Apple Pie Hill January 1 Fire Tower Climb

[Teegate]

I figured I would post this in the event someone wants to go.

You now have to have reservations and there is a reservation for every minute. So if two of you want to go make sure you register for the next minute. And be prepared for long lines and massive jams. It is hard to believe it has come to this.

Bookings

outlook.office365.com

 

[Shamongoloid]

1 minute intervals? Please tell me this is fake.

 

[Teegate]

It is on the Friends of Batsto Facebook page.

Friends of Batsto

Friends of Batsto. 479 likes · 103 talking about this. Nonprofit organization

www.facebook.com

 

[Teegate]

Registration Now Open: Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower Climb
On January 1st, Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower will be open 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. for folks to climb and take in the view. Due to the overwhelming popularity of our previous Apple Pie Hill tower openings, reservations are REQUIRED to ascend the tower.
When making your reservation, know that each reservation is for ONE person and there is one reservation per minute available in the reservation system. Each person -- no matter their age -- wishing to climb Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower must have a reservation. If more than one person is in your group, make your reservations in consecutive minutes.
Fire tower maximum capacity by order of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is six (6) persons. If you are coming in a group of more than six people, only six will be allowed on the fire tower at a time.
To access the Fire Tower top, you will need to independently ascend and descend 9 flights of steps (60 vertical feet each way) with see-through metal grate landings and stair treads and see through waist-high metal railings and banisters. See picture above.
Your reservation will only be honored during the time you register for. Your reservation will be forfeited if you are not present at the Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower Check-In Station at least 15 minutes prior to your reservation time.
Your reservation will be subject to cancellation in the event of rain/thunderstorms/snow in the area, safety concerns, or other determinations made by Wharton State Forest staff. If the event is cancelled, those registered will receive an e-mail via the e-mail address they provided during registration.
When planning for your visit for the Tower Climb, please allow at least an hour for your time at Apple Pie Hill.
Registration is now open! You can register here. https://outlook.office365.com/.../WhartonStateF.../bookings/
For more information about this event, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024, or the Atsion Office at 609-268-0444.

 

[Boyd]

How many tube-type TV sets are we each allowed to bring?

 

[Teegate]

I will have to go through my photos and go out and collect them if I wanted to use any. They are hard to find.

 

[stiltzkin]

I can't imagine that it will be that packed. The last time I was there was for a similar event in February; check out the massive crowds that showed up then

On the other hand, since there's also First Day Hikes happening, maybe that makes it a lot more popular. I was interested in maybe signing up for one of them, but I didn't see when registration was opening. Turns out it opened at 7 this morning and was already full by 7:15.

 

[Teegate]

I saw photos of the last one and the line was long. However, that may have been prime time whenever that is.

 

[stiltzkin]

Looks like every single 1-minute slot has been filled

 

[RJG]

How many tube-type TV sets are we each allowed to bring?

And don’t forget your paint cans!

I used to really enjoy the opportunity to climb that tower whenever I hiked through Apple Pie Hill on the Batona Trail, but I suspected that the state would eventually close it down. The tower was littered with offensive graffiti and people were carrying all kinds of items up there and tossing them off the top platform, just to see them splat on the ground.

 

[Teegate]

Looks like every single 1-minute slot has been filled

They need to fix the text mentioning that.

Think about the traffic on the road that day and the parking situation.

 

[imkms]

The weather is expected to be rainy, hard at times, and 44 degrees. I suspect there will be a lot of no shows.

 

[Boyd]

Isn't the event on January 1? The NWS forecast doesn't look too bad...

New Year's Day
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

 

[Teegate]

Even if it was nice you have to believe that many people will change their mind and not even go, leaving many people the chance to stay up the tower longer. My wife has been up there many times and she would have a hard time going up, enjoying the view and getting back down in 6 or 7 minutes.

 

[Boyd]

If you enjoy this kind of event, go for it! Sitting in traffic and then standing in line with a bunch of tourists for a 1-minute (or even 6-minute) peek at the pines from a firetower is my idea of pure hell!

 

[stiltzkin]

I had all the time I wanted up there earlier this year and I still only stayed up for a few minutes. I might be built for our flat terrain. I don't like heights.

 

[Boyd]

I was never in the cabin at the top, but went there frequently when I lived in Medford. Most of the time, you could hang out as long as you wanted and have the whole place to yourself. I went up there when I first got a digital camera and took about 50 pictures. This was the view almost 25 years ago (!) on April 10, 1999, a panorama from several of those photos.

 

[Wick]

Those were the good old days! I used to bring my kids up there, hang out, take pictures and no one would bother us. Now you cant even go near the tower without the alarm going off