Apple Pie Hill Tower Smashed Again

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
I may stop in today and see what is going on up there. I will be in the area.

Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
If you go when someone is in the tower, climb to the steps right below there and if someone is with you talk loud enough so they hear you, and they sometimes let you in. Years ago when the Cedar Bridge Tower was at the old location on the road to the Forked River Mountains, the man there had a large book that everyone who visited would sign. It would be interesting to know where that is so I could look for my name and the date.

4/6/2002 at Apple Pie. While there a fire was spotted in a trailer park in Browns Mills.


04062002.JPG



Guy
 
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NJSRR

New Member
Jan 27, 2008
16
15
Medford
I made a trip to APH early one morning about 25 years ago. I got up there just in time to see a guy that was starting to have sex with his girlfriend who was sitting on the edge of the bench seat of his pickup. Boy, did she button up her shirt fast!! Needless to say I made a quick U-turn and got the hell out of there. I was as shocked as they were...................
 
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TabernacleNative

Guest
The whole Apple Pie Hill area needs to be fenced off about a mile out from it and the main road in needs to be heavily gated from driving up to it unless you are forest service with a key. Obviously the Batona Trail could have narrow breaks in the fence so hikers can still get thru. The point being that if maybe these fools had to haul in their TVs, computers, beer cases, bowling balls, etc. they might be deterred from carrying that stuff for a mile in the sand up to the tower. Its too easy just to drive up there and party. I do believe its wishful thinking though, since I know that fencing that big of an area off would be cost restrictive. Its too bad you can't gate the road, but these goofballs and their big rigs would just blaze themselves a go-around.
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
42
atco
opentrailsnj.org
The whole Apple Pie Hill area needs to be fenced off about a mile out from it and the main road in needs to be heavily gated from driving up to it unless you are forest service with a key. Obviously the Batona Trail could have narrow breaks in the fence so hikers can still get thru. The point being that if maybe these fools had to haul in their TVs, computers, beer cases, bowling balls, etc. they might be deterred from carrying that stuff for a mile in the sand up to the tower. Its too easy just to drive up there and party. I do believe its wishful thinking though, since I know that fencing that big of an area off would be cost restrictive. Its too bad you can't gate the road, but these goofballs and their big rigs would just blaze themselves a go-around.


As I said in another post. Have a annual Electronics dropping contest. Whoever brings the most to drop into the dumpster would win a LCD TV. Charge a $5 entry fee and put this into Whartons budget. have someone BBQing dogs and burgers and donate profits to wharton as well. this would help I believe by giving peopel an incentive not to drop the TVs all year around. Also would give a chance for the forest to make a couple of bucks. Think about it, we can all sit here and whine and continue to pick up after the scumbags, but in reality how is it ever going to stop. with budgets being chopped, I highly doubt we'll see and kind of blockade. the only way I can see it stopping other than joining them is to take the tower down.
 

Kevinhooa

Explorer
Mar 12, 2008
332
25
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Hammonton, NJ.
www.flickr.com
Dropping Things

Wow, that is a great idea. Kind of like a "if you can't beat em, join em" attitude. I don't think the state would go for it though. To much of a liability letting that many people climb up the tower with old appliances. Only one TV would need to be dropped on the next person in line - and game over. I like that kind of outside the box thinking though.

As for scaring people up there - I was up there one night taking pictures with a full moon and a car load of kids drove up. They thought I was waiting up there to kill people until I started talking to them. Too funny.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,338
326
Near Mt. Misery
the only way I can see it stopping other than joining them is to take the tower down.

Well, taking the tower down is out of the question since it is a fire tower lookout. It seems that instead of trying to block off the entire area they should develope a good, solid locking device at the base of the tower, maybe one flight up. It could even be left open during the day since it seems most of the tv dropping thing is occuring at night.

Jeff
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
42
atco
opentrailsnj.org
Wow, that is a great idea. Kind of like a "if you can't beat em, join em" attitude. I don't think the state would go for it though. To much of a liability letting that many people climb up the tower with old appliances. Only one TV would need to be dropped on the next person in line - and game over. I like that kind of outside the box thinking though.

As for scaring people up there - I was up there one night taking pictures with a full moon and a car load of kids drove up. They thought I was waiting up there to kill people until I started talking to them. Too funny.


I usually just get talking about how much I hate out of towners and alot of people end up making excuses to stop talking to me:mad:.
As far as appliances going up the tower. I think it would be best handled by a pulley system handled by officials. participants would get to push their appliance off. I know this will never fly without alot of support and kinda figured people on here wouldn't agree just due to the fact that it would still give entertainment to those who are destructive now. Kevin....I don't believe I have never thought inside the box :)
 

MAINE BUSHPILOT

New Member
Feb 21, 2011
9
0
72
WINTERPORT MAINE
Fire tower

Is there still a fire tower on rt. 541 {stokes rd} just south of Medford Lakes.
I used to go hang out with the rangers when i was a kid.. Probably a housing
developement now!!! That's what drove me to Maine 35 yrs. ago. I have not
been back since i left. I can't believe what I see on google earth!!! Almost
makes me sick .....
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,502
2,765
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
The tower is still there. I left the Medford Lakes/Medford area for the same reason myself, but I only moved 40 miles to the south and stayed in New Jersey. :)
 

firetech792

Scout
Aug 26, 2007
70
2
Central NJ
www.sectionb10.org
Here is the latest on the Apple Pie Hill fire tower. (From the Div B NJFFS office)
A locked gate is going up or is probably up by now. Supposedly, the state Park Police will patrol the area at least twice per day along with the local section firewardens. NJFFS wants this tower back in service. Some of the interior stuff that was broken, is being replaced. (Like the alidade, glass panes, etc). I'm told it could be manned soon. Like within the next month or two. There were also a few other safeguards being put in place that I won't be mentioning.
Maybe if some one is close by they could take a trip out there and see if the gate is in fact up.

Also, all state fire towers are open to the public when manned.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
Lets hope they give whomever mans it a 12 ga with plenty of rocksalt shells. I may be headed out that way tomorrow, if so I'll take a peak.
 

Pan

Explorer
Jul 4, 2011
554
246
Arizona
I thought all the fire towers had been shut down. I was last there in 1982. As I recall it was not manned even then.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
I thought all the fire towers had been shut down. I was last there in 1982. As I recall it was not manned even then.

They only have someone in them when the risk of fire reaches a certain point. They are all still used.

Guy
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
375
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
If you go when someone is in the tower, climb to the steps right below there and if someone is with you talk loud enough so they hear you, and they sometimes let you in. Years ago when the Cedar Bridge Tower was at the old location on the road to the Forked River Mountains, the man there had a large book that everyone who visited would sign. It would be interesting to know where that is so I could look for my name and the date.

4/6/2002 at Apple Pie. While there a fire was spotted in a trailer park in Browns Mills.

04062002.JPG


Guy
Thanks for the Photo
 

firetech792

Scout
Aug 26, 2007
70
2
Central NJ
www.sectionb10.org
All 21 fire towers in NJ are manned when the dryness reaches a certain level. (except Apple Pie over the last few years) Here in NJ, the towers spot about 50% of reported fires before they are ever called in by the public. (going by statistics) The last two recent fires, Mannis Duck Pond and the Rifle Range fire 2 weeks ago, were spotted by the towers. Most likely lightning hits in remote areas.
 
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