Northern Ontario’s Last Hidden Fire Tower

[@BenJefferyCanada]

Great video! The company I work for was contracted to remove the Windy Lake tower and a couple others in the north. It kinda sucks to demolish a little piece of history, but I get why the MNR is doing it. They're all very shaky and unstable due to age, lack of maintenance and they weren't particularly beefy to start with. We've got some good footage of the Windy Lake tower coming down and the broken down bundles being helicoptered out, but I don't recall if we were authorized by the MNR to post it. There's at least one tower that I'm aware of near Batchewana Bay that's privately owned and continues to operate as a commercial two-way radio site.

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks so much!! It’s understandable why the MNR is removing these Fire Towers and you make a great point that they weren’t particularly beefy to begin with. As these towers disappear so does some of our history. Hopefully videos like this educate future generations of the way things once were. Thanks so much for sharing your connection to our local history Brother! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@shovelhead8]

Thank you for taking us along, Doug and Jamie. Stay safe and stay warm

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks for coming along Sean!! Appreciate it Brother!! 👍🏻👊🏻

[@shinypackage8789]

You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful day! Fantastic production Doug, the footage was amazing! Making some great memories

[@PinetreeLine]

It was a beautiful Fall day and the best time for this kind of adventure. Thanks so much for watching and the kind words Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@lostinthewoods8234]

Friend of mine worked one in the early 70's. I got to visit him one year. Had to traverse logging roads with a permit. All the other towers were fly-ins. It was an incredible inventive way to detect and locate fires using triangulation. He got stuck up there for a couple of days one time because a bear kept prowling around his cabin. Nice to see you document it.

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us and your friend’s. It’s an incredible part of our history and hopefully videos like this preserve that history for generations to come. 👊🏻👍🏻

[@OpenAirAdventure]

Wow Doug that was amazing to see. The fire tower in the fog was kind of scary.

[@PinetreeLine]

Kenny I agree, the Ellis fire tower in the fog was creepy. Appreciate you watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@pacificbushcraftandfirecra6358]

Very cool history of fire towers. How cool would it be to take a shift, or two, back in the day! Thanks for sharing with us D!

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks so much Brandon! I will let you work my couple of shifts too 🤪. Appreciate you Brother! 🔥👊🏻👍🏻

[@QQQ-os9dj]

When I climbed the Azilda water tower it took my breath away at how far I could see. Now we have drones yet I will tell you facing the fear of falling from a simple ladder without rings pays off when you stand tall and see the horizon for the first time in your life. Its like the Truman show movie when he finely hits the wall. I would have climbed to the top just for the drone recording my smile. Nice to see that your friend tried.....

[@PinetreeLine]

I actually remember when you climbed the water tower and I couldn’t imagine how anyone was that crazy lol, word travels quickly in a small town. What an experience you were able to have. Good on you Brother for doing that and being an inspiration to all us other kids. 👊🏻👍🏻

[@EverydayProjects]

You nailed it with the drone footage and editing on this one, Doug. Only thing is I missed the part where Doug climbed to the top . I’ll have to watch it again 😂😅😮

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks Craig! Keep watching it and you’ll eventually see me climbing right to the top 🤪. Appreciate you Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@thenaturemanadventures]

Love seeing these historical explorations and the cool finds! Gosh the views from a tower are unreal and shows the absolute beauty around us. Very cool Brother! 🤠🌲☕

[@PinetreeLine]

Appreciate the kind words Gil! The views are absolutely unreal, I agree! I love these cool pieces of local history. Thanks for watching Brother! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@marilynscull4585]

Awesome video Doug and Jamie

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks so much for watching Marilyn!! 👍🏻☺️

[@WarrenTheReporter]

Fire towers have long been a fascination for me and I've been hoping to put together a video of some sort about their purpose and decline... maybe next year! I climbed halfway up the tower on the south side of Agnew Lake (very similar condition to this one) before I had the same thoughts as Jamie! There's a couple in pretty good shape north of Thessalon and Walford that I've visited on the ground only; I think it'd be amazing to say I climbed an original tower but my legs start getting a bit wobbly by the time I'm halfway up so maybe that's unwise! Beautiful moody lighting on the opening of this video especially, thanks for the adventure!

[@PinetreeLine]

I totally understand that fascination Warren. Climbing half way is incredible in my books because I have zero ambition on climbing these at all. I’m scared of heights so I admire the history and the structure itself surviving all these years. As far as I’m concerned you have climbed on an original tower Warren. I appreciate you watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@jbolf6]

Really enjoyed this video Doug

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks so much for watching John!! Appreciate you watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@thenaturemanadventures]

Saweeeeet tomatoes!!! Now THAT was a durability test Brother! You put that pouch through the ringer and took so much to FINALLY show wear! Good stuff Brother Doug 🤠🌲☕

[@PinetreeLine]

Appreciate the kind words Brother! I’ve put that pouch through a lot of abuse and it stood up to the test! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@JohnAmes]

very cool footage my friend we have a few fire towers around here.

[@PinetreeLine]

It’s awesome to see the history of fire towers is shared in other parts of the world John. Thanks so much for watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@OrrinLepp]

My last trip to Temagami I tried to find the Latchford/Anima Nippising fire tower with no success.

[@PinetreeLine]

Orrin I wonder if they removed that tower? The MNR are slowly removing history removing these towers. Thanks for watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@lorenzooutandabout]

Nice thanks for sharing .was at the one at ishapatina ridge approximately 15 years ago it’s amazing to see . As a kid I did climb the one that is in Elliot lake not sure if it steal up ,I remember my mom not being to happy with me when she found out that me and a few friends had climbed the tower 😂

[@PinetreeLine]

It’s always great to hear about people’s personal experiences with these towers, Lorenzo. Cool that you were up to Ishpatina too! Thanks for sharing your experiences Brother! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@mdmelbourne6076]

Hi Doug, great discovery of the fire tower, great history that’s just been left in the woods to perish with time, Great find Jamie, no detector needed 😂

[@PinetreeLine]

No detector needed on this find Jim. It’s sad, as you say, that this tower will just rot away as we lose more of our history. At least this video will be there to educate people about this and other towers in the future. Thanks for watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Great video guys!! It's neat to go to these old locations and see the remnants of the structures of years gone by!! Can you imagine spending hours and hours up in that tower? Being scared of heights wouldn't be a good thing eh!! Doug you got some great drone shots of the beautiful colors and landscape!! Thanks for taking us along brother!! Take 'er easy!!

[@PinetreeLine]

Hey Mike! I can’t imagine spending the day up in one of these towers because I’m scared of heights and they aren’t built with enough steel for my liking 😂. Fall is the best time of year Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@rocktruckrob]

Love that you guys are doing this and recording it for the next generation… very cool vid… keep up the good work much love from deep river Ontario 👊✌️🤙👍👋😎🇨🇦

[@PinetreeLine]

Rob we have to preserve a little bit of history in some small way for the next generation. Appreciate it Brother! Thanks for watching! 👊🏻👍🏻🇨🇦

[@wendingourway]

Always amazing to come across some of these amazing fire towers!! Interesting and awesome!!

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks Brother!! Appreciate you!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@OpenAirOutdoors]

You guys picked the perfect day to go out there! The drone shots were great👍 Thanks for taking us along brother 🍻

[@PinetreeLine]

It was an absolutely beautiful day! Thanks for watching Brother! 👊🏻👍🏻🍻

[@Anndyinthewoods]

Very interesting! A big part of history. Thanks for sharing.

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks for watching Andy! 👊🏻👍🏻🍻

[@RL31367]

"Really cool" indeed. Great video gentlemen. Nice job preserving a little piece of history. Enjoyed it.

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks so much R L! Preserving a little local history was the goal. Appreciate you watching Brother!! 🇨🇦🤝🏻🇺🇸👊🏻👍🏻

[@preludefpv]

Great exploration guys, beautiful out there this time of year 😍 very interesting to see these structures too. Thanks for the opportunity! Best wishes 🙌

[@PinetreeLine]

Thanks so much Leon! Nothing better than a Fall adventure to an interesting location. Appreciate you watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@YourOldPalFernbark]

Pretty cool. Something to think that guys had to climb that every day. How pissed would someone be if they climbed all the way up there for the day and forgot to bring something to drink or read, lol.

[@PinetreeLine]

I never thought of the possibility of forgetting an item but that would suck lol. Climbing up that hill then up the tower everyday would be some kind of workout. Thanks for watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@HuplesCat]

There are a few that you can still climb for a fee. Very scary!

[@PinetreeLine]

Or you can climb the forgotten ones for free….if you dare! Appreciate you watching Brother! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@WyeExplorer]

I enjoyed that one Doug. It's so good you recording it before it's not even climbable. How cool the data recorder. These things bring it back to life almost. Awesome views there. Mark

[@PinetreeLine]

Mark, like you I try to preserve a little bit of our local history when I can through these videos. That data recorder was very cool. Thanks so much for watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@WyeExplorer]

@@PinetreeLine You do a great job Doug. Yeah, re-the recorder a great snippet into the past. A pleasure as always.

[@21Swayzee]

Hey Doug, what a beautiful day for an adventure, with the fall colours and mist on the pines. That drone shot captures the view from the top..beautiful. The lakes in the distance look like some good spec gems. Have a rocking end to the weekend!

[@PinetreeLine]

It was an absolutely beautiful day out there! The drone just provides such a unique perspective. Thanks for watching Brother! 👊🏻👍🏻🍻

[@CedarAshCanvas]

Thanks. I have climbed several times to the site of the former tower west of Nelson Lake, N of Sudbury. Trail to similar in appearance to the one you hiked in this video. Spectacular views S towards Sudbury and well beyond. Also the remains of a ski lift from a failed ski hill operation. Site readily accessible from drill road S of Labelle Lake. Nice day hike.

[@PinetreeLine]

Sounds like an awesome hike and similar to this one! There are still some interesting local stories yet to be told. Thanks for sharing!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@SteveRobReviews]

Cool adventure guys. Nope , not getting me up there :)

[@PinetreeLine]

Me either Steve! I’m the ground guy in these adventures lol. 👊🏻👍🏻🍻

[@GearReviewDepot]

Very interesting! I’m a little surprised they don’t disassemble the whole thing and remove it from the forest. Sure did sound unsafe to climb up, a too much movement for my liking. 😂 Absolutely beautiful countryside for sure! 👍

[@PinetreeLine]

Lots of these fire towers have been removed that way Tim. Safety being the biggest reason. I feel like this particular fire tower isn’t easily accessible so perhaps it won’t be removed anytime soon. Thanks so much for watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻

[@wadejohnson3871]

That was quite the climb to get up to the tower. Beautiful day to do it though. Took a lot of nerve to climb those I guess unless you weren't scared of heights like me. Great video Doug, love the drone scene. Have a great day guys.

[@PinetreeLine]

It was a steep 1.5km hike to get up to the fire tower Wade. I’m scared of heights too so I would never be able to climb up that tower regardless of its condition. It was a perfect time to go there with all the beautiful Fall colours. Thanks so much for watching Brother!! 👊🏻👍🏻