A sunrise trek to a mountain fire tower

ELIZABETHTOWN, N.Y. — In New York's Adirondack Mountains, some of the best views — especially at sunrise — are from historic fire towers, built a century ago after wildfires ravaged the countryside.

These days the structures aren't used for fire-spotting. There are better, more modern ways to track wilderness blazes.

But roughly half the towers remain and most are open to hikers.

This time of year, when sunrise comes early, you have to start in the middle of the night to catch the first sign of dawn.

The trail to the summit of Hurricane Mountain weaves through more than three miles of forest, bog and steep rock.

Making the trip safely means wearing a headlamp and moving cautiously over roots and mountain streams.

It's a little spooky navigating the forest in pitch blackness, especially solo, with the light carving a narrow tunnel ahead.

The mountain is also perfectly still, no birds, no other hikers. Only the gulping sound of frogs can be heard in the marsh.

But soon the sky starts to glow with a lilac predawn light that filters through the trees.

It's just bright enough to wake up the birds, and the last hour of hiking to the summit passes through washes of birdsong.

The crown of Hurricane is a pure rock, open to a warm summer wind that smells of pine. All around, the distant mountains are still dusk blue, topped in mist. There are deep shadows in the valleys.

Up ahead stands the metal spire with its little cabin on top. Scrambling up, the view opens even wider as the eastern sky simmers with light.

Then just after 5 a.m., the sun pops cherry red on the horizon.

The last darkness washes away as the forest and the tower and the sweeping range of summits are colored with rose light.

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