NEW YORK LOOKOUTS
SLIDE MOUNTAIN
Ulster County
1912: The Conservation Commission established a lookout station at this point. (Second Annual Report of the Conservation Commission - 1912)
January 23, 1912: "The conservation commission to-day authorized the installation of five additional mountain observation stations for the better protection of forests in the Adirondacks and Catskills. One station is on Slide Mountain, Ulster County." (Poughkeepsie Eagle-News)
1913: This station not staffed this season. (Third Annual Report of the Conservation Commission - 1913)
1916: A station was partially completed on Mt. Tremper, this was a substitute for Slide Mountain, which it was necessary to discontinue. (State of New York Conservation Commission 6th Annual Report)
March 6, 1935: "Work done by the CCC men at Camp No. 2, Boiceville, during one and one-half years, includes five vehicular bridges constructed; three miles of ski trails constructed; six miles of trout streams improved; one cable foot bridge constructed; five acres of land cleared for public campsites; seven miles of storm damaged highways made passable; one lookout tower built on Slide Mountain, and 37.6 miles of trail improved," (The Kingston Daily Freeman)
March 6, 1935: "Work done by the CCC men at Camp No. 2, Boiceville, during one and one-half years, includes five vehicular bridges constructed; three miles of ski trails constructed; six miles of trout streams improved; one cable foot bridge constructed; five acres of land cleared for public campsites; seven miles of storm damaged highways made passable; one lookout tower built on Slide Mountain, and 37.6 miles of trail improved," (The Kingston Daily Freeman)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1940 (RJS)
STATION IS ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF SLIDE MOUNTAIN AND IS ABOUT
20 MILES WNW OF KINGSTON AND ABOUT 7 MILES SW OF PHOENICIA. THE
STATION IS MARKED BY A BRONZE DISK SET IN A DRILL HOLE IN BEDROCK
8.26 FEET N OF THE CENTER OF A FIRE TOWER.
THE STATION IS REACHED FROM THE POST OFFICE IN SHANDAKEN
BY GOING W ON STATE ROUTE 28 FOR 3.5 MILES TO T-ROAD LEFT AT
A GASOLINE STATION AND SIGN BIG INDIAN AND SLIDE MOUNTAIN. HERE
TURN LEFT AND FOLLOW MACADAM THEN DIRT ROAD (KEEPING LEFT AT ALL
TIMES) 9.5 MILES TO WINNESOCK CLUB AND LAKE ON LEFT. ABOUT 50
YARDS BEYOND MAIN GATE TO WINNESOCK CLUB LEAVE MAIN ROAD, TURN
LEFT AND GO ABOUT 100 YARDS TO THE CLUB GARAGES. PASS BETWEEN
THE TWO GARAGES AND FOLLOW ONLY ROAD UP MOUNTAIN 0.8 MILE TO
FORKS AND SIGN SLIDE MT. TAKE LEFT FORK UP MOUNTAIN AND
FOLLOW ONLY ROAD ABOUT 0.4 MILE, OR AS FOR AS TRUCK CAN BE
DRIVEN. FROM HERE PACK UP TRAIL TO HIGHEST POINT AND STATION.
ABOUT ONE-HOUR PACK.