Deep in the mountains of central Colorado and tucked away on an peak owned by a mining company sits a derelict mid-20th century observatory. Built during World War II by a university, it was placed in central Colorado because the higher elevation helped to cut down on atmospheric distortion of light

This observatory quickly yielded important scientific results while studying the sun, but the data was quickly declared classified information by the US Navy. Valuable insights into the relationship between solar wind conditions and radio communication disruptions were drawn from this data, and the timings of several major wartime operations were determined by these insights during World War II.

After the war ended this astronomic data was declassified and in the early 1950s a newer, larger building was constructed before being moved to a different city about a decade later. Though operations continued at the original site, it closed down in the 1970's as its outdated equipment couldn't keep up with more modern observatories.



Picture 1: The sole remaining building of the observatory.



Picture 2: Cryptocartography on top of the coronagraph mount. The instrument itself was removed long ago.



Picture 3: The interior of the observatory dome.



Picture 4: A closeup of one of the wheels that rotated the dome on a circular track. Interestingly, the track rotated on the wheels, not the other way around.



Picture 5: The top of the observatory poking over the treetops, just across a small lake.


Cryptocartography and I had to hike about a mile or so in to reach this place, and initially things went pretty good. Unfortunately we disturbed a nest of bees under the floorboards and had to leave, and then we got absolutely soaked by a torrential downpour on the hike back. Still, any exploration that ends with good photos and no tickets is a success in my book, so I'll take it.
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Fun find. Looks peaceful and remote there.