Regardless, the Air Force never filled in any of the Titan I sites like they were supposed to: they simply salvaged any equipment they wanted to keep, and walked away. One site in Washington state had a giant hole cut in the power dome to remove the generators by crane in the late 90's or early 2000's, a teenager died when he decided to rappel into that dome and somehow fell from his rope. Not sure if he's still alive or not, but he was an old curmudgeon who was known for having some screws loose.) The sites were salvaged by the Air Force after they were decommissioned, although some salvage companies did a more graceful job than others. I got a trespassing ticket their about 18 years ago, and the court documents noted the owner's name and address. It was excavated for some reason, but nobody was sure if it was due to site salvaging after it had been decommissioned, or if a later property owner had done it (yes, that site is on private property. You may have noticed the giant tank sitting aboveground: that used to be where the "entrance pit" is, decades ago. A quirky mission in life, but he did it well!)Īlso, the "entrance" that you went in wasn't actually an entrance. I used to be acquainted with Fred Epler, who was known for being kind of an expert on the Titan system: he had massive piles of documents, blueprints, everything you could imagine (sadly he passed away in 2013 of cancer, but he was a great guy and saved tons of related documentation from the landfill. They're concrete reinforced with ridiculously thick rebar, with steel plating on the underside. I would like to correct a couple things though: the silo doors did, in fact, weight approximately 115 tons each. Nice writeup, I haven't been to the Deer Trail site in years! Abandoned missile sites used to be something of a hobby of mine, and I had loads of info on them at one point. I felt so grimy from exploring the abandoned missile silo, I definitely needed to wash up afterwards. I suppose there could be low levels of radon, but that is true of any underground structure, including your own basement! The radioactive material in the Titan missiles was well contained and was removed with the missiles. One thing you don't need to worry about is radiation. Be sure to wear a dust mask, or better yet, a breathing mask with filter cartridges. Also be aware that there is a lot of dust and some asbestos in the air. Please bear in mind that there are many places where you could easily fall a great distance or into icy polluted water, so watch your step and take your time. I would feel awful if anything bad happened to someone who decided to explore the Titan after reading this.īe sure to bring at least one high-powered flashlight and a headlamp (for optimal photographic excellence, bring as much lighting as you can, and use a camera with a good low-light sensor). But please realize that it can be extremely dangerous if you aren't careful. If you ever get the opportunity to check out the Titan I missile silo launch complex in Deer Trail, Colorado, I highly recommend you do it. The way I felt after exploring the Titan was similar, but a thousand times more intense. If you read my article about exploring Phoenix Trotting Park, you might remember that afterward I was shaking with excitement and the thrill of accomplishment. The missiles were decommissioned in the 1960s, replaced with the far deadlier Titan I and Titan II missiles.I cannot begin to tell you how thrilling it was to explore this incredible relic of the Cold War. The Atlas F, armed with a thermonuclear warhead, was also the first missile fielded in underground, vertical launch missile silos. The Atlas missile was the first real intercontinental ballistic missile fielded by the United States. ➡ Get unlimited access to the weird world of Popular Mechanics, starting NOW. The Survival Condo can house 75 people for up to five years, sheltering them from the nuclear, chemical, and biological threats while pampering them with luxuries that include a custom bar, library, and swimming pool.ĭIVE DEEPER. ![]() ![]() Luxury touches, including in-suite jacuzzis, a gymnasium, shooting range, and pool will help you forget about the apocalyptic conditions above.Ī deactivated Atlas missile silo has been reimagined as a high-end condominium complex, designed to support a luxurious lifestyle in the wake of the End Times.The underground complex stretches 185 feet underground and is built to house more than six dozen people. ![]()
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