Apple Pie Hill Tower Smashed Again

[turtle]

This particular graveyard is perhaps 10 years past the death of the last two people who really cared what was in most of it, and has begun its slide.

http://www.markbetz.net/2008/07/16/buried-in-brambles-the-vancampen-cemetary/

Might it just take the dedication of one or two more people to have it listed on the historic registry? There is great excitement in the find, but greater sorrow in the loss. Thanks for your article and I hope a solution comes for the tower.
No need to wonder where the carloads of twitchy people will go without the tower.....they have become the new breed of "wildlife". Check out easily accessible places in the forest at night.....really. Twitchy people, by nature lack any sense.

turtle

 

[MarkBNJ]

Might it just take the dedication of one or two more people to have it listed on the historic registry? There is great excitement in the find, but greater sorrow in the loss. Thanks for your article and I hope a solution comes for the tower.
No need to wonder where the carloads of twitchy people will go without the tower.....they have become the new breed of "wildlife". Check out easily accessible places in the forest at night.....really. Twitchy people, by nature lack any sense.

turtle

I ultimately learned a fair bit more about that burial ground in conversations with the NPS. It is among several family burial grounds that were exempted from the eminent domain takings in the Water Gap back in the 60's and 70's. So title to that piece of land actually remains with members of the Vancampen family. There were two of them who took care of it up through the 80's, but both have since died.

 

[46er]

You might be interested in this story of one that is in the process of disappearing, and that I explored last year. This is up north and not Pine Barrens related. However, you seem to have an interest in this stuff, so I will apologize to Ben for spamming my blog here and post the link. There is a link to a gallery of pics at the end. This particular graveyard is perhaps 10 years past the death of the last two people who really cared what was in most of it, and has begun its slide.

There are quite a few cemetaries, most family plots, along Old Mine Road. These 2 stones were moved from their original location and are along the Military Road not far from the Van Campen House. Now is the seaso to explore up therqe, before firearm season opens.

 

[PBFog]

Was only a few years ago that the steps where replaces. I sure (sure hope so) that it'll be around for quite some time. I've been one of those night time kids there and was always fun to see other young folks from bigger towns like Marlton drive up in their sedans, get spooked by us hanging out and take right off. fun times.

 

[Kevinhooa]

Apple Pie Hill

Went out again on Monday night to get some neat shots of the moon. I was pleasantly surprised to find that someone did a great cleanup of the whole hill. It was getting dark so I couldn't see everything, but it looked like whoever cleaned it up did one hell of a job. It's nice to see that.

 

[Teegate]

It must have been that bus load of kids that were there when Jessica and I visited.


Guy

 

[bobpbx]

I never actually proposed to my wife. We were standing on a beach in LBI
one night and I held her and I said 'I am going to marry you"
That's all folks.

g.

That's actually a very touching story George. I think you and your wife are great people who make this area a better place to live.

 

[Anger Management]

Here is a link that may be causing some of the problems at Apple Pie. Urban Dictionary has a definition about Apple Pie Hill that (to me) suggests that people trash the place and party. How do you view this persons definiton?

*WARNING* Comments on the site are racialy oriented. I appologize if this offends anyone on the forum.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Apple Pie Hill NJ

 

[MarkBNJ]

Here is a link that may be causing some of the problems at Apple Pie. Urban Dictionary has a definition about Apple Pie Hill that (to me) suggests that people trash the place and party. How do you view this persons definiton?

*WARNING* Comments on the site are racialy oriented. I appologize if this offends anyone on the forum.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Apple Pie Hill NJ

I honestly didn't need or want to read further than...

"High atop a hill theres a tower in the wonderful pine barrons of NJ"

 

[Stamos]

Mug ordered..... not really.

 

[Old Crazy]

I climbed Apple Pie Fire Tower on Saturday during a hike on the Batona. Man, they're just destroying that place. Pumpkins and electronic items smashed on the ground, garbage strewn all over the place, logs, tree trunks and burnt debris from fires is scattered about, the fence is covered in layer upon layer of graffiti, and now it looks like they're attempting to pull off the crossbeam near the top of the tower that's previously been cut with a torch. I enjoy climbing that tower when I hike the Batona Trail to get an aerial view of the pines, but I have a feeling the state is going to eventually throw up its hands with all the vandalism and close the area off to everybody. If the people who trash Apple Pie Fire Tower start removing the support beams and make it unsafe, the state will have no choice but to close it down.

 

[glowordz]

Here is a link that may be causing some of the problems at Apple Pie. Urban Dictionary has a definition about Apple Pie Hill that (to me) suggests that people trash the place and party. How do you view this persons definiton?

*WARNING* Comments on the site are racialy oriented. I appologize if this offends anyone on the forum.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Apple Pie Hill NJ

Trying to manage anger.

Glo

 

[Teegate]

I climbed Apple Pie Fire Tower on Saturday during a hike on the Batona. Man, they're just destroying that place. Pumpkins and electronic items smashed on the ground, garbage strewn all over the place, logs, tree trunks and burnt debris from fires is scattered about, the fence is covered in layer upon layer of graffiti, and now it looks like they're attempting to pull off the crossbeam near the top of the tower that's previously been cut with a torch. I enjoy climbing that tower when I hike the Batona Trail to get an aerial view of the pines, but I have a feeling the state is going to eventually throw up its hands with all the vandalism and close the area off to everybody. If the people who trash Apple Pie Fire Tower start removing the support beams and make it unsafe, the state will have no choice but to close it down.

Thanks for the update Old Crazy.

Guy

 

[Chrisr]

I'm hoping to get out there sometime this weekend. Hopefully the weather will cooperate, and the tower will still be there!!

 

[Furball1]

Aph

Wonderful memories of APH in the early to mid 70's. I don't recall any kind of vandalism back then. We climbed to the top once and a ranger was in the cab and opened the trap door to say hello! Freaked us out 'cause there was no vehicle! Good idea: have a ranger posted in the cab on Friday/Saturday nights and when the freaks show up in droves he will call back-up to swoop in and nail 'em!

In the 90's I revisited APH with my 10 yr old son. We hiked in on the Batona trail. I was in my 40's and climbed the "see through" stairs and felt my legs turn to jello--made the mistake of looking down as I was climbing and freaked out because of the height! Funny how 20 years can effect you. It didn't bother my son at all--he ran to the top! LOL !

 

[Teegate]

I was on the road from APH to the tracks today looking for a stone about 10AM. I was in the woods about 40 feet and the rangers flew up the road towards the hill. They slowed a little as they passed my car, but I am not certain they saw us in the woods. If they had I suspect they would have stopped. I was poking a metal road I made at work into the ground. So they are checking on APH or at least in the area.

BTW, poked the ground so many times I had a massive blister on my finger. Had to come home and stick a pin in it.


Guy

 

[grendel]

Wonderful memories of APH in the early to mid 70's. I don't recall any kind of vandalism back then. We climbed to the top once and a ranger was in the cab and opened the trap door to say hello! Freaked us out 'cause there was no vehicle! Good idea: have a ranger posted in the cab on Friday/Saturday nights and when the freaks show up in droves he will call back-up to swoop in and nail 'em!

In the 90's I revisited APH with my 10 yr old son. We hiked in on the Batona trail. I was in my 40's and climbed the "see through" stairs and felt my legs turn to jello--made the mistake of looking down as I was climbing and freaked out because of the height! Funny how 20 years can effect you. It didn't bother my son at all--he ran to the top! LOL !

We once ran into a ranger that way at ap hill when we were kids, we had hiked to the hill from hampton bogs and found the place deserted; no cars in sight. We climbed the tower and were enjoying the view, when suddenly the hatch opened. The ranger who was in his mid twenties was very interseted in the smoke we were making and suggested we bring it in out of the wind. We hung out with him for about 45 minutes. I remember the compass table and how the sighting device was a tasco bb- gun scope with part of the crosshairs broken. Nothing but the best when it comes to protecting the pine barrens. He was a good guy though and knew the forest well . I had my topos with me and he showed us lots of places to explore.


The only problem with leaving a ranger staked out in there at night would be some car load of fools pulling up and opening fire on the tower. Hopefully when the state closes the tower it will be with gates on the road half mile from the tower and not with chain link around the tower itself.
Question: when was the last time anyone saw that tower manned?

 

[Old Crazy]

I hiked by Apple Pie Fire Tower today while I was on the Batona Trail and it looks like the vandals who throw things off the tower and spray graffiti everywhere aren't satisfied with that anymore. Now they're trying to bring down the tower. Two of the four vertical supports that run the full length of the tower are both bent inwards at about the 3' level from the ground. It looks like they were hit by a truck. If just one support had been damaged I would think it was the result of an accident, but with both supports damaged at the same height on the same side, I tend to think it was done on purpose.

 

[PINEY MIKE]

Lets start staking it out on weekends and spray paint the punks doing this. What a shame.

 

[Anger Management]

Let's hope when they do take it down, it comes down on top of them so we know who did it.

Sorry. I let my anger get the best of me.