Photo of Andy Arthur

Andy Arthur

November is around the corner. πŸ‚ The colors are rapidly fading, the nights are growing long, the politicians are doing their thing, the tricker-treaters and manure spreaders their thing too. The woods soon will be full of the sounds of rifle fire, and the chill of winter and snow will be flying shortly.

Olson Firetower – 100 Foot Tower

Back in the 1963, the Forest Service ran into a problem with their 60-foot Backbone Mountain Firetower, constructed in 1922 by State of West Virginia.The trees had grown too tall around the tower, and it was decided to scrap the 40-year old tower and replace it with a 100 foot Aermotor tower, with the ability to climb to the roof of the tower via a ladder for even better views (!!) Aermotor offered towers up to 175 feet.

The Forest Service bought a 100 foot tower, name Olson Firetower, to put on the mountain, which is still an impressive height as the tallest fire-tower in New York State is only 70 foot (Wakely Mountain). It's a good climb for sure at 30 feet higher then Wakely and is 133 steps to the cabin.

The circa-1963 Olson Tower is named after Ernst B. Olson in recognition of 28 years of fire control and conservation program service to Monongahela National Forest.

Taken on Thursday October 26, 2023 at Olson Firetower.