Azure Mountain Fire Tower
US 520, NY 23
March 2018 photo

March 2018 photo - courtesy of Laurie Rankin

Lookout Details

Registry Numbers US 520, NY 23 (view other lookouts in United States, New York)
Date Registered September 30, 2003
Location Franklin County, New York
Coordinates N 44° 32.570' W 074° 30.276' (view using Google Maps)
N 44° 32' 34" W 074° 30' 17"
N 44.542830° W 074.504600°
Elevation 2,500 ft (762 m)
Administered by New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Cooperators Azure Mountain Friends & New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation

Description

There are a number of success stories of restoration of fire towers in the Adirondacks, and Azure Mountain is among them. The first lookout on the site was a wood platform built in 1914. In 1918 New York DEC built the present 35’ Aermotor LS-40 tower with 7’x7’ metal cab at a cost of $300. In 1934 the State added the 535 Azure Mountain tract to the Adirondack Park and continued to staff the lookout until 1978. The 1936 observers cabin was removed in 1995, but in 2001 the fire tower and six others won listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The tower was restored in 2002 by a team from DEC, AmeriCorps, and a group known as Azure Mountain Friends (who published an excellent Fire Tower Interpreter’s Guide).

From The Observers' Cabin by Bill Starr: "What I call the `Model 1936' cabin was developed and placed into service that year. Six were built at Azure, De Bar, Makomis, Poke-O-Moonshine, Rock Rift and Stissing mountains. The blue prints call for a stone fireplace on the front wall of the cabin. Yet from very recent photographic research not all these cabins were constructed with the stone fireplace. Accessibility to material and even to a skilled stone mason was essential. At Azure, De Bar and Poke-O-Moonshine mountains road access to the cabin sites was available, and a stone mason must have been at one of the nearest C.C.C. camps because these three locations all had their 'Model 1936' cabins built with a stone fire place. The only other cabin with a stone fire place was at St. Regis Mountain where this cabin was built in 1939. Two stone chimneys existed on this cabin, the main fireplace in front and a smaller chimney in the rear left corner of the cabin at the pantry, no doubt for a wood burning cook stove."

Map

Change Basemap

Photos

1936-New Cabin (NYS-DEC photo-courtesy Bill Starr)

1936-New Cabin (NYS-DEC photo-courtesy Bill Starr)

Model 1936 Cabin (courtesy Bill Starr)

Model 1936 Cabin (courtesy Bill Starr)

1974-Model 1936 Cabin (Bob Eckler photo-courtesy Bill Starr)

1974-Model 1936 Cabin (Bob Eckler photo-courtesy Bill Starr)

Visit Reports

March 11, 2018: Laurie Rankin

Condition

Needs paint? No
Shutters OK? Not Applicable
Condition of wood OK? Yes
Stairs OK? Yes
Glass intact? No
Good condition? Yes
Comments: Tower is in good condition. Was recently painted. Unable to see footings as they were in the snow.

Electronics and Enroachments

Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? No

Access and Signs

NHLR sign posted? No
Directions to tower signed? Yes
Comments? Trailhead had been plowed fairly recently. Plow came and cleared and sanded approach road (Blue Mt) while we were out hiking. Well cared for. Signage for trailhead in place. Signage for Blue Mt Road in place.

Staffing

Staffed? No

Opportunities for Volunteer Support

Volunteers staffing opportunities? Yes
Volunteer maintenance opportunities? Yes
Azure Mountain Friends group maintains the trail, the fire tower and a volunteer steward program.

Photos

July 5, 2007: David Petrelli

Condition

Needs paint? Yes
Shutters OK? No Response
Condition of wood OK? Yes
Stairs OK? Yes
Glass intact? No Response
Good condition? Yes
Comments: This 35' Aermotor LS40 steel tower and cab are in very good restrored condition and are very structurally sound condition and is currently open for general public use.

Electronics and Enroachments

Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? No

Access and Signs

NHLR sign posted? No
Directions to tower signed? Yes

Staffing

Staffed? No

Opportunities for Volunteer Support

Volunteers staffing opportunities? Yes
Volunteer maintenance opportunities? Yes
An active committee exist and actively maintains the tower and trail to the summit.