Odd obelisk found in Utah????

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
Well, this whole mystery could easily be put to rest if the guy who looked down inside of the object just came forward and said what he saw.

If he looked inside and just saw some CDX plywood on the inside as a substrate then I think everyone can go home. It's just an object placed there by someone, for whatever reason.

You can see in the video the top is solid or at least has a top. My guess is metal or wood frame with sheets of stainless steel screwed to it. Then could be easily constructed on site from the back of a pickup truck.

not to far from skinwalker ranch either thats interesting in itself

a reply to: tarifa37

Yeah, that's a good point. I forgot seeing that.

In any case, I agree, pretty easily constructed if it's just a clad plywood structure which is pretty likely. Anything else would be way too expensive for that location.

a reply to: kerrichin

It's about 140 miles SSE from Skinwalker Ranch. Not really very close.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

So would you say that area is very hard to impossible to get to in a car or truck?

originally posted by: Willtell
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

So would you say that area is very hard to impossible to get to in a car or truck?

Not hard at all. You could get something like a Jeep in there easy. I posted the route to do just that HERE . Shows exactly how to drive right up to it. ATV's and UTV's would also easily make it in there. Probably be tough to get something like a full sized pickup into this location, but any 4x4 with a short wheel base and a skilled driver could drive right up to the object. I've four wheeled all over that area.

The hardest part would be figuring out where to turn off the road, but once you got down into the bottom of that wash you could just cruise right up to it.

ETA - You'd just turn off the main road, go down through the first wash and climb up the hill to the SW, then drive through the saddle to the NW, then drive back down the hill to the ledge, turn due south and go down the ledge (this part is likely tricky) and then just head SW down the sandstone into the bottom of the wash. From there you'd turn NNW and just stay in the wash from there following it around to the opening in the wall. Then you'd just head west and NW right up to the object. You'd probably want to air-down to about as low as you can go down in the bottom of the wash (5psi with bead locks, 8-10psi without bead locks). Then just stay aired down all the way back out to the road, or certainly to the ridge step. Piece of cake! Hard to say for sure, but it might not hurt to have a spotter at the ridge step though...probably pretty steep right there.

originally posted by: kerrichin
not to far from skinwalker ranch either thats interesting in itself

What is your definition of "not too far" because it isn't where this man made item was found compared to where Skinwalker Ranch is.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Thanks for the response!

Well, if that's true, likely there will be a mob out there soon. Maybe even some kind of shrine to whatever thing folks start to think this is from.

Most know that the Kubrick movie 2001 Space Odyssey has almost a cult following but many don't know there was a sequel to that movie ( very good BTW IMO) that has a sci-fi-spiritual, very spooky( even more than the original movie) conclusion to it.
2010: The Year We Make Contact

So whoever owns that land, maybe its state land, may be able to sell tickets to it and make a killing.

a reply to: Willtell

Well, let me be clear, this location is not something mobs of people are going to be able to do. This is an extremely rugged and remote desert area with some brutal terrain. When I say it would be "easy" to get there I'm talking about 'easy' for a highly experienced off-roader with specialized off road equipment. John Q. Public in his Buick ain't gonna' get anywhere near this place! Just getting to the general area is difficult. It is very, very, remote. Moab is the nearest town, and this location is about 17 miles south of Moab. But that 17 miles is as the crow flies. It's probably 65-70 road-miles there, over some serious terrain even to just get to the dirt road I used as my starting point. It would probably take the better part of a day to get there from Moab. And you'd probably have to plan on making it a two day affair.

Bottom line, I wouldn't expect any crowds showing up anytime soon. I wouldn't have posted such detailed information otherwise.

ETA - Oh, and this is all State and BLM owned land (i.e. government). I'd have to look, but it may even be National Forest / Park land.

ETA 2 - However, now that you've mentioned this, I should probably include a disclaimer. To anyone considering going to this location, understand you do so at your own risk. Ensure you have a clear understanding of both the terrain, and the desert environment. Both can be deadly! Weather and conditions can change in an instant. Specialized four wheel drive vehicles would be mandatory along with experienced operators and spotters. A 2nd vehicle would also be mandatory as would winches, recovery and extraction gear (jacks, straps and hardware), air compressors and comprehensive first aid kits. Cold and extreme weather is also a possibility, as are flash floods possible at any time. Complete roll cages on all vehicles are minimum requirements. Be aware of your surroundings at all times, and always be prepared to move uphill quickly through planned escape routes. There are limited to no communications (cell phones, etc.) in these areas.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You literally posted the type of setup needed to make it, said you wouldn't do it without a second jeep that knows what they are doing and went through a list of needed stuff in order to safely get there.

I am fairly certain the majority of folks in the US do not have said equipment.

It may be easy for you personally to get there, but it would also be a death wish for those without the right equipment.

This isn't just a turn off the highway, day trip into Moab.....the site is remote, and likely picked because of such.

Based on what you have posted, it would actually be pretty tough to get in to, especially toting what would be needed to construct this.

Somebody spent a LOT of time planning this and then constructing it.

It doesn't appear to be sheet metal over a wood frame. It has been there a while, and wood would have warped over time.

The people that put it up clearly took the time to "polish" it up and there appear to be no ripples or waves in the metal form itself. This alone would suggest a fairly thick metal used. The way the side with polished rivets lines up, it would also infer the pieces have been miter cut. This would require quite the setup in a metal shop.

Another supposition is the pieces could have been ordered to size and assembled there.

Trouble with the thought of just rolling in with a jeep is the size. They appear to each be solid pieces, which would be at least 12 ft long.....I don't think a jeep with the required specs you posted could drive this to the site in pieces or whole.

You're also looking at a fairly tough bit of dirt to get through with handheld tools to bury this thing. I can't imagine the hole would have been dug by hand. Also if there is cement involved you are looking at a few bags and the water needed to mix.

This had to take quite a few folks involved to get it done.

a reply to: Vasa Croe
I have been all over the area too, and I think if they packed it back and used some of that water you would never see what they disturbed.
Cleary a HUGE operation though to get that thing all the way out there and install it!


years ago we had a metal fabricator create a stainless tank for us, about 4 by 6 stainless, pretty expensive a couple hundred years ago and they clearly did not create a seamless like that.

The art project mentioned in the thread was very similar sounding with a 9 ft metal obelisk.

originally posted by: SeaWorthy
a reply to: Vasa Croe
I have been all over the area too, and I think if they packed it back and used some of that water you would never see what they disturbed.
Cleary a HUGE operation though to get that thing all the way out there and install it!


years ago we had a metal fabricator create a stainless tank for us, about 4 by 6 stainless, pretty expensive a couple hundred years ago and they clearly did not create a seamless like that.

The art project mentioned in the thread was very similar sounding with a 9 ft metal obelisk.

Yeah....the metal fabrication for this would have been quite the undertaking. Whomever did it is good. It isnt just cheap sheet metal, tin snips and 2x4's....

I have a friend that fabricates and does a lot of privacy fencing and such and this would take him a while to get perfect.

I am of the thought it was made prior to transport as you never know how something will line up and can't imagine bringing in any tools you could use build this on site.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You literally posted the type of setup needed to make it, said you wouldn't do it without a second jeep that knows what they are doing and went through a list of needed stuff in order to safely get there.

I am fairly certain the majority of folks in the US do not have said equipment.

It may be easy for you personally to get there, but it would also be a death wish for those without the right equipment.

This isn't just a turn off the highway, day trip into Moab.....the site is remote, and likely picked because of such.

You are 100% correct. However, if you look at my post immediately above yours, I literally just got done saying about the exact same thing.

Based on what you have posted, it would actually be pretty tough to get in to, especially toting what would be needed to construct this.

Well, let's put it this way. Somebody didn't just 'accidentally' show up at this location and just happened to have the materials kicking around in the back of their Jeep.

Somebody spent a LOT of time planning this and then constructing it.

It doesn't appear to be sheet metal over a wood frame. It has been there a while, and wood would have warped over time.

The people that put it up clearly took the time to "polish" it up and there appear to be no ripples or waves in the metal form itself. This alone would suggest a fairly thick metal used. The way the side with polished rivets lines up, it would also infer the pieces have been miter cut. This would require quite the setup in a metal shop.

Another supposition is the pieces could have been ordered to size and assembled there.

No doubt this took planning and effort. I've said this from the beginning. As for the materials, I can't say for sure.

Trouble with the thought of just rolling in with a jeep is the size. They appear to each be solid pieces, which would be at least 12 ft long.....I don't think a jeep with the required specs you posted could drive this to the site in pieces or whole.

Yeah, you actually could with a roof rack and the stuff strapped down to it. I'd be more worried about the materials banging up my rig on the way in than I would be worried about not being able to do it.

You're also looking at a fairly tough bit of dirt to get through with handheld tools to bury this thing. I can't imagine the hole would have been dug by hand. Also if there is cement involved you are looking at a few bags and the water needed to mix.

The bottom of that wash is all sand, and soft sand at that. The sagebrush in the pictures tells you this.

This had to take quite a few folks involved to get it done.

I would agree that it likely took more than one or two. No argument.

Ok, I have a theory.

Curiosity got the better of me and I did some IMDB searching because I'm of the idea, as are others here, that this thing has something to do with the film industry.

Well, I found a movie aptly called "Monolith". Before we shout glory, there is no actual monolith in the film. The term actually refers to the futuristic SUV depicted.

However, what almost convinces me is the fact the movie was done in 2015/2016 and...in Utah of all places.

These two elements plus the name of the movie lead me to deduce that the production team wanted to leave something physical to commemorate the film shoot. What better than a symbol to reflect the film title.

I know, the theory is weak, but it's better than melting Toblerone.

Monolith - IMDB

I haven't watched the movie, but it would be interesting to see if the locations look anything like the pictures throughout this thread. I know it's a remote, difficult to reach area, but the movie only has very few characters. With a minimal skeleton filming crew, they may have shot in that very location... perhaps flying in the crew and gear by helicopter.

a reply to: Encia22

Well, this very well could be. Utah actually has a thriving Indy movie industry.

From the picture it also appears it may be concave on the sides.....look at the base.



Something similar to this, though I can see the other sides.

So the map with the Mountain goat mean nothing? Directly North of the Mountain goat on the map IS the green River. The map that is shown doesn't even come near to showing the area YOU are talking about

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: tarifa37

I think I can now see why these rangers saw the object. If you look carefully there is a pretty well established game trail running east to west right along the top of the image. So that's probably where they were looking when they saw the object.

I also agree with your assessment of the vegetation being missing in the later photo. That 'vegetation' is sagebrush, and sagebrush is extremely difficult to remove. Removing just those few sagebrush bushes was probably more work than erecting the object itself! Sagebrush is some tough stuff!! Sagebrush also lives for hundreds of years. So that area was definitely cleared, else the sagebrush would still be there.

Ha could it be this thing killed the sage brush and it's just blown away over the last few years. Same way copper nail in the soil can kill weeds nearby. Some kind of alien weed killing device. Or more likely they wanted the place to look like a Japanese garden all neat and tidy.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

I think what you'll find is it is actually flat. What you're seeing is dirt mounded up on the front side, and the reason for this is water drained off the rocks above through the crevice behind the object. The direction of drainage is towards the camera (the whole area drains to the south), the camera is pointing NW. So, as the water drained by the object it created an eddy behind it were dirt piled up.

2020 called...they said leave it alone.

This is exactly why I first started coming to ATS so long ago.