The resort era left its mark on the trees. At its peak, south Randolph had more than 50 hotels and bungalow colonies, drawing city visitors for the cooler air at altitude. Shade was part of the appeal, and when most hotels closed by the end of the 1970s, much of that land was divided into house lots with the old trees still standing. Those oaks, maples and pines have had decades more to grow, and some now tower over houses built long after the trees were planted.
Elevation matters when storms roll through. Mount Freedom is one of the higher parts of a township that tops out above 1,100 feet, and exposed crowns on high ground take the brunt of summer thunderstorms and heavy wet snow. When Tropical Storm Isaias hit in August 2020, about 88 percent of Randolph households lost power, some for six days, and the mayor's follow-up listed clearing trees near power lines among the issues for review. Thinning dense crowns and removing deadwood are common requests here before storm season.
Ash is the other recurring problem. The township reported in 2021 that the emerald ash borer had killed more than 1,000 ash trees in Randolph, and a dead ash becomes brittle and unpredictable to climb as it dries out. The township took on dead ash in the public right of way, but dead trees on private lots are the owner's responsibility. If a gray, peeling ash stands near your house or driveway, a contractor may recommend taking it down from a bucket truck or with a crane rather than climbing it.
Worth knowing in Mount Freedom
Mount Freedom sits at about 883 feet and was a resort community that drew as many as 10,000 visitors from New York City at its peak.
en.wikipedia.orgAt the height of the resort era, more than 50 hotels and bungalow colonies operated in south Randolph.
morriscountyhistory.orgRandolph reported in 2021 that emerald ash borer had killed more than 1,000 ash trees in the township, and began removing dead ash from public rights of way in 2020.
randolphnj.org
Questions from Mount Freedom homeowners
Who removes a dead ash in the road right of way in Mount Freedom?
Trees in the public right of way are a township matter. Randolph's hazardous tree program for dead ash in the right of way listed the Engineering department, 973-989-7066, as the contact. Trees on your side of the property line are yours to handle.
Is late fall a good time to prune on a high lot?
Many owners schedule deadwood removal and crown thinning in late fall or winter, when the leaves are off and the branch structure is easy to see. It also gets weak limbs out before ice and wet snow load them.