What happens if you cross the border at Area 51

I wanna know why the security force is driving trucks marked "Sheriff" isn't it a military base?

Originally posted by Sforscott
I wanna know why the security force is driving trucks marked "Sheriff" isn't it a military base?

The routine is the cammo dudes stop and detain you, call the sheriff, who then comes out and arrests/detains/writes you a big ticket. Assuming it is a minor border crossing. Not sure what the routine would be if you managed to infiltrate the base quite a ways.... FBI involvement?

I can provide some further insight on what happens. I'm fairly new as a poster to these threads but I have read the sticky posts for this section. I understand there will be a lot of "proof" requested. I'm prepared to answer any challenges on how I know what I know to the best of my abilities.

My father worked there starting in 1985. At the time I was 15 years old and knew nothing of Area 51 other than it was a secure installation north of Las Vegas - where we would be living. My father has since passed (1997) but he had passed along a few funny stories regarding his job.

Mind you, this was 1985-1991 technology that I'm relaying here.

First and foremost they knew if anyone was on the land even without being seen by patrol. Patrol, at that time, was really a matter of staging a visible presence that helped deter curiousity seekers. Not that they were mere props. They were fully armed and absolutely would not hesitate to shoot someone.

He once stated, "the moment you encroached past a few feet of posted borders, we knew how much you weighed, how fast you were moving, and if you had a fever." There are ground sensors everywhere. He said there was no way they didn't know who was on or near their base whether it was on land, in the air, or even underground.

And because ground patrol wasn't omni-present there were always a couple of people that would make it pretty far. Only with the exceptional "a-hole", he would say, it was normally a matter of getting cuffed and driven off property to the waiting arms of a sheriff's deputy. The ones who put up a fight or anger them would get "detained" for a day or more for a little questioning.

He also said they knew if you're taking pictures of video of the area. He said it didn't matter how good your telephoto lens was. Whatever you saw on the exterior wasn't anything secretive anyways. It was standard military base structures for the most part. At least on the outside.

And just so you know, I don't know what my dad did on the base. Prior to his stint there he was in the Marine Corps CID with a specialty in interrogation. I know of things he did there but to this day I have no idea what his title was.

probally get shot

I actually camped out there in ~ Dec 2001...it was definitely Dec the desert is very cold at night in the winter.
At that time, it was said that Wed nights were the best for viewing any new or "alien" technology...however my friend & I didn't know that when we went on a Friday...we did know to NOT cross the Border & that there was NO official fence & if you made it to the Guard Shack, you already crossed....we also knew about photos of car tags
40 miles or so out, camo dudes, Janet buses, & DO NOT wonder around since there are not any boundary markings. If you crossed the boundary, you would be detained for 24 hrs, strip searched, car impound, arrested, & have HUGE fines ( Whatever arrest fines including State, County, Federal, & Military being imposed on yourself & your vehicle)! Also if you caused a problem the Black Hawk would come down low enough to pit your vehicle with gravel. Remember this was right after X-Files became such a hit talking about Area 51, Lil A lien Restaurant the GOV bought up more land....Anyway we did get to the sign with the threat of enforcement blah blah...I did not go beyond that point. We retreated in the SUV ~ 100 yrds & moved off the road ~ 50 yrds, parked & camped right there...as soon as we parked, yes Camo Dude was watching from the hill (white truck w/ binoculars), I pulled mine out to see him...we saw the "Janet" Buses leave with the Darkened windows & a few more Camo vehicles...at dusk the Black Hawk does a perimeter fly over, saw us & made a second pass...1st camo dude came down to leave as he was to far away since it was getting darker & another made their presence known & very close.
My buddy & I never wondered from our spot at all (Very Important) we set up camp, 2 sleeping bags, cooler of beer, & camp fire...we were under surveillance the WHOLE time, as it got dark 2nd camo disappeared...then 2 to 3 hrs after dark it was like being in a photo shoot, because we were flashed with high density bulbs & you could her the " Tosh" sound or whatever you call it...super bright, only once, then 3 to 4 hrs again from a different side, then same thing...as the sun began to rise the Black Hawk made it's perimeter rounds...we packed up & went to Rachel to the Famous Lil Alien Restaurant & Souvenir joint to have breakfast & head back to LA. So a very exciting night, got photos of the ET Hwy sign, Black Mailbox, the severe warning sign, & Black Hawk made 2 passes on the 1st night night ( was on their path, then circled to pass right above us for a great photo)...Whole picture...Wed Night would have been better but we didn't know that at the time...we were there Friday & all the scientist & etc go home...Unfortunately with Wed being the "Hot Nite" we did not see anything unworldly, but was a great adventure to say the least...due to the fact that
I listened to the warnings from my friends about crossing the line, don't mess with them & they won't mess with you...
Sorry I cannot remember exactly, but I think that's when the GOV bought up area to White Sides Mtn due to all the "X-Files" exposure in their show & that point is 26 miles (?) away & an extreme hike w/o equipment so limiting photographs...
Anyway that was then & there at my moment...I wish I could post my photos, but cannot at this time due to my personal belonging's being in 2 different locations.

Ektar

Originally posted by Ektar
I actually camped out there in ~ Dec 2001...it was definitely Dec the desert is very cold at night in the winter...
...snip...
Ektar

Thanks for that! I have camped out in the area about 10 times now, but never close to the border. It is known, as you found out, that they will harass you all night long if you do so. I normally camp out at Coyote Summit, or even right at the Black Mailbox. A word of warning - unless you like to freeze, don't camp earlier than May, or later than October. It gets damn cold there, and yes, it does snow in the Nevada desert.

I don't believe the Blackhawk makes "perimeter rounds". I believe they only fly if there is any perceived threat i.e. you camping close to the border, that the cammo dudes might not be able to monitor. I am fairly certain the Blackhawk has infrared, and they were making sure no one snuck across the border under darkness.

There is little point in parking close to the border, unless you WANT to be harassed. You won't see anything that you wouldn't see farther away. In fact, they might even suspend flights if they have to start flying Blackhawks around...

Also - you have a lot more chance of seeing jets flying out of Nellis AFB doing training missions in the area, than something flying out of Area 51. HOWEVER - they don't normally fly weekends. So if you go on a weekend, you will likely see absolutely nothing in the skys.

To answer the question you will obviously be detained and removed off the site, you will then be taken to the local police station and more than likely issued with a fine - this is public knowledge but if you have any common sense you wouldn't get too close to the border. If you get 'too far' past the signs your more than likely to get dealt with more severely, especially if you start driving or walking erratically and behaving in a way which may be deemed as 'threatening'.

Scanning through the posts in this thread I noticed a poster mention about a few thousand people possibly walking towards the base and crossing the boundary's. I must say that it would be interesting to see and I would suspect through the internet and media you would be able to get hundreds of thousands of people to walk towards the base. I would be my life that the security services wouldn't do anything - they aren't exactly going to slaughter thousands of people or for that matter fine all of them.

I just finished editing a new video, footage I recorded in October of 2010. Cammo dudes don't like dirt bikes it seems.

www.youtube.com...

reply to post by FosterVS


I'm not ruling out the Pave Hawk, but I suspect with that tall camera towers they put in a few years ago (both front and back gate), they may fly less. The dudes make their rounds on the ET Highway once in a while, basically to see who is parked by the road.

The front gate tower is a bit hard to spot. On google earth, it is at
37°20'38.74"N 115°39'24.70"W

Nellis planes have to avoid "the box" so they are easy to spot entering the range. Towards the north, they enter no further south than the gap to the north of Bald Mountain. It is the same gap where the security chopper used to exit to check on the "intruders." If you have been to Bald Mountain, you know the spot. The Nellis planes towards the south generally go behind Tikaboo. Thunderbird Lake most or less.

For planes they don't care about, the Groom will fly them in the daytime. But they don't do this often. The SU-27 I photographed is a prime example. They probably wanted it know that the plane was being dynamically RCSd by N105TB.

reply to post by FosterVS


Did you have a wireless microphone when you did the video by the front gate signs? The audio sounded very good.

You may want to be around on May 18th. That is the day we expect MAFEX to be held. I'll upload the trail to the viewing location in a day or two. It is a bit hairy in a SUV. Some of the rocky areas remind me of the tire shreader roads of Death Valley. Bring a chair. Lots of waiting for MAFEX. We don't get much of a schedule, and most of the planes arrive from their home bases so there is no LFE leaving Nellis to be NOTAMd.

I'm also updating my frequency list, though the changes are more related to China Lake and Ft. Irwin than Nellis.

Regarding the dirt bike, it presents a problem for the sensors. The sensors are set up to monitor the road. If you look at the installation guide for EMIDs, they generally straddle intersections on all four points. This way they can tell your direction. But a dirt bike may not have enough metal to trigger the magnetometer. And if you go off road, you can easily avoid the sensors. It is not like they have a grid of sensors at the border. Thus a dirt bike has a really high "piss them off" factor.

The dudes have ATVs. I suspect if you keep up the dirt bike excursions, they will break out the quads.

Originally posted by gdaub23
has anyone actually ever heard of anyone crossing the imaginary line? i know i havent...i personnaly think that they have instilled enough fear that nobody would actually be stupid enough to actually do it..so honestly i dont think they would actually shoot someone if they were crazy enough to do it because whoever it was family and others would end up bombarding the base in protest...they may arrest but not kill...just my opinion

I remember the night Art Bell had a guy on his show flying his Cesna over area 51. From how the call ended, it sounded like he got shot out of the air by an F-15.

Originally posted by gariac
reply to post by FosterVS

 

Did you have a wireless microphone when you did the video by the front gate signs? The audio sounded very good.

No, just the microphone in my digital camera set to video. I had to amplify it about 500% just to hear it. One of these days I will get some good equipment for these forays, I end up using the cheapest crap. All I can afford - I need to find a sponsor.

You may want to be around on May 18th. That is the day we expect MAFEX to be held. I'll upload the trail to the viewing location in a day or two. It is a bit hairy in a SUV. Some of the rocky areas remind me of the tire shreader roads of Death Valley. Bring a chair. Lots of waiting for MAFEX. We don't get much of a schedule, and most of the planes arrive from their home bases so there is no LFE leaving Nellis to be NOTAMd.

That's over by Cedar Gate, right, Watertown Strip or whatever it's referred as? Since my Durango got written off due to a stupid deer that decided to doubleback across the highway in front of me, I will be driving a Dodge minivan. Not exactly an SUV, but enough to get down to Cedar Gate.

Regarding the dirt bike, it presents a problem for the sensors. The sensors are set up to monitor the road. If you look at the installation guide for EMIDs, they generally straddle intersections on all four points. This way they can tell your direction. But a dirt bike may not have enough metal to trigger the magnetometer. And if you go off road, you can easily avoid the sensors. It is not like they have a grid of sensors at the border. Thus a dirt bike has a really high "piss them off" factor.

The dudes have ATVs. I suspect if you keep up the dirt bike excursions, they will break out the quads.

I had a feeling about that, when I checked out a crossing near the Rachel Gate, and they never showed up until I was all the way back out. They didn't look too happy.... regardless, if they want to go quadding, and I stay on public land, they can S.M.B.'s

reply to post by FosterVS


Yes to Cedar Gate. Watertown is Groom Lake. The real Watertown was where one of the EG&G founders was born. The name crops up in Groom Lake folklore.

EG&G Watertown

reply to post by FosterVS


Thanks for the upload. Found it very exciting when you started off on the bike!
Can I just ask a reeeeeally stupid question? What is that behind your head at 3:20 the second you say "ooof!"?
Ha ha! I'm no camera expert so it's probably the sun, right?

Originally posted by Goosegash
reply to post by FosterVS

 

Thanks for the upload. Found it very exciting when you started off on the bike!
Can I just ask a reeeeeally stupid question? What is that behind your head at 3:20 the second you say "ooof!"?
Ha ha! I'm no camera expert so it's probably the sun, right?

ARGGGG! A UFO! AND I DIDN"T EVEN SEE IT!!!

Nah... that's what happens when I point my $30 helmet cam at the sun.

Thanks for the incredible answers! I may never be able to come visit this place in the desert, but videos from users like Foster are really the reason why I'm here on ATS so thanks for this! I wonder what kind of sensors they may hide in the desert, I heard of "sweat" sensors? What are the antennas standing randomly on the property all about anyway?

Do you think they have/ would use S.A.M.s if one flies over Area51? Do ya'll think they even got spring guns (like this one gerald-mann.com... ) in the desert?

reply to post by formidablefoe


Thanks for sharing that bit of insight! Always glad to hear something new

Ah by the way... Just search for thing in your father's belongings, you may find some interesting stuff/ pieces of information? Or ask your mum if she can remember more details about his work and/ or insight information like if A51 consists of several underground levels (most likely, but how deep?)..

reply to post by Dalbeck


The sweat sensors supposedly sniff for ammonia. It is the same as the infamous Viet Nam era "people sniffer."

people sniffer.

I have the EMIDs manuals and never found any reference to such an accessory.

sensors

How good is Qual-Tron gear? Well, it is used to guard the US-Mexican border. Need I say more?

reply to post by gariac


Thanks for the links !

As for the S.A.M.s and other automatic weapons, do you think they have them at Area51?

Originally posted by gariac
How good is Qual-Tron gear? Well, it is used to guard the US-Mexican border. Need I say more?

That line kind of made me smile... was that sarcasm, or a testament to how good the equipment is?

I found pictures of the sensor unit that Chuck Clark dug up near Area 51:
www.dreamlandresort.com...

The sensor, from the markings on it, is a magnetic sensor. According to the following document, "The Magnetic Sensor detects the passage of any magnetic object by sensing the disturbance in the surrounding magnetic field."
www.cs.virginia.edu...