What is going on in the Sonoran Desert?

reply to post by Tylerdurden1


Yes, surprising no one has mentioned these yet. It's fairly obvious to me they are of some importance for someone to go through the trouble on laying arrows that can only be seen from the air.

Found the answer! its for directing Air Mail!

www.blm.gov...

If you go into the middle of Nevada (actually more north and slightly west of Groom Lake) and start zooming in on areas you can find a lot of weird stuff too!

If anyone knows what those clusters of green circles are, please let me know...

reply to post by lostgirl


These green circles?
Google Map

They are agricultural crops, irrigated using a rotating sprinkler system. Center pivot irrigation

allenfane

reply to post by allenfane


Thank you allenfane!! Not so mysterious after all...

....Except, (aside from the group shot you posted).....

...Why are there so many (relatively speaking) of these tiny little crop fields scattered so far apart (miles and miles apart!) from each other out in the middle of 'nowhere, Nevada' - places where you can't even see any roads that go to them?

Where are all those individual farmers? I mean, you can see miles of nothing in between some of these fields, no houses, no sheds, not even a random truck or harvester....Whose crops are they? What are they growing and who are they growing it for?

roncoallstar
I am really hoping some of you can explain what some of this stuff is, because I haven't a clue. Also please keep in mind that I am not in any way implying that all or any of this is connected with ETs or UFOs, in fact a lot of this stuff seems to be military,at least it SEEMS that way, I don't know, hopefully some of you do. That is not to say that there are a few intriguing things that made me think about a connection. Namely the mysterious mountains, and the weird bright light.

They are features on the Goldwater Range.

In descending order:
1) This mysterious mountain is not a mountain Notice the wash that flows through the "mountain". It's a target point. Notice the bomb craters. The arrows are all obviously pointing to the target point for live ordinance.

2) Star circles are simulated SAM sites. The star-of-David pattern started with the SA-2, but is still used occasionally. You'll see them at several training ranges because they are so prevalent.

3) Airport. Revetments containing either simulated aircraft or SAMs at each end.

4) Triangle -- It's a triangle target. Boring, I'm afraid. Sometimes something at the tips. Sometimes not.

5) Another airport. The conex boxes you tagged as a bombing range are just targets depicting various structures. But yes, it's all one big gunnery range. Target could be assigned as "second 'building' on the north side", or "two-story building in middle of town", etc Not here, but occasionally you'll find a site (airport, complex, entire town or part of one, etc) that mirrors a real-life site for training purposes on a range. They'll bulldoze it as soon as they're done, so you probably won't find one.

6) "No idea ..." Below your marker is a small simulated railyard. There are several tanks and APC around the rail yard and to the north of your marker are assorted structures and a hulked out AH-1.

7) Roman Numerals -- There are 9 separate air-ground ranges on BMGR (and 2 air-to-air). Four of these air-ground ranges are manned. At the tip of this diamond to the NW and the opposite corner (you've marked one "facility") is an observation tower where the range control officer directs traffic and assigns runs and keeps "score".

8) The concentric circles are a boring "bullseye" or Bomb/rocket circle. There are poles to the West to hang parachutes from for gunnery practice. You'd find a lot of expended ammo if you were on the ground (probably not too many bomb-fragments -- these days small concrete 'bombs' accurately simulate the ballistics of a real bomb. They sometimes have a small charge/smoke to aid score-keeping. There has been significant movement to electronic No-Drop Weapon Scoring systems as well).

9) This triangle is just the intersection of a couple of trails -- I don't think it's really a "feature".

10) Another triangle target.

11) The few triangles with one or more very wide legs were/are aux field a long time ago. You can see the scoured tarmac on some of them. There are four still maintained across the range.

12) "runways" are actually another type of SAM site layout.

13) "Plane" -- plain plane target

14) Another of the four manned ranges with accompanying features. Tower on range IV is on the East point of the triangle.

15) Old Aux field.

16) Manned range II

17) "Bombing range?" Might be yet another SAM site.

18) "Bright light" Good question. It's possible it is the reflection of the sun off something metallic. Or a curious bright light. Interesting.

19) That mountain IS a mountain (or hill really). And the only thing special about it is that it's been bombed repeatedly. As before the arrows point towards the area for live ordinance delivery.

20) Another simulated airfield, just as you called it.

21) Another hill that's seen its fair share of live ordinance. Complete with arrows.

22) More conex's simulating buildings.

23) More SAM sites. Star-of-David and a smaller roughly triangular one.

24) Looks like a bunch of stock ponds to me.

25) "Squares" May have been strafing targets at one time based on the lay out. You'll find similar features at each of the manned gunnery ranges. Not sure.

It's been many years since I visited BMGR, but I've been in a couple of those observations towers watching A-10's roll in on strafing runs and F-16's practice dive bombing.

reply to post by _Del_


Thank you for your very detailed analysis, it's good to hear this from someone with actual experience.

I agree with all of your analysis except for one. The mysterious mountain. While I do see the craters, this is most definitely a mound/mountain. Open Google Earth and get a view of the topography. It's clearly elevated. Not saying it means anything, just saying.

Thanks for the info.

reply to post by roncoallstar



There is almost certainly a hill there -- live ordinance points are generally hills to make them more easily identifiable. My point was just that the entire grey/discoloured area wasn't a "mountain" which I thought was what you had identified it as It's been awhile since I got the grand tour. If I visit BMGR area again, I'll take some pics from the ground. It's quite a memorable experience to see the A-10's roll in and hear that GAU-8.

reply to post by roncoallstar


Just a note... to the east, or 'right' of the furthermost tag in that direction, there appears to be a pair of old MiG-21s sitting in the desert dust...



What this has to do with the subject I cannot speak to but... they are there...

reply to post by roncoallstar


Yea some weird stuff lol. There is weird stuff all over the south west. Weird training sites and allot of weird markings just trying to show pilots which way to fly. Lol

There should be maintenance records for some of these sites. USAF took great records and maintained the bombing targets really well. There should be records, circa ww2.

Be willing to bet you find your answers that way.

The Bot

_Del_
reply to post by roncoallstar

 

There is almost certainly a hill there -- live ordinance points are generally hills to make them more easily identifiable. My point was just that the entire grey/discoloured area wasn't a "mountain" which I thought was what you had identified it as

It's been awhile since I got the grand tour. If I visit BMGR area again, I'll take some pics from the ground. It's quite a memorable experience to see the A-10's roll in and hear that GAU-8.

Yes that is awesome, they appear to be floating almost as they come in lol. Like they are gonna fall out of the sky and sometimes so low you could hit with rock. Something else kewl, have an a ten or apache roll in over you and be in a hot brass shower lol. It's crazy lol.

The Bot