Adirondack Places
| Fire Towers - The Northwest Region |
Kempshall Mountain | The "microburst"of '95 no doubt claimed the trail to Kempshall .Mt. (3,360). It is located on the eastern shore of Long Lake. I paddled the 5+ miles north of the village to a small beach with a couple of nice campsites nestled in the trees along a brook. The old trail begins a short distance in back of the tentsite on the right. Determined to discover if any views remain, I hacked my way 2.5 miles to the summit The trail reminded me of Owls Head at the opposite end of Long Lake, which I climbed a few days after the microburst. Kempshall however has not been re-opened, no doubt due to limited manpower, but also, disappointingly, it has no view and the tower is gone. All that remains are the stumps of the base and a charred remnant of campfire. There is a tiny view of Long Lake on the descent, not a mountain to get lost on, but a long day with the paddling. Blueberry Mt. with Kempshall in the background slowly faded away as I concentrated on the proverbial chop lapping at the bow of my 10ft. canoe. Paul Jamieson's Adirondack Canoe Waters, Northflow has a bit of information and a map, but it is my recommendation that hikers had best look for other summits to climb and let dear ol' Kempshall rest in peace. |
Azure Mt. | While not easy to get to, Azure Mt. in Franklin Co. still has a fire tower though views are spectacular from its open 2518 ft. summit.
Access is along Blue Mt. Rd. south 6 miles from Rt. 458 near St. Regis Falls or north 11 miles on Keese Mills Rd. to Blue Mt. Rd. which is
mostly unpaved and seasonal. My advice is to come in from the north and the state sign will be on your right with ample parking. The big
treat is that the trail is only one mile and is beautifully maintained. The mountain is on a little spit of State land surrounded by many
private hunting clubs - so as Paul Jamieson recommends on the limited information that I can find on this area - you may want to skip this
one during hunting season. A thick northeasterly fog hung over the summit for nearly two hours the day I visited, but a carpet of greenery eventually appeared to the east and to the south. Lovely low hills and marshes, numerous ponds and the St. Regis River too can be seen. Over the top of the summit you'll enjoy a blanket of wildflowers and berry bushes and a most beautiful white birch stand with sneak views between the trees to the western corner of the Adirondack Park. |
To my astonishment, the list of visitors in the register included people from as far away as Alabama, California, Florida, Nevada and Germany. Forest Ranger J. Giglinto also makes weekly visits. If you need a place to stay, 10 minutes in from the parking area is a lovely campsite complete with an unusual fireplace and picnic table. Be sure to sign the register to let NYS know this should be a keeper!
Debar Mt. | Surrounded by state forests, the trailhead to Debar Mt. begins inside Meacham Lake State Park in northern Franklin Co. The
literature you receive at the gatehouse states "the tower is not in good condition and should not be climbed." Unfortunately,
the tower is gone, but the small rocky summit does command lovely 180 degree views south overlooking Meacham Lake, Clear
Pond and the Deer River Flow. You'll find a detailed description in Barbara McMartin's Fifty Hikes in the Adirondacks of the extraordinary forest and flowers along the 3.5 mile route. A confusing sign at the parking area indicates the trip is 4.5 miles to the summit - ignore it. Red markers guide you along an old road for a mile to an intersection where another sign points left to Debar Mt. We hiked in following a night of rain and waterdrops on the foliage sparkled like diamonds in the early morning sunlight. Three miles of relatively easy going brings you to a lean-to with a friendly note from the adopted parents, Debbie and Peter I believe. The place is spotless and well maintained thanks to these generous people. |
Not far ahead you'll find the foundation of the old cabin. If you're a little shy of snakes, you may want to keep your distance. What appeared to be two snakes parallel to each other turned out to be one - my guess was over 3 ft. in length. I snapped a few pictures, not knowing my snakes, but later at the VIC in Paul Smith's I think I identified him (her) as a garter - greenish-brown, speckled with yellow marks and a small inquisitive face.
Now the uphill, exciting last half mile rocky ladder climbs 800 ft. to the 3,300 ft. summit. Mother Nature had another surprise in store for us. Dark clouds hovered below and a gusty wind warned us it was moving our way. Part way back to the lean-to we took shelter under some low branches while lightening and thunder worked fury on Debar. A charred trunk nearby reminded me of the 1908 fires that devastated nearly 6,000 acres in this part of the Adirondacks. Verplanck Colvin in his survey of 1883 remarked of the charred, desolate lands he found in this area, the result of fires earlier in that century. How good the lean-to looked to us following a break in the storm. The skies darkened again and a solid half-hour of torrential rain enveloped the mountain. But then … it was over. The forest's thirst was quenched and in thanksgiving it secreted a magnificent fragrance. Bright sunlight streamed through the trees -- raindrops like diamonds in a jewelry store adorned every leaf.