After successfully tackling Red Hill, J and I had to decide which fire tower was next. My plan for the weekend had been to do Overlook, which follows an old road and has not only a view but a bevy of interesting sites along the way. However, it seemed like a waste to do such a scenic hike on a cloudy day, so we went to Mt. Tremper, which I remembered as having somewhat disappointing views.
I had forgotten, though, that it was the steepest of the Catskills fire towers. Hunter is more challenging, since it's longer and scrambly, but Tremper isn't a laid-back amble. We took our time going up and were pleasantly surprised to find the top of the tower was open - volunteers staff it through Columbus Day (weekends only).
Upon reflection, the cab being open makes a real difference at Tremper, more so than at the other towers, since the peak isn't as cleared as the others. You actually can see a lot more with just that few extra feet of elevation. My view was obscured thanks to the clouds: We weren't socked in, but clouds drifted past the hills, showing only a little at a time.
I enjoyed Tremper more this second time. It would probably be best in winter, when leaves are off the trees, but I am unlikely to be back to it anytime soon.
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