[Hikerdood]

I hiked today up to West Tiger 1, past the hikers hut, past the first radio tower and then down past a second radio tower and down further to a third radio tower. As I got there, the Fire alarm bells were going off and the flashing strobe was blinking. Another hiker in front of me walked through and didn't seem to notice or care and just kept going. So I called 911. The address on the side of one of the two big green buildings was 10812, 279 ave se. No other numbers were on the building. Dispatch said "I am having trouble finding that." She finally connected me to the Fire Dept. Another dispatcher answered and I told her the address. She appeared to have found something and thanked me and ended the call after I gave her my number. 15 minutes later a May Valley Police Officer called me. At that exact moment, a 4-wheeler with snowmobile tracks drove up the logging road. I said "Is this you in the ATV?" He said "No." I said "Looks like they (maintenance)? are here", And then they proceeded to drive right past the fire alarm and up the hill towards the Hikers Hut direction. I said "WTF was that? Well I guess they aren't gonna do anything!" He kinda laughed and was trying to figure out where this place was. I told him I had no idea how to drive up here, as I started from Highpoint (I-90) TH. He said "are there any numbers identifying the building?" I said "No, just that address". I told him to look up the "Hikers Hut" as that is a popular spot to go and then try to find it from there. He also asked if there was smoke or fire and I said, "No, it looks just fine." He thanked me and ended the call. I walked down the trail below and around the radio tower as the alarms were blaring. I think that alarm must have been going off all day. I do find it odd that they had no idea the alarm was going off. Seems like SOMEONE should have known. It appears nobody did. I wonder if it is still going off... I looked tonight and the access to those towers is through Hwy 18 from the Mountain biking area and the closed off road. Its about 5.38Miles to that location.

[Pyrites]

I looked at the assessor’s online data. King County property. Fire Dist 10, Issaquah. Someone must of missed adding it to the E-9-1-1 database. Presumably the fire alarm system is monitored off site. There are a couple ways of doing this without telephone. No information on building?

[Malachai Constant]

I have been up there many times and there are often alarms going off by some of the towers. I do not think it is a big deal it could be a blown breaker or lack of fuel in an emergency tank, not my problem.

[zimmertr]

I've often heard obvious beep alarms when I've been near WT1 but never to the degree you're describing.

[Fedor]

I've hiked past those towers way too many times this winter/spring. Usually hiking up high point trail and running down k3 as a loop. Anyway, that alarm has been going off for at least three weeks. I've never noticed any strobe lights while passing along the west side. I've always assumed someone must be monitoring them off-site. Surely they have that capability. Last year there was an alarm going off on one of the towers to the west for well over a month. Sounded a bit less serious though. Like a loud beep rather than a fire alarm bell. On a side note, beware of falling ice chunks when passing beneath those towers. I'm always up there around sunset when the towers are often thawing and shedding their ice. I had a big chunk whizz right by my head a few weeks ago.

[Kascadia]

We went up to WT1 & 2 on the 13th (Thursday) and that alarm was going off. If an alarm goes off in the forest and no one is there to hear it.................

[Eric Hansen]

+1 on what Fedor said about icefall from the towers. I live near a 1,080 foot broadcast tower in Wisconsin and there are definitely issues. Fog, drizzle, coats the upper tower struts, freezes, and often releases the next day. Typically the ice pieces falling are relatively small pieces (and light weight) but it is still unnerving when it comes down near you. Tower is in a parkway, near a bike path.