Maine is rebuilding old fire towers

[ChrisB]

Thanks for that lookout tower specification. Very cool. I do know that the Carrigain and Osceola towers were identical. I never saw the Garfield tower. I also recently learned that there was, for a short time, a fire tower on Shaw.

There is an working tower on Mount Belknap. Last time I visited it when it was manned the ranger was talking to the tower on Kersarge (south).

[maineguy]

There is an working tower on Mount Belknap. Last time I visited it when it was manned the ranger was talking to the tower on Kersarge (south).

The tower on Green Mt in Effingham was manned as late as the early 80's. Was there once and the observer let us into the cabin for a look. I noticed a telephone and asked if I could have the number to call for a weather report prior to going hiking and he said sure. Never did call but I thought it was nice of him to offer.

[ChrisB]

The tower on Green Mt in Effingham was manned as late as the early 80's. Was there once and the observer let us into the cabin for a look. I noticed a telephone and asked if I could have the number to call for a weather report prior to going hiking and he said sure. Never did call but I thought it was nice of him to offer.

Did Green in August and tower was there in good condx. But trees have grown so much they obscured the view from platform under the cabin. Warden's cabin was also in good shape and locked up.

[peakbagger]

Did Green in August and tower was there in good condx. But trees have grown so much they obscured the view from platform under the cabin. Warden's cabin was also in good shape and locked up.

Good to know, it was one mountain that I havent climbed and sounds like its best visited in the winter

[maineguy]

Did Green in August and tower was there in good condx. But trees have grown so much they obscured the view from platform under the cabin. Warden's cabin was also in good shape and locked up.

Here is a low quality scanned photo looking north from the tower cabin in 85. In the foreground you can see Leavitt, Broad and (a little bit of) Berry Bays. You can no longer see these due to tree growth. I haven't been back in a long time, so not sure what the view is like now. In the 60s you look almost straight down and see NH 25.

[skiguy]

Here is a low quality scanned photo looking north from the tower cabin in 85. In the foreground you can see Leavitt, Broad and (a little bit of) Berry Bays. You can no longer see these due to tree growth. I haven't been back in a long time, so not sure what the view is like now. In the 60s you look almost straight down and see NH 25.

The Green Mt. Tower has been recently rehabbed and is still manned when needed. There is a great view from Hanson Top a short walk to the West of the main Summit.

[ChrisB]

Good to know, it was one mountain that I havent climbed and sounds like its best visited in the winter

It's a nice walk. We did the loop with the road walk back to the car. Skis might be fun on the road sections.

[Tom Rankin]

There is an working tower on Mount Belknap. Last time I visited it when it was manned the ranger was talking to the tower on Kersarge (south).

Why does everyone call them Rangers? (Is this a western title?)

At least here, they were called Observers.

Rangers, (as the name implies), range around, and in some cases were the person to whom the Observer reported. But I doubt Rangers sat in towers all day.

[egilbe]

I wish the tower mess on Mt Zircon would get cleaned up. "They" just knocked it over. When my GF and I first started hiking, that was one of our training hikes for an eventual Katahdin summit later that year. We were resting and I mentioned that there was a fire tower at the summit. We thought we were at the summit. We looked for the fire tower and found it lying on its side on the exposed ledges about 100 feet where we were sitting. Still one of my least favorite hikes that I remember.