A rare feature on a distant mountainside in Monroe County is gaining popularity. The Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory was ordered shuttered in November, and since then, fans of the site have been looking for methods to save it.
“It’ll have to be torn down, but we’re trying to get a structural engineer on site to help design a new one that will last longer,” said Monroe County Commission President Melvin Young.
For many years, volunteers have used the observatory to monitor migrating birds of prey from the top of the mountain that divides West Virginia and Virginia. These are the most active supporters of the project. The Observatory is a historic fire tower from the 1940s and 1950s that located on Jefferson National Forest property in West Virginia. Young stated that he is working to provide support for replacing the remote tower.
“It’s just an incredible place. You can see two states, and you have a 360-degree vision. It’s an incredible spot that is a vital part of Monroe and Craig counties in Virginia, as well as the Waitesville area in West Virginia. We can’t let this thing go; we have to get it back,” he said in a recent interview with West Virginia Outdoors.
The issue, as usual, is a shortage of funds. The United States Forest Service has stated that they do not have the funds to repair the facility. Monroe County, which recently experienced a fire that delayed a $5 million remodel of the county courthouse, is also lacks finances to complete it. Despite the financial position, Young said they can’t afford to let it go because of its importance as a tourist attraction in the region.
“It’s a huge value to the community. Last year, it brought guests from 40 countries to Monroe County. That’s extraordinary; you won’t find that level of activity anywhere else,” he remarked.
Raising the building may be a more challenging task than raising the project’s funds.
Young has personal experience as a builder and claims that the site, which is a mile and a half off the major road, makes access extremely problematic. The facility is only accessible via a hiking trail. Young believes that helicopter transport of supplies for the observation facility, as well as aerial delivery of the finished product, will be required.
“I’ve already established a staging area at the base of the mountain, and we’ll airlift everything up there. Depending on how we do it, we could build everything at the base of the mountain and fly it up,” he explained.
Other challenges include the significant snow that has fallen in the area and the Forest Service’s sensitivity to the project. According to Young, the agency appears to support the replacement for the time being, but they have the final word because it is on their property.
Young anticipated more meetings with the Forest Service and other officials in the coming months to discuss progress on the project.
