Southern Maine fire towers

 I kicked off a vacation week with a run with Petey & Scott (they biked) followed by a nice run at Turtle Pond.  The following day featured a 10 mile run on the Londonderry rail trail and an excellent 2 hour ride with a reward of bagels at the Works.  A nice kick-off indeed.  

Off to Maine!  I found two fire towers that I'd never seen before, and info indicated both were nearly walk-ups.  I had my miles of running for the day done so that'd be fine.

First up was Mt Hope.  I set my GPS for "308 Mt Hope Road, Sandford, ME" and about a mile from the turn I could see the huge radio towers that were on the ridge.  Fire tower road (not signed) had a couple of no trespassing signs, but I think the signs are for the neighboring property.  To be safe I parked in a little turn-out maybe 50 meters beyond the road.  There was a nice view across the street.  I bushwhacked in the very open woods to the radio tower that was 1 minute of hiking south from the road.  Another minute got me to an old outhouse and a scramble over a big fallen tree got me to the tower, .1 from the road with 16' of climb.  I took a few pictures and decided to walk out via the road.  Total time was 6:01 for 2/10ths of a mile.

Next up was Ossipee Lake Hill in East Waterboro.  I set the GPS for 1 McLucas road and was on my way.  On the drive I saw a sign advertising "Organic Fire Wood".  I wonder if this was a sales gimmick or if the people selling it just had a great sense of humor.  I had hoped to drive most of the way to the tower (and maybe do a little bootleg camping) but McLucas turned to dirt 1/2 mile along and soon after was washed out enough that my 2-wd low clearance Honda Civic would not be able to manage it.  A huge pick-up truck was stopped part way up the steeper part, so I wisely turned around and parked at a pullout with "McLucas Farm 1845" painted on a rock.  If the road is regraded you should be able to go another .7 to the intersection with Swets Lane (which may also come up as either "Mountain road" or "Mountain road Ext").  Anyway, I decided that I could get in another run on this day since I was here and headed out at an easy pace as the grade was quite steep to start.  200' of climb in the first 1/2 mile then it levels out for the next .2 and even drops slightly.  I did not print a map but had read reports and looked at the maps prior, plus I knew it was a bit of a ridge and basically, I just needed to get up by the radio towers and I'd find it.  I caught the truck again as he had turned on Swets Lane and was lowering his tire pressure as again the road got quite steep and maybe 1/3rd of the road was washed out (on the side so it could be avoided).  It climbed 130' in the next 1/4 mile and I then took the well graded right hand turn and really hit a steep pitch, soon I saw the pick-up truck coming back down.  I thought maybe he was a worker checking out the radio tower.  Another 80' in .1 got me to a radio tower but no fire tower.  I could see the ridgeline through the woods and figured I might be able to find a snowmobile that one of the reports mentioned.  I did find one and ran NW on the ridge but no luck.  I headed in the other direction and whacked over to a road I'd spotted and this was the right road!  I reached the top just as the pick-up truck did.  Too funny, I ran the 1.8 miles in 23 minutes and was able to match the truck.  I chatted with the two in the truck who were there to visit the tower as well.  The stairs were more like a ladder than stairs, but the cab was unique...not your typical fire tower cab.  I took in the view then backed down the ladder and headed back down the road.  1.6 miles and 500' of drop later I was back at the car for a round trip of 3.4 miles in 39 minutes.  Well worth the sweaty run to get this interesting tower.  If you go, don't take the right (dead end at the radio tower) continue another 50 meters to the correct road and head up.  It is very obvious turn onto "Mountain road" unsigned and there are Private Property signs keeping you from going straight anyway.