Hunter Mountain Fire Tower

New York built its network of mountaintop fire towers in the early 1900s, after dry years and careless sparks turned the forests into a tinderbox. Hunter Mountain got its first tower, a 40-foot wooden frame, in 1909, and in 1917 the state replaced it with the sturdier 60-foot steel Aermotor design that still stands. The steel came up the mountain the hard way, carried in pieces up the old Spruceton road, and was assembled on the summit by hand.

For the next half-century an observer climbed the stairs each morning of fire season and settled into the glass cab at the top, using a map table and an alidade to fix the bearing of any smoke he spotted, then phoning it down so crews could race to the fire before it spread. In 1953 the tower and cabin were even shifted a thousand feet along the ridge to sit on the mountain's true summit. The state finally retired the lookout in 1989, once spotter planes and later satellites did the watching, and the tower fell quiet.

In the 1990s the abandoned tower was very nearly dismantled for scrap, the fate of many retired lookouts. Instead, local volunteers and hiking groups rallied to save it, and in 1997 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fundraising by the community, matched by state conservation dollars, paid to make the old steel safe again, and the tower reopened to the public in the fall of 2000 with interpretive signs telling its story.

The restoration held. A later round of work repaired wind damage and shored up the structure so it could keep taking visitors. The adjacent observer's cabin, its windows still screened in steel mesh to keep out the porcupines that gnaw at anything on the summit, now serves as a small museum, opened by volunteer stewards on some summer and fall weekends, where you can see how the observer lived and worked alone on the mountaintop.

The classic route is the blue-marked Spruceton Trail, which starts up the Spruceton Valley west of the village of Hunter and follows an old, wide jeep road at a steady, forgiving grade, easier underfoot than the steep scrambles many Catskill high peaks demand. It winds up through groves of dark Norway spruce, past the John Robb lean-to with its valley outlook, a good place to catch your breath before the final pull to the summit clearing where the tower rises.

The summit itself is walled in by trees, so the reward is the climb up the tower's flights of steel stairs to the cab. From up there the view opens a full 360 degrees: the folded green ridges of the Catskills falling away below, the Hudson Valley to the east, the Berkshires and Taconics beyond, and on a clear day the far-off gleam of the Manhattan skyline. It is the one place on this heavily wooded range where you can stand above the forest and take in the whole of it at once.

The Spruceton trailhead lies at the end of Spruceton Road in the narrow valley of West Kill, north of the hamlets tucked into these mountains. There are no services at the trailhead, so top off gas and water and pack food, layers, and plenty to drink in the valley before you set out, since it is a long round-trip with real elevation to gain.

The summit is exposed and often windy, and weather in the Catskills can change fast, so bring a wind layer even on a warm morning and start early enough to be down before dark. Climb the tower one person to a landing, go gently on the historic steel and the old cabin, and give yourself time at the top. On a clear day it is worth every step, a rare open window over a range that usually keeps its views to itself.

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It is a restored historic fire tower crowning the summit of Hunter Mountain, the second-highest peak in the Catskills. Climbing the tower rewards you with sweeping panoramic views across the Catskill high peaks and beyond, far above the surrounding forest. The tower cab is typically staffed and open on many weekends from late spring into early fall, and the historic structure and nearby cabin add a sense of the mountain's past.

It is a strenuous climb to a summit above four thousand feet, best for fit hikers. Routes vary in difficulty, from the notoriously steep and direct Becker Hollow trail to longer, more gradual approaches from the Spruceton valley side. Whichever you choose, plan for a demanding day with significant elevation gain, pace yourself on the steep sections, and allow plenty of time to reach the tower and return.

Late spring through fall offers the best footing and the best chance of finding the tower cab open, with autumn foliage making the summit views spectacular. Summer is pleasant up high but start early for parking and daylight. In winter the climb becomes a serious undertaking requiring traction devices, winter gear, and experience. Always check the forecast, since summit weather can differ sharply from the trailhead.

Come well prepared for a remote, strenuous hike: carry ample water, food, warm layers, sturdy boots, and a map, and do not count on cell service. Start early, sign the trail register, and let someone know your plans. Know your limits on the steep terrain and be ready to turn back if weather or fatigue sets in. If reaching the open tower matters to you, check whether it is staffed for the season.

Yes, Hunter Mountain is one of the Catskill high peaks sought by those working to climb all the summits over 3,500 feet, which adds to its popularity with dedicated hikers. The fire tower is a bonus reward at the top, offering views that most wooded Catskill summits lack. Whether or not you are peak-bagging, it is a satisfying, big-view climb for anyone up to the strenuous effort.