Ultimate Private Viewspot of Area 51

I found this link on another website. Numerous shots of "Groom Lake Mine", including Groom Lake and Area 51 in the backround:
outdoors.webshots.com...

I found this snippet from Campbell's now defunct website:
"Groom Mine -- Mine at the south end of the Groom Range and directly overlooking the base at Groom Lake. Although surrounded on all sides by newly withdrawn lands of the Nellis Range, the mine is still privately owned. The mine is not active, however, and the owners rarely go there. (They are supposed to give notice to the Air Force when they do.) The Sheahan family, who once worked the mine and still own part of it, suffered devastating health effects from above ground atomic testing in the 1950s."

I believe this site is located here, on GE. Although the site is located on the NORTH side of Groom Lake, contrary to the above:
37°20'24.18"N, 115°46'7.18"W

Obviously they have a functional cabin, with power, etc. And the fact that they have numerous pictures, including the base in the background in a number of shots, means it doesn't look like they have security restrictions imposed on them by the base. Unless they have broken rules by posting these pictures on a public website.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/2497aa52df4e.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7e639cf37cd4.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7252d0b962ee.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6b7d34faf5bf.jpg[/atsimg]

Which leads me to a number of questions:
1) What are the steps they need to do to gain access to this site?
2) What restrictions, if any, are imposed on them while in the restricted area? Certain hours? No closeup pictures of the base, or anything related to the base?
3) Will they be my friends, and can I bring some photographic equipment?
4) Maybe gariac can chime on this, perhaps he has more info?


[edit on 15-8-2010 by FosterVS]

[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

According to this source, the mine you highlighted is the Black Metal Mine. Groom Mine is a few thousand feet north of Black Metal Mine.

it has to be a pain to get access to the mine.


Great find OP, S&F for you.

If i win the lotto maybe I can buy the mine .

Originally posted by sporkmonster
According to this source, the mine you highlighted is the Black Metal Mine. Groom Mine is a few thousand feet north of Black Metal Mine.

it has to be a pain to get access to the mine.

Great find OP, S&F for you.

Regardless.... I am certain the coordinates I posted is the site in the pictures. It is fairly obvious comparing:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4a01eff42969.jpg[/atsimg]
The point is.... this site has an unobstructed view of the base, from 7-8 miles away. Versus the only other spot, Tikaboo Peak, which is about 26 miles away.

I would love to know the circumstances of who, when, how this site is accessible. I, for one, would fork out some big cash to get a good picture of the base, vs a grainy, hazy panorama from Tikaboo Peak.


[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

I would imagine the photos were not supposed to be taken. I would also imagine that they were definitely not supposed to be put up on a social website such as Webshots for anybody to view. Whoever owns the mine is probably allowed to access it with notice to the Air Force at Groom, but I can't believe they would allow those types of photos to be taken. If those types of photos are allowed to be taken, then there was no use to grab the land in 1994. I have got to believe that those photos on Webshots will be taken down. They have circulated the usual spots already. Dreamland Resort, AltConspiracyArea51, Destination Area 51 blog and others have already posted them. I guess copy the photos while they are still available because they certainly are great shots. I doubt who shot those photos will be going out there again and the owner of the mine is going to catch some real heat. I am just guessing, but I would not want to be the owner now!

Originally posted by DesertShadow
I guess copy the photos while they are still available because they certainly are great shots.

Done and done, grabbed the hi-res ones. There is an easy way to do this, without being a "friend", for those who don't know how - PM me if you want the details.

I will likely contact this person, see what details I can get. Would be interesting if they have some more/better pics, and what transpires.

Originally posted by FosterVS

Originally posted by sporkmonster
According to this source, the mine you highlighted is the Black Metal Mine. Groom Mine is a few thousand feet north of Black Metal Mine.

it has to be a pain to get access to the mine.

Great find OP, S&F for you.

Regardless.... I am certain the coordinates I posted is the site in the pictures. It is fairly obvious comparing:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4a01eff42969.jpg[/atsimg]
The point is.... this site has an unobstructed view of the base, from 7-8 miles away. Versus the only other spot, Tikaboo Peak, which is about 26 miles away.

I would love to know the circumstances of who, when, how this site is accessible. I, for one, would fork out some big cash to get a good picture of the base, vs a grainy, hazy panorama from Tikaboo Peak.


[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

I would guess the process for getting to the mine involves lots of begging pleading and a case of punch whiskey to the guards

The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology's 1977 Groom Mining District Summary Report
says, in part:

The Groom mining district is located in the southwestern Groom Range. The district is centered around the one major mine, the Groom Mine in Y7S, R55E about 5 miles north of Groom Lake. While the district is not officially included within the limits of the Nellis Air Force Bombing and Gunnery Range, the Air Force has essentially taken the area and all non-military access is restricted.
[...]
Since the Air Force is restricting access to the Groom range, we were not able to conduct any field examinations in this area. We contacted Air Force Security and made a request to visit the area but it was denied. We were told we could not gain admission to this sensitive area "anytime in the foreseeable future".

And this 1964 Scouting Report for the Groom Mining District says, in part:

The Groom District has been engulfed in the Air Force Gunnery Range -- probably several years back. The Groom Mine, and perhaps other mines, plus the airstrip belonging to the Groom, are still held as valid mining claims by one Dan Sheahan, but being within the restricted area, presumably call for security clearance to get in to visit them. I am quite certain that there is zero chance of being able to locate further claims in the district; too bad, as it looked like a pretty fair shot for mineralization in an extensive pediment south of the Groom Mine outcrop area.

The district can be considered completely dead -- because of government withdrawal, not any other reason.

Here is a little story about that mine
Groom mine

A woman from the family that owns the mine spoke at the Roadrunners convention. Everything was videotaped, though I don't know where the video can be found. I recall she said that when they did air nuke blasts, metal would land on the mine like shrapnel. I assume metal from the bomb itself would be vaporized, but probably nearby instrumentation or structures got sucked up into the blast.

The photos went up on usenet. While interesting, they don't reveal much about the base. If I got an invitation, trust me, the photos would have detail. With a telescope, you can see plenty from 7 miles.

Of course the base knows me by sight, so it would be hard for me to get to the mine. George Knapp got an invitation to go, but the USAf nixed that.

Originally posted by gariac
A woman from the family that owns the mine spoke at the Roadrunners convention. Everything was videotaped, though I don't know where the video can be found. I recall she said that when they did air nuke blasts, metal would land on the mine like shrapnel. I assume metal from the bomb itself would be vaporized, but probably nearby instrumentation or structures got sucked up into the blast.

Found a link to the video on Youtube, gariac:

Originally posted by shmuu
The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology's 1977 Groom Mining District Summary Report
says, in part:
And this

I also found a document at that site (nas.library.unr.edu) as follows:

MEMORANDUM
==========
August 28, 1963

TO: JOHN M. CONROW
FROM: R.G. Wiese, Jr.
RE: Groom mine, Lincoln County, Nevada

On August 20, 1963, Dan Sheahan was contacted regarding the present status of the Groom mine. The only work undertaken on the property since the mill was destroyed in 1954 has been assessment work. Sheahan has access to the property upon written application to the proper government authority. The area near Groom Lake is apparently the site of a secret government project.

Sheahan has dropped his suit against the government for damages to the mill and effective condemnation of the property. He and his associates have received no compensation for the loss of the $80,000 mill.

Sheahan estimates the open pit area of the Groom property to contain 30,000 tons of ore averaging 4-5 percent lead and approximately 0.5 ounce of silver. The ore reserve would be substantially increased with the inclusion of material containing less than 3 percent lead. The ore is partly oxidized.

Sheahan has no immediate plans for resuming mining operations or for rebuilding the mill.

Signed: R.G. Wiese, Jr.

Interesting stuff, particularily "suit against the government for damages to the mill and effective condemnation of the property".

Likely the owners of the mine have a agreement with the PTB that the government will not take the mine as long a the owners abide by the PTBs rules.

Also its likely of you trespass at the mines the camo guys will be kind enough to turn you over to the local sheriff for trespassing

Many small mines in Nevada have problems with thieves. likely these don't so its a big win for the mine owner to have free security guards.

Originally posted by FosterVS
Interesting stuff, particularily "suit against the government for damages to the mill and effective condemnation of the property".

I believe that was from an atomic bomb test, just over the hill, so to speak.

ANNED, everything I read in the later documents indicates that the owner isn't the owner anymore. The Air Force controls it completely. The real owner hasn't been allowed to do any mining there for several decades. So I wouldn't exactly call it a win for them

Originally posted by shmuu

Originally posted by FosterVS
Interesting stuff, particularily "suit against the government for damages to the mill and effective condemnation of the property".

I believe that was from an atomic bomb test, just over the hill, so to speak.

ANNED, everything I read in the later documents indicates that the owner isn't the owner anymore. The Air Force controls it completely. The real owner hasn't been allowed to do any mining there for several decades. So I wouldn't exactly call it a win for them

I also found this, lists the claim owners of the various mines that make up collectively the "Groom Mining District". Note the number of Sheahan's that have claims on the different mines, and although the document isn't dated, there is a date reference of 6/25/85 near the bottom.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c712f6be9651.jpg[/atsimg]
From what I read in other documents, the Groom mine was very lucrative, and still has considerable quantities of mainly silver.

Originally posted by DesertShadow
I would imagine the photos were not supposed to be taken. I would also imagine that they were definitely not supposed to be put up on a social website such as Webshots for anybody to view. I have got to believe that those photos on Webshots will be taken down.

Keep imagining. They're still up.

I doubt who shot those photos will be going out there again and the owner of the mine is going to catch some real heat. I am just guessing, but I would not want to be the owner now!

For what? Taking pictures of their own property? In every class their is a tattletale. I guess we know who that is now.

i wonder if the mine is in any way connected to the facility there...wouldn't that be great to get access and follow the mine all the way to area 51...

I would be fun to get permission from the mine owners and go in there .

Who is the woman in the video, and what are the coordinates for their mine?
Also, are there any owners of the other mines on the map shot that was posted?