These are some of the furthest I've driven for a fire tower yet.  Azure Mountain is a short hike, but as you would expect, it's just steep.  The first third was a nice road, the second third was a good climb with a switchback, the the last third was a muddy mess until you got to the tower where there were lovely views from the tower and the ledges.

The second hike was St. Regis.  This is just off of the campus of Paul Smiths.  The trail was rather nice to go up, and it was obvious hunters were in the area by the amount of deer fur I saw in the first half mile.  But, when I got towards the top, it was all ice on the trail and I barely made it up to the top, but I switched to spikes for the first time this seaon on the way down.  Sadly, there were many groups of college aged kids going up without anything other than a water bottle and coat.  sigh