Fire Towers

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backpacker
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Owls Head mountain
Located North West of the village of Long Lake, this hike is 6.2 miles round trip with an elevation change of 1150 feet. The tower is 35 feet tall and erected in 1919, it was abandoned by the state in 1970 as with most of the towers in the Dacks. The tower was restored to public use in 2004 by the DEC and friends of the tower. The trail is easy hiking with little gain until you reach the remains of the fire observer’s cabin at 2.8 miles. We hiked this on April 17th and there was still 3 to 4 feet of snow, we did some post holeing and should have had snowshoes and crampons (would have been easier). When we reached the trailhead I saw a large bird leaving the trees on the lake, I didn’t have my big lens on or binoculars. The sun was just right to not get a good ID on the bird by my guess would be an Eagle or Osprey. I know eagles have been spotted in the Long Lake area.

A large knot
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1st view of the tower
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through the trees
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the tower
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Lake and mountains
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another view
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A couple different shots
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survey marker
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Matt
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beautiful views!
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hobkyl
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Great photos Jim!!! Is that Colden that I spy in the distance in picture 5?
“There’s an inconsequentiality to our lives that living in the wilderness shows up. Mountain are real, they set their limits, they set ours. They expose us, make us vulnerable and strong at the same time. “
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backpacker
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Thanks Matt,
Yes thats Colden you spy also in the picture is the Santi range, Adam, Marshall, Gray, Algonquin, Little Marcy, Marcy, and Skylight and I sure there's more. It's hard to tell what's what because their so far out. Colden is about 81 miles as the crow flies based on my topo map.
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Gore Mountain Fire Tower
The trail length has changed from 9 miles to 11.6 miles round trip. Elevation change is 2533 the summit elevation is 3583. The trail is very pleasant to hike with many waterfalls between mile 1 and 2, the trail is mostly rock and root free making it a pleasure to come down. The last ½ to ¾ mile is on the ski resort service road and probably the hardest part of the hike but the views of the high peaks are well worth the frequent stops to catch your breath as you take in the beauty. As you can see the tower is covered in modern electronic junk. So once you see the tower go back to the warming hut and enjoy the views. The chair lift runs from late August to October making it less than a ¼ mile to the summit (for Matt) but you miss out on the waterfalls and views.

Loose stone note leaves are changing already
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spider web and birch bark
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Monarch butterfly
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the high peaks, under exposed to kill haze
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one of the chair lifts
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any skiers among us
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the lift to the top (for Matt)
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hate to say it but thats the fire tower
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the lodge as seen from the warming hut
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hobkyl
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Nice TR and photos Jim!
“There’s an inconsequentiality to our lives that living in the wilderness shows up. Mountain are real, they set their limits, they set ours. They expose us, make us vulnerable and strong at the same time. “
--Alison Wat




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thanks Kyle
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wonderful shots.
Just looking at them let me want to do that hike :D
Sooner or later I have to get to the area for some hiking
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