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Posted: 7/19/2015 1:08:25 PM EDT
[#1]
There is one about 2 minutes down the road from me. It is all flatland, no mountains, but I'm guessing you can see pretty far. It is right next to one of the SC Forestry Commission Offices. Looks like SC still runs a bunch of the towers.
Here is a list of some of the eastern states - doesn't have pics or links, but doesn't list the area. http://easternuslookouts.weebly.com/ |
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Posted: 7/19/2015 1:14:22 PM EDT
[#2]
The Forrest Service usually takes bids for fire lookouts each year. Low bid gets it if qualified.
I bid several times on the Payette National Forrest in Idaho, but got underbid every time. 
Here's one of the lookouts I bid on. Sheep Mountain in the Frank Church Wilderness on the Salmon River Breaks. Been there numerous times guiding Elk hunts. It's as useful for spotting Elk as it is for spotting fires. 
....and, yup....lightning is a concern. 
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Posted: 7/19/2015 1:16:32 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4798052160_86dafe5eff.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4798047866_bbf31a0baa.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4798048914_1f68a2884f.jpg This one is near me, the only one I've ever been too. ETA: Video added. http://youtu.be/pstcVVYCGr0 Awesome video, thanks |
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Posted: 7/19/2015 1:17:32 PM EDT
[#4]
I climbed to the top of one here in Colorado a couple years ago with a fellow ARFcommer.
Devil's Head Fire Lookout 
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Posted: 7/19/2015 1:31:38 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryNow there's a retreat worthy of the zombie apocalypse. Quoted:
Quoted:
I've been wanting one ... sorta like having an old train caboose. Then go here ?? http://www.firelookout.org/lookouts-for-sale.html I would think that buying one of the taller range towers they're still making for military firearms ranges would get you the same result. Some of the taller ones at Drum are every bit as effective as the stuff being posted here |
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Posted: 7/19/2015 6:23:00 PM EDT
[#6]
Some great pics and posts in this thread!
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Posted: 7/19/2015 7:07:42 PM EDT
[#7]
I'd love to have that job. I'd dang near pay them to let me do it.
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Posted: 7/19/2015 10:12:33 PM EDT
[#8]
I've gone to this one dozens of times. It doubles as a wether station.
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Posted: 7/21/2015 3:10:33 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'd love to have that job. I'd dang near pay them to let me do it. I'd definatley volunteer my services for free if I was retired or independantly wealthy! 
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Posted: 7/24/2015 12:13:40 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I did, and discovered there are two in Illinois: Yay Illannoys. Again. 
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
There is quite a few of them in California, ( you can click home and find the ones in your state ), http://www.nhlr.org/lookouts/StateList.aspx?state=CA. I did, and discovered there are two in Illinois: The Illinois Department of Conservation once had a network of 10 fire towers across the state, and the U.S. Forest Service had an additional 7 in the Shawnee National Forest. All of the federal towers are gone and only two state towers remain. Big River Lookout is located on the eastern bluffs along the Mississippi River within the Big River State Forest. The 60’ steel tower with 7’x7’ cab was constructed in 1941. Yay Illannoys. Again.
I don't know why the one in OP is not listed. Its in east central IL (40.013994, -87.551924) |
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Posted: 7/24/2015 12:18:05 PM EDT
[#11]
For those in the St. Louis area, this one is open to the public. Just park and climb it.
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Posted: 7/24/2015 12:32:27 PM EDT
[#12]
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Had my first kiss at the top of one of them.  I know, I was there. I remember it like it was yesterday... 
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Posted: 7/24/2015 12:55:55 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
http://i57.tinypic.com/29ynm20.jpg This one (not my pic) is an old defunct fire watch tower that has been open to the public for several years now at the county preserve. We climbed up it again today. The windows and door are gone, its all open element now. Pretty cool to think somebody at one time sat up there just looking for fires. Must have gotten pretty boring after a while though. That was my dad's first job out of high school "Forest Fire Observer" working for NYS at the Minnewaska tower. He has some pretty crazy stories. Hell of a good time if you liked hunting. He used to turn his old beagle out and she would chase rabbits under the tower and he would pop them with a .22. He said his boss always knew when he got a rabbit because he would call in on the radio that he was off watch while he went down to grab the rabbit. This is him and my daughters at the ADK museum in the Tower they have on site. 
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Posted: 7/24/2015 1:01:38 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My brothers in I did the same in the mid-late 90s. For the life of me I cant remember where it was. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I hiked to one years ago in the Catskill Mountains of NYS with the intent of climbing it, but once I saw its condition I quickly changed my thinking. My brothers in I did the same in the mid-late 90s. For the life of me I cant remember where it was. Minnewaska or Hunter Mountain is it was a tall one. If it was a shorty it was one of the ones in ADK. |
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Posted: 7/24/2015 1:49:19 PM EDT
[#15]
apparently the whole area around Devil's Head got hit by a tornado or super cell the other day... tower and trail is closed
http://kdvr.com/2015/07/22/wind-damage-closes-devils-head-fire-tower-popular-campground/ |
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Posted: 7/24/2015 8:44:36 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
apparently the whole area around Devil's Head got hit by a tornado or super cell the other day... tower and trail is closed http://kdvr.com/2015/07/22/wind-damage-closes-devils-head-fire-tower-popular-campground/ bummer |
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