FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mount Tremper Fire Tower Reopens to Visitors

July 27, 2020 – MT.TREMPER, NY -- The Catskill Center is happy to announce that the Mount Tremper Fire Tower in Mt. Tremper, NY has reopened its top cab for visitors. Earlier in the season the tower had remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of the ongoing concerns, the tower has been reopened in a cautious way with multiple new safety measures in place. To protect other hikers, visitors are required to wear a face mask when climbing on the tower, to use hand sanitizer before and after climbing on the tower, and only members of the same party should climb together. 

The tower is not yet being currently staffed by Catskill Fire Tower Project volunteers from the Catskill Center. Therefore when visiting, hikers will be able to climb the tower and enter the cab on their own. We are kindly asking that visitors to the tower not try to open the fire tower windows as they are in fragile condition and will be replaced soon.

“While this isn’t our traditional type of opening with the Catskill Fire Tower Project at a fire tower, we are excited to offer the public a chance to enjoy the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower,” said Jeff Senterman, Executive Director of the Catskill Center. “These towers are some of the most scenic and popular destinations in the Park and now the public will have the opportunity to once again enjoy the towers before our volunteers return to the tower.”

Built in 1917, the 47-foot steel tower once used for forest fire surveillance offers a beautiful and unique view that is fondly known as being in “the teacup of the Catskills.” With some of the higher elevation mountains surrounding you and a “spout” that leads the eye to the Ashokan Reservoir and the Hudson River Valley, the view from Tremper Fire Tower is a great thing to experience.

A strenuous hike can take you to the summit of Tremper Mountain and to the fire tower. There are two main trailheads that can take you to the top. From the western side trailhead on Old Route 28 in Mt. Tremper, NY the hike is 6.10 miles out and back with about 1967’ of elevation gain. From the eastern side in Willow, NY on Jessop Road, the trail is 7.6 miles roundtrip with 1633’ of elevation gain. For both hikes, it is suggested that hikers have the 10 essentials with them to prepare for a few hours out in the backcountry (http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/hikesmarttenessentials.pdf). 

The Catskill Center expects that their volunteers from the Catskill Center’s Catskill Fire Tower Project will begin to staff the tower later in the season. When volunteers arrive, they will be on hand to greet hikers.

The five backcountry Catskill Park Fire Towers are owned and maintained by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) with support from the Catskill Center. A sixth Catskill Park Fire Tower is now located on the grounds of the Catskills Visitor Center (catskillsvisitorcenter.org), having opened in the Fall of 2019. You can learn more about the Fire Towers of the Catskill Park on the Catskill Center’s website at catskillcenter.org/fire-tower-project.

The volunteer program at the Mount Tremper Fire Tower is a part of Catskill Center’s Catskill Fire Tower Project. A program that began in the 1990s to restore and maintain the 5 original historic Catskill Fire Towers. The Catskill Fire Tower Project keeps towers staffed (presently only Hunter and Balsam Lake Mountains due to COVID-19) on weekends and holidays from May through October. Volunteers greet and speak with visitors to the Catskill Park; providing regional and historical information, and encouraging best hiking practices to protect and preserve the Park. As a member-supported effort, the Catskill Fire Tower Project relies on donations and membership contributions to the Catskill Center. To support the Catskill Fire Tower Project, make a donation and become a member of the Catskill Center at  catskillcenter.org/membership.

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