Mt. Wachusett - Summit Enhancement: May 2012

Talk of mysteries! — Think of our life in nature, — daily to be shown matter, to come in contact with it, — rocks, trees, wind on our cheeks! The solid earth! the actual world! the common sense! Contact! Contact! Who are we? where are we?

Henry David Thoreau - The Maine Woods, Ktaadn, Pt. 6 (1848)

Today was supposed to be the first day of opening the Summit to the "driving" public! And I suppose it will happen. And the site perimeter fence was also supposed to be down, and it was hoped that the old tower would now be down! Well, I guess 1 for 3 is not a bad average ... at least in baseball!

Perimeter Fence Still Stands

I hadn't visited since May 5th as there really wasn't much to see from week to week - remaining work tended to be focused on the transfer of the antennas and making the electrical hook-ups. Today, I found pretty much the same, although I can see that progress is being made.

Unfortunately, once again, the summit is bathed in a thick early morning blanket of fog. But, I could see enough to make a determination as to some of the progress.

The first thing I noticed was that the silver crow's nest was gone ... and now rests high above us on top of the tower cab. Through the fog, I could barely see it, but it's there. And I noticed antennas set on the roof of the cab as well.

Also in evidence, as I walked about the site, is the fact that some landscaping has been ongoing now that spring is here. The old summit parking lot appears to be covered with a layer of dirt and the NW slope from the tower to the Radio Relay Shack has been smoothed with a new layer of dirt and seeded.

West Side Landscape - new grass

West Side Landscaping Newly Seeded

And the steel beam is no longer in front of the ramp ... it now rests against the perimeter fence!

As I walked the perimeter, I noticed the South side door to the bunker was banging open and closed as the wind blew ... I guess they didn't lock it when they left work yesterday.

Open Door - South Wall

I also noticed a gap in the fence - back when the fence came down in the winter, they really never closed it off with a tight wire seal. It has, over the past weeks, loosened itself. Now, I found it just big enough for me to squeeze through. And I did.

While inside the fence, with the purpose of closing the door to the bunker, I thought I would peek inside and see what has changed since my last visit.

Dual Air Conditioners - West Side

It was a real foggy day the last time I was in here also!

Overhead Wiring - Open Grating

Same as Above - with Flash

Looking up through the deck grating to the tower N Side from inside the Base structure.

Looking UP to the Tower From Inside Bunker

Bunker on Left; SE Support Beam

On 12/23/11, the space was empty except for the bunker which was also empty. Now it appears as if the air conditioning units are installed. I heard no sound, but they still may be connected. Otherwise, it looked as before.

I left and pushed some stones against the outside of the door.

"Locked" Doors

And of course, the usual were viewed - no changes of course. Just to show that the old tower still stands, we took a shot of that through the fog as well.

New and Old Towers

It really is still there!

NE Corner

Antenna Detail

Here you can see that they really are making progress on the wiring of the antennas. From inside the bunker, as well as on the antenna supports and down the support beams, connections are being made.

West Wall

I am beginning to wonder if that plywood is a permanent part of the structure! One other thing about this view ... there has always been an orange extension cord running from the old tower bunker supplying power to the new. It is now gone so the new site must be living on power from it's own generators at the base of the summit ... see below.

Rocks to the Power Generator - West Side

SE Corner with Power Lift

The lift was probably used to raise and place the crow's nest on the roof of the cab.

So now what are we looking at? I predict a July 4th final completion, occupancy of the new tower, and dismantling and removal of the old tower. These things just don't happen over-night.

And so I departed this morning, hoping to return soon to a sunny day with better viewing.

5/5/12 - Cinco de Mayo, Night of Supermoon

A slight sound at evening lifts me up by the ears, and makes life seem inexpressibly serene and grand. It may be Uranus, or it may be in the shutter. Henry David Thoreau, Journal, July 10 - 12, 1841

A beautiful night will soon be upon us, but a quick jaunt to the summit was called for today to view, in the daylight, what might have transpired over the past two weeks. What I found is that the activity is happening solely within the bunker and perhaps a little movement from the old tower to the new. All pretty much invisible to the eye. Apparently we will just have to wait for the project engineers to determine that the new home for the fire rangers is ready for occupancy! Thus ... nothing new today.

There is no heavy equipment in sight. All that remains within the perimeter of the site are two pallets of plates and miscellaneous steel supports, the silver crow's nest, the steel beam at the base of the access ramp, the bales of hay which continue to protect the survey marker, a pile of large boulders, a dumpster of debris and trash, a picnic table and the portable outhouse for the construction workers. A gentle breeze finds its way over the northwestern edge of the summit, across the clear open grounds of the construction site, and down the southern slopes.

I previously mentioned that I would be attending the April 25th meeting of the Wachusett Mountain Advisory Council. I can report here a most interesting meeting. Be glad that there are dedicated folks from a number of organizations looking out for our beloved Mt Wachusett.

I quote from an email report that I sent to my friends after the meeting.

And ... I saw a picture of High Meadow as they have recently cleared it and cut it back to what it should be! Looks great; you and Leslie will love it.

Tower itself ... essentially complete. Now moving communications equip. from Parker House, antennas and the fiber optic cable. Road expected to open Memorial Day and ... hopefully, the old tower down by that time as well. Getting close esp. with the antenna moves. Actually need an occupancy permit. There will actually be some landscaping and interpretive signage on the summit. Heard all about the Wachusett Ski projects - new pumping station to increase capacity from 4500 gpm to 7500 gpm. Needed because 4500gpm will only do half the mt trails at one time; this added capacity will allow them to do the whole mt. at once so a real good snow making night will give full coverage, whereas before, they could only do half.

Big story of the night ... an application had been submitted for recognition of Wachuestt Mt as a National Historic Site on the National Registry. (whatever the official name is)... Funds submitted with application by Princeton, Westminster, and ... because funds were lacking for the full payment ... by this one resident of Princeton ... the lady who appeared and spoke...Yup, anonymously, she put in her piece of the pie to complete the funding requirements. Everything was going alone well for months .... BUT ... SURPRISE, SURPRISE ... she recently got a check sent back for the amount of her contribution!! Why? because, unbeknown by most ... the ski area pulled out ... didn't care, [or whatever was the case.] And so the application was pulled and money refunded....

The Rep from the Ski area didn't appear to know anything about this; nor did the Reservation Supervisor (Denise Morrisey), and another gentleman from DCR, nor the Council Chairman!! No one except this lady. WOW ....

One of the short topics on the ski list of projects was to remove two large boulders - not quite like Balance Rock. The group unanimously ... they didn't vote, but you could hear it in their comments and their expressions ... rebelled against that one.... in the minutes, they curtly reported "no comment." One guy said, "so you ski into a tree or a boulder, what's the difference?" another: "that rock was there 10,000,000 years ago and you want to move it? We do little things to our environment each year ... and .little by little ...." ... not pleased with that proposal, for sure.

The superintendent is real excited and pleased with the visitor count so far ... "people are excited to get out and hike; the phone doesn't stop ringing."

Below is what I found today.

Finished Tower

Haybales Protecting the Survey Marker

Final Days of the Old Tower

NW Corner ... awaits visitors

Tower with Antennas - Not Yet Connected

Western Wall

As I walked along the western perimeter of the site, I checked out, once again, the old tower ... looking for markers that will soon disappear. Here's one that I had not previously noticed - a large circular temperature gauge - now obscured somewhat by an aged faceplate which covers the dial face of a cardinal. It is no longer readable.

Relic from Old Tower

I also took a picture of one of the guy wires ... better shot this week.

NE Guy Wire for Old Tower

Old Tower Cab

I tried to see if I might determine if any antennas have moved to the new tower. Can't tell ... are they moving them or installing new ones? Two green stubby probes are on the SE corner of the roof of the old cab, and just below the new cab, on a couple of antenna supports, I spotted similar devices.

Apart from these stubby green sticks, the other antennas are metal-like and of various diameters.