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October 25, 2004 |
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Red Hill Fire Tower
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The close of the two-week Catskill Centennial "Lark in the Park" was Columbus Day weekend. We agreed to lead a hike to the Red Hill fire tower on Sunday, which was also "Catskill Fire Tower Day", a day where guided hikes are offered to all five towers in the Catskill Park. The Red Hill fire tower is located in the Town of Denning in the Sundown Wild Forest.
The 60' tower, after being closed for ten years, was re-opened to the public in July of 2000. The volunteer committee that restored it remains very active in its upkeep and staffing. Summit stewards staff the tower on weekends from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day.
We had a group of ten people for our hike, which began at the new parking area and trailhead (elevation 2,100') on Coons Road (off of Red Hill Road) at 10am. The air was cold but the sun was warm. The bright fall colors were spectacular, especially with backlighting from the sun. The narrow trail climbed quickly at first, crossing two small streams before leveling out underneath the colorful canopy of maple, beech, and birch.
After the first 200' of ascent, the trail levels off and traverses through what used to be a pasture. Stonewalls, dense ferns, and small saplings tell the story, as did a few huge white pines, whose brown needles lined the trail.
As the trail turned to the south, we began the last 500' of vertical ascent to the 2,990' summit. With the air so crisp and many trees already leafless, we were able to see the perennial green spruce/fir summits and orange and yellow slopes of Doubletop and Balsam Lake Mountains to the north. The bright sun often peeked through clouds, spotlighting potions of nearby peaks and valleys. As we increased our elevation, the cold wind became stronger, and we wished there was more sun reaching us through the patchy clouds and treetops.
One mile in, and a quarter-mile below the summit, we followed a small path to a spring. The water flowed out of a sandstone ledge, and people have built two small pools below it. The dark, wet rocks in contrast to the fallen red maple and sugar maple leaves made for a beautiful picture and the ice-cold water was a great refresher.
We continued on, past a severe blowdown on the southern slope next to the trail, and eventually came upon the summit. A grassy area with a few scattered spruces, some picnic tables (and an outhouse) made for a great spot to eat lunch. Although some people refused to climb the tower because of its height or the strong wind, many of us did and were not disappointed. The Rondout Reservoir, Shawangunk Mountains, the western Catskills, and Slide, Peekamoose, and Table Mountains were all visible. The disparity of the fields and houses in the green valleys dwarfed by the orange and yellow peaks drew our attention.
Those that didn't climb the tower still enjoyed the summit because the observer's cabin has been turned into a mini-museum of the towers, specifically Red Hill. Old newspaper clippings, photos, and paraphernalia occupied much of the space.
As we were leaving, a group of six arrived, saying they were fortunate enough to have had a bald eagle fly just overhead during their climb.
The drive home after the 2.7-mile hike was just as enjoyable. Driving along Oliverea Road when the streams are full and in peak foliage is about as good as it gets (unless you are hiking of course). It is days like this that keep us going, keep us coming back for more, and make us realize how lucky we are to live in the Catskills.
- Aaron and Chris
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