GOING UP - A crew from Global Tower Partners is shown assembling tower parts Wednesday night, June 17, in anticipation of the arrival of a crane Thursday. Below, an excavator fills a bucket loader with blasted ledge to take down Rice Hill.
The base of the 180-foot Rice Hill communications tower was poured with 66 yards of concrete June 4. The tower construction is expected to start soon. Below, ledge required blasting for the winding 1/3-mile access road, where work continues.
Pieces of the 180-foot cell tower arrived on site this week, seen above at the base of the access road. Above right, power and communications cables are buried along the field and will go above ground from the tree line to the top. Below, the tower awaits transportation to the top, where it will be assembled and raised by crane June 18. The Rice farm sits quietly in the background.
The Rice Hill communications tower project began May 4. Early road work involved ledge blasting and preparing the entrance off Rice Road. An excavator above lifts pieces of ledge past the blast mats.
A loader moves gravel from blasted ledge up the hill May 22. The Rice homestead sits at the bottom of the access road, which offers a spectacular northern view of the mountains. Below, the tower site where nearly 90 yards of concrete will be poured for the base in early June. At left, the base has been excavated and awaits concrete.
