Baseline lookout tower

[Rider]

Does any one know if there is a trail from the top of the old tower to the top of the new tower other than going all the way back down and starting over. I've heard that you use to be able to get across there on a survey line????

 

[QMAO]

I have been up to both towers numerous times and I have never heard of a trail from the old tower to the new for quads. I think there may be a mountain bike trail across.

There is a trail from the new tower along the ridge towards the south east. It heads to Swan lake. have been to Boundry and Tay river this way.

Also, I am not sure if it is rumor or not, but they have put up steel posts and gates at the bottom of the old tower, to stop people from going up to the tower. Not sure if this is true. Does anyone know for sure??

 

[DaveB]

There's been a gate and fence at the bottom for 8 or 9 years now.....quad trail goes around and past about 100m east on 752....

 

[FyreRyder]

There is a trail from the old to the new tower. A buddy did it a many years ago but it's not for the faint of heart. (one wrong move and you lose your machine and maybe life..)

The gate is still there at the bottom to stop trucks from going in. It looks like they dug up the quad trails around the gate but there are new trails. There are no signs up regarding not quading up the trail??

 

[Rider]

Yes all the signs at the gate say is no unauthorized access or vehicles. It says the same thing part way up the road to the new tower. The fish cops coming down from the new tower where trying to prevent any body going up to either tower on May long big fine they say.$230.00 bucks for getting caught driving the quads on the road so I guess it must be bigger than that. We got busted part way up to the new one so we went up to the old one instead. I had heard the trail across was pretty hairy dirt it's probably easier on dirt bikes

 

[sumx54]

I have made the trek between the two lookouts many times and like FR say's, its not a family ride AT ALL. If your inexperienced there is a good chance of carnage in a few spots for sure. There is actually two ways across that you can make on a dirt bike or trials bike.
I was up there and had a look the day before yesterday and chickened out because I was by myself at the time.

 

[medler]

Ya i thought about it once and my heart was pounding so hard i thought it was a sign NOT to take the chance.Not the trail to be on

 

[hadster]

Yes i have found the trail between the 2 towers as well, but so far have never tried it. Not sure if i'll even bother trying it, i'm getting older and once in a while a slight bit wiser.

 

[sumx54]

Yes i have found the trail between the 2 towers as well, but so far have never tried it. Not sure if i'll even bother trying it, i'm getting older and once in a while a slight bit wiser.

Its a real nice ride coming in from the south and up over the ridge to the new tower. I haven't been over it for a few years but plan on hitting it in the morning and mapping it out. Yesturday I was just to the south of that ridge where you start the climb up and seen a Grizzy Bear track.

 

[kokanee 800]

Wheres this at on the 752 somewhere?

 

[sumx54]

Wheres this at on the 752 somewhere?

N52 04.615 W115 21.273 ISH'
Its actually a ways south of 752

 

[AB RANGER 007]

Thanks for the Lat/Long, helps to know the area you are talking about,as never have been there.
Bruce.

 

[Captjacksparrow]

I have gone between the two towers quite a few times both ways and didn't think it was too bad but it's been a couple of years since I've done it. Always on a 2 wheel drive quad too. If you want to find the trail you watch to the right as your coming up on the old tower and there will be a field to your right that goes down a fairly steep hill. Just go to the bottem of the hill and at the bottem in the left corner is the trail. There is a couple of trick spots so watch yourself. Dan

 

[bluerhino]

Hi Everyone, I know that the Rocky Mnt Bike club has done a lot of work out there on trails down the backside of the old tower. And I believe that the trail connecting the two towers is also a Mnt bike trail. You may want to check with the club in Rocky just to make sure to avoid any problems.

Just another bit about the Old Base line tower. The Old tower was located where it is today because only the East had to be monitered for fires as there were no access roads to the west which made it impossible to send fire crews if there was a fire in that direction.
Once the Foresty trunk road was built the upgrade of the fire lookout towers was necessary so the New Baseline tower was built.

Now the Old Baseline towere is located on a historic trail known as the "Telegraph" trail which used to link a series of fire lookout towers together with a "Telegraph" line. This trail goes though the Fall Creek area where you can still find "Blazes" and "Insulators in the trees which carried the line.
The trail went all the way from Waterton to GP. If anyone was interested I believe there is funding for groups who would be interested in Trail maintenance especially a historic trail.

 

[sumx54]

Hi Everyone, I know that the Rocky Mnt Bike club has done a lot of work out there on trails down the backside of the old tower. And I believe that the trail connecting the two towers is also a Mnt bike trail. You may want to check with the club in Rocky just to make sure to avoid any problems.

Just another bit about the Old Base line tower. The Old tower was located where it is today because only the East had to be monitered for fires as there were no access roads to the west which made it impossible to send fire crews if there was a fire in that direction.
Once the Foresty trunk road was built the upgrade of the fire lookout towers was necessary so the New Baseline tower was built.

Now the Old Baseline towere is located on a historic trail known as the "Telegraph" trail which used to link a series of fire lookout towers together with a "Telegraph" line. This trail goes though the Fall Creek area where you can still find "Blazes" and "Insulators in the trees which carried the line.
The trail went all the way from Waterton to GP. If anyone was interested I believe there is funding for groups who would be interested in Trail maintenance especially a historic trail.

Now thats some cool info. Thanks Wes

 

[LID]

I second the cool info part. I used to survey a bunch out there, did the talisman pipeline that goes west from the gas plant and north across the main road but haven't been back to see it built (if it was built). We had our GPS set up by the new tower, partly because of good radio reception and partly because it was just cool to quad up to the two lookouts. Nice views and climbs on both sides of the ridge.

 

[LID]

Are those all mtn bike trails on the west side? Or is there dirt-bike single track there as well.

 

[Rider]

That's some dandy info bluerhino never would have figured that.

 

[Safari Guy]

I have come across that telagragh line out by Rough Creek it is real hard to find,,,, is there any mapping of that line????

 

[Rider]

Part of that would be a pretty good trip to take it for a ways from down by Caroline up to the ram