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UER Mobile > US: Four Corners > Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico (Viewed 2483 times)

post by BureauOfExploration   |  | 
Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
< on 6/9/2021 4:40 AM >

I've been dying to explore an abandoned observatory for the longest time, and was finally able to hunt one down! After a long hike and a little navigation off the trail, there it was...





The old observatory sits thousands of feet above the New Mexico desert. What's especially curious is that there seems to be no road leading here, and it's far away from just about everything. I have no idea how, or for that matter why, it was built.





















There's what seems like a science camp a couple hundred feet from the observatory with a nice little metal shack. Next time I'm planning on backpacking up here, spending the night in the shack, and getting some long exposures once the stars are out!







This is definitely one of the coolest places I've ever explored. I've only moved to New Mexico recently and so far, it seems that for urbex (as it is for its natural landscapes) it's a hidden gem. If there are any other NM urbexers here who would like to go exploring sometime, shoot me a message!


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post by /-/ooligan   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 1 on 6/10/2021 1:33 AM >

Keep in-mind that it may not have been a traditional observatory owned & managed by a civilian research organization -- it could have been a military (Army or Air Force) optical tracking & filming station used to track missile launches from the White Sand Missile Range.

The fact that there doesn't seem to be any real remains of support facilities for staff (sleeping, facility maintenance, cafeteria, etc.) that researchers at the site would need does tend to suggest to me that it may have been military --- only staffed for the duration of rocket/missile launches, with personnel brought & removed via helicopter (& hence the wind-direction indicator at the 'science camp' which would likely have also been a helicopter landing zone..


Doing a Google search using the specific name of the peak or mountain range should ID the former user & use. If you want help with that, post location details, or PM them to me.



/-/ooligan


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post by BureauOfExploration   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 2 on 6/10/2021 4:29 AM >

Posted by /-/ooligan
Keep in-mind that it may not have been a traditional observatory owned & managed by a civilian research organization -- it could have been a military (Army or Air Force) optical tracking & filming station used to track missile launches from the White Sand Missile Range.

The fact that there doesn't seem to be any real remains of support facilities for staff (sleeping, facility maintenance, cafeteria, etc.) that researchers at the site would need does tend to suggest to me that it may have been military --- only staffed for the duration of rocket/missile launches, with personnel brought & removed via helicopter (& hence the wind-direction indicator at the 'science camp' which would likely have also been a helicopter landing zone..


Doing a Google search using the specific name of the peak or mountain range should ID the former user & use. If you want help with that, post location details, or PM them to me.



/-/ooligan


I think there's a very good chance you're right on the money with that! The observatory is close to White Sands Missile Range (you can actually see a bit of White Sands in the distance in the first image) so military research would make a lot of sense, and it seems like that little saddle where the 'science camp' is would be more than enough to land a helicopter. For that matter, you could probably drop off the whole observatory via helicopter, which would make a lot of sense. I'll do some more research tomorrow! Thank you for your input, it's very much appreciated!


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post by BoredFun27   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 3 on 6/14/2021 12:50 AM >

I was going to mention the helicopter aspect but I got beat to it. I concur with ooligan that helicopters seem like the probable mode of transportation, based on your description.


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post by NMPatriot   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 4 on 6/15/2021 3:25 AM >

Good photo set! Don't really have a whole lot to add. I think the others that have replied are spot-on that it's an old abandoned tracking station. This one isn't the only one in the area of similar construction.

Did you happen to notice the benchmark in the concrete foundation? There's one at the site set by the Defense Mapping Agency which gives a pretty good clue on the construction date (1970's). I won't give away much beyond that because giving specifics on the BM could easily lead others to the site.

There's (at least) one other adjacent to White Sands on a peak that's not quite as high in elevation. At that site they put the observatory up on a corrugated steel & concrete pillar to gain additional elevation with steel stairs to get up to the observation point. That site has a concrete structure directly next to it.

Next time you come back down this way hit me up! We'll grab something to eat and I'll join you for some night photography.




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post by BureauOfExploration   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 5 on 6/16/2021 1:57 AM >

Posted by BoredFun27
I was going to mention the helicopter aspect but I got beat to it. I concur with ooligan that helicopters seem like the probable mode of transportation, based on your description.


Thank you! I honestly had never even contemplated a helicopter until these comments- dropping off an entire facility seems like such a hassle at first, but that would easily be the best way to get it up there and makes a ton of sense. Thank you!


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post by BureauOfExploration   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 6 on 6/16/2021 2:06 AM >

Posted by NMPatriot
Good photo set! Don't really have a whole lot to add. I think the others that have replied are spot-on that it's an old abandoned tracking station. This one isn't the only one in the area of similar construction.

Did you happen to notice the benchmark in the concrete foundation? There's one at the site set by the Defense Mapping Agency which gives a pretty good clue on the construction date (1970's). I won't give away much beyond that because giving specifics on the BM could easily lead others to the site.

There's (at least) one other adjacent to White Sands on a peak that's not quite as high in elevation. At that site they put the observatory up on a corrugated steel & concrete pillar to gain additional elevation with steel stairs to get up to the observation point. That site has a concrete structure directly next to it.

Next time you come back down this way hit me up! We'll grab something to eat and I'll join you for some night photography.




Thank you! I actually did spot the marker- I didn't post pictures of it since I was concerned about giving away the site as well. However the "Defense Mapping Agency" definitely did get me wondering about whether it was scientific or military, I wasn't certain at first but with these comments I'm definitely convinced it was a military tracking station. Thank you everyone for your input!

That's so cool that there's at least one other out there! I'm going to do some research and see if there's any way to find enough info to map out a network. I'd be very interested to see the orientation of the stations/their nexus.

I'll definitely hit you up whenever I'm headed back down toward Las Cruces! I'm trying to put together more trips out there, and I definitely want to do the night photography this summer so I should be back in the area soon!


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post by IndoAnomaly   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 7 on 6/26/2021 8:47 PM >

This. This right here is the shit I keep coming back to this site to see. Very very cool. I have a few observatories in the west mapped out and haven't found the time to get out to them yet. Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you.


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post by /-/ooligan   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 8 on 6/27/2021 12:58 AM >

https://ags02.sec....c5b960eb1cf9145738


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post by BureauOfExploration   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 9 on 7/1/2021 1:09 AM >

Posted by IndoAnomaly
This. This right here is the shit I keep coming back to this site to see. Very very cool. I have a few observatories in the west mapped out and haven't found the time to get out to them yet. Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you.


Thank you so much! You absolutely must go visit the observatories I'm the exact same, I know the locations of a few of them, but this is the first one I could actually get to. Took a while but 100% worth it, what cool places! Good luck in your expeditions to them in the future!


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post by BureauOfExploration   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 10 on 7/1/2021 1:10 AM >

Posted by /-/ooligan
https://ags02.sec....c5b960eb1cf9145738


Surprisingly this one actually isn't noted on the map, it seems like it would be! Though this is an AWESOME resource, this has given me a lot to investigate in my area. Thank you so much for posting!


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post by BatsandMines   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 11 on 6/7/2022 9:05 PM >

This is so cool! Very nice pictures. I have yet to explore one.


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post by Delver of Yore   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 12 on 10/12/2022 10:52 PM >

Posted by /-/ooligan
Keep in-mind that it may not have been a traditional observatory owned & managed by a civilian research organization -- it could have been a military (Army or Air Force) optical tracking & filming station used to track missile launches from the White Sand Missile Range.


/-/ooligan


Does the army still use observatories like that today?


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post by /-/ooligan   |  | 
Re: Abandoned Observatory, New Mexico
<Reply # 13 on 10/13/2022 7:58 AM >

Posted by Delver of Yore


Does the army still use observatories like that today?


Absolutely the US military does, though in the case of the military, we're better off referring to them as tracking stations because observatory kinda implies looking at stars & planets, whereas the military uses them for detection, tracking & monitoring of objects like US & foreign rockets/missiles, satellites, etc. using optical, electro-optical, radio frequency interferometry, and RADAR systems located at sites around the world.

Some sites, like the ones around White Sands Missile Range, Kennedy Space Center, Vandenberg AFB, Naval Base Ventura County (Pt Mugu -- look up Laguna Peak Tracking Station), etc. would mostly de used for tracking test launches from those sites, so that for example, if a rocket or missile blew-up 25 seconds after-launch, they could review video footage & telemetry recorded by the nearby electro-optical and telemetry monitoring stations to try to figure out what happened. More importantly, by observing the video footage in real-time from the launch control facility, they can determine of the rocket/missile is going off-course, and if-so, they can send a Destruct command to it so that it ideally blows-up over the restricted White Sands Missile Range area instead of crashing into some populated area.

About half-way down on this web page, it talks about the WSMR tracking systems:
https://www.wsmr.a...Pages/default.aspx

This web page is about the more strategic detection & tracking systems:

https://en.wikiped...rveillance_Network


My Vandenberg AFB Flickr page has some photos of the old Satellite Tracking Station, which I briefly UE'd a long time ago, and I think there are some distant photos showing their current Satellite Tracking facility.

https://www.flickr.../72157635581013942

If you click on an individual photo, you'll see there is a caption for it. Funny *well, not at the time..) story about me & that satellite tracking center -- back around 1990 while in California for a month for work in LA, I took a few days to head N & explore some military stuff (my UE specialty). I poked around Vandenberg Air Force Base. The installation is so large, there are many parts of it outside the actual secured, main installation, including numerous compounds, the security police pistol/rifle range, etc.& some of those roads have limited public right of way. So as I'm joy-riding, I observe a compound with what looks to be a white radome atop a hill in the distance (turned out to be the satellite tracking facility), so I did my best to head towards it, and eventually found what I was sure was the access road leading-up to it. It was a very narrow road, with the usual signs warning everyone to not pass a tres... Sat there at the base of the access road, asking myself if I was a stupid man, or a smart mouse, and eventually, the stupid man part of me won-out, so I started driving up the access road, ignoring the signage and ignoring some pretty negative consequences if I got caught. Understand that I'm already on USAF property, in a car with lots of radios & radio antennas, a GPS, a 35mm camera with zoom lens & lots of film, etc. and absolutely zero excuse for being there, then on top of that, I'm driving up a road that leads to a sensitive, fenced compound passing numerous warning signs. If I got caught, they'd clearly think I was a spy. The road was somewhat steep, winding and narrow. I figured I'd get to the top, and just check the compound out from outside what would surely be a secured gate, hoping there'd be enough space up there for me to turn-around and then drive back down & get the heck out of there...

So I get to the top, and... the gate to site fenced compound is open! I don't see anyone, but clearly, the site is in use... As much of an idiot as I was for driving up there, the little sensibility I had told me that I was NOT going to drive past the gate into the compound. That would be pushing it too much, besides, I'd had some very close-calls driving or walking into a gated facility, only to learn the hard way that the gate was motorized/ Only luck prevented me from getting locked inside the fenced perimeter of a place & having to knock on the door & beg for mercy (except one time, at the old Willow Run Air Force Station in Michigan...). So I'm at the top of the hill, sitting in my car just outside the open-gate, trembling with both fear & excitement. The devil on my one shoulder is saying "It's your lucky day! The gate is open & there doesn't seem to be anyone around! Drive on in & explore! You came all this way -- you can't just leave now" & the angel on my other shoulder is saying "You';re lucky top just get up here & get a quick look at the compound. Don't push your luck LEAVE NOW!" But then I notice there's no easy way to turn-around outside the gate (the photo showing the gate area is somewhat deceiving). If I wanted to GTFO, the easiest, fastest way would be for me to drive past the gate into the compound & turn-around in their parking lot & then drive out & down the access road.

So I take a deep breath, drive on into the 'controlled area' compound and just as I cross the threshold... Some USAF Sgt opens a door and walks outside. We see each other at the same time -- he looks surprised, and I would have looked shocked. I immediately stopped my car. Thankfully, instead of running back inside to alert security police, he walks-up to my car. I thought fast, and immediately started apologizing, stating I was driving around, looking for hilltops that could have a good view for the occasional Space Shuttle launches from Vandenberg - that's why I drove up that hill, and once I got to the top & saw the compound, I wanted to leave immediately because it then dawned on me that I shouldn't be there, but in order to get my car safely turned-around to leave, I had to enter their compound, and that's what was going-on when he walked out of the building & saw me. I was a clean-cut, conservative looking American, and thankfully (but somewhat surprisingly) he bought my story. He said I was very lucky that the security police hadn't caught me, or "There'd be a lot of paperwork to fill-out..." He also stated that to watch ant space shuttle launches from Vandenberg property, I'd need written permission from the base commander, etc. I thanked him, and got the hell out of there with my tail between my legs. I was still thinking he may have been planning on calling the base security police on me after I left, but I had the base security channels in my scanner and never heard anything related to me.

I was extremely lucky. This was long-before 9/11 and the whole "If you see something, say something." It was also long-before Google Earth & most of the web existed, so if you wanted to satisfy basic curiosity, you had to explore & possibly take some risks...

So about 12 years later, I'm now living in Northern California, and decide to take a road-trip down South. I re-hit Vandenberg AFB, and no, I still hadn't gained any common-sense, so I decided to once again, check out that secure compound atop the hill or ridgeline! To my utter delight, it was obvious that while certainly still USAF property sitting on an active USAF base, the compound was now abandoned (a nice thing about most military facilities is that if the site is active, there's won't be weeds & trash lying around -- a 'signature'), so I drove on in, took some photos of the exterior, quickly poked around the inside of the site, then drove around looking at some old trailers & out-buildings behind the main building, before finally leaving & poking around other parts of the base.


Someone whom I can neither confirm nor deny might also be here on uer.ca also visited the same abandoned compound a while after I did:
https://www.flickr...7/with/3191782562/


Sorry to kind of hijack the thread! Anyone down around WSMR should definitely visit the museum there:
https://history.ar...teSands/index.html

There are other old, abandoned tracking stations related to WSMR in the area, some still having some cool equipment left behind.


/-/oolie




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