So permission would have to be negotiated with them to re-open the old trail as it was.
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#13 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 195
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#14 |
Footslogger
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 144
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Lyme Timber leases the land to a Hunting Club so any negotiations will have to involve them also. Expect the Hunting Club to request the trail be closed during hunting season. Hopefully everyone can come to a positive solution as the views from Swede Mountain are excellent and this was a very kid friendly hike. It's been quite a while but I recall there are 3 USGS benchmarks on the summit.
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#15 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 37
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Some more info: https://poststar.com/news/local/warr...697a531e5.html
__________________
We will either find a way , or make one. Hannibal (247-182 B.C.) Cartagiaian general |
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#16 |
ɹǝqɯǝɯ
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5,448
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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 |
Footslogger
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 144
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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 |
ɹǝqɯǝɯ
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5,448
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Excellent news!
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#19 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dolgeville
Posts: 136
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Swede Fire Tower seen from a bushwhack, from the southwest, at a beaver pond.
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#20 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dolgeville
Posts: 136
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A small falls southwest of Swede Mountain
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