Swede Mountain Fire Tower
Hague, New York
4 September 2021
Anne and I, along with our willing husbands, had the pleasure of hiking the newly blazed trail of Swede Mountain. We went for two reasons, one – to catch the sunset, and two – to see the lighting of the fire tower. It was the 8th Annual Lighting of the Fire Towers throughout the Adirondacks and Catskill Mountains. This annual event originated in the Catskills and made it’s way up north as a way to pay homage to the fire tower observers who watched over the mountains looking for smoke and fire. The system of towers and lookout jobs was put into place after two great fires charred almost 1 million ADK acres in the early 20th Century. It was a successful system for many decades, but the last manned fire tower in the Adirondacks closed in 1990 (aircraft are now used). So now, the towers are lit by volunteers from 9-9:30pm on the night of the event in tribute.
As mentioned, Swede was just recently opened to the public. The tower is owned by the county but much of the trail crosses private property, so it is imperative that hikers stay on the marked trail and respect posted property signs. Also note- the trail is closed to the public Sept. 10- Dec. 16.
The trail itself is rough, being newly cut, but not difficult to manage, with about 600 ft. elevation over about .9 miles to the top. It starts off going over a small stream with plenty of rocks to step across and immediately goes up a short steep incline. After that there are short inclines and declines with switchbacks throughout. Keep a lookout for rock and roots. There were some muddy parts but nothing that sunk your feet in deeply. One thing I noticed was the abundance of flowers along the trail, plenty of goldenrod.
We got to the top just as the sun was about to set. The summit itself does not offer panoramic views, just a few openings through the trees. The best view was from the top of the fire tower looking down on Brant Lake with Gore Mountain in the distance. You will get a spectacular 270 degree view from the tower cab.
We had some time to hang out before the actual lighting of the tower at 9PM and chatted with some of the other folks who were there to show their support. Kayleigh and Mitch told us about their great uncle who was a fire observer in the 1960’s, so the event was particularly special for them. Joanne and Curt are fellow enthusiasts and she works for the county so we talked about some of the hiking challenges we’ve done. It’s always great to meet people with similar interests doing what they enjoy. The communal spirit certainly adds to the experience. Hopefully we’ll see them on the trails again someday.
Just before 9PM Chuck, the ranger, arrived to light the tower. He told us about his career so far as a ranger and the regions he’s been assigned to and some of his experiences maintaining this specific tower. The lighting event however, is done on a volunteer basis and as such, Chuck had to bring his own lights. He brought a bright white light and a very cool rotating red light. The two lights together made for an awesome effect! Everyone was so appreciative of what he brought to the evening.
We were fortunate that it happened to be a clear, moonless night so the stars of the Milky Way were a beautiful backdrop for the tower!
At about 9:30, we said our goodbyes and quietly made our way down the mountain wearing our headlamps. The darkness of the night under a blanket of stars and sounds of the nighttime forest made for a peaceful close to the experience.
Typically, this event takes place sometime around Labor Day weekend. Perhaps next year, we will hike to another tower, or try to find a place to park our car and scan the skies until we see a tower light up in the distance.
Nice meeting you. Awesome shot of the towers and starlit sky!!!