exploring the campsite

Yesterday I noticed a flat area maybe 20ft below the eastern ledge. I didn’t see an obvious way down that didn’t look infested with rattlesnakes and/or a falling-trap. I walked around the edge a bit to see if there was another way down.

radio tower bases?

On the NE I noticed some 1’ x 1’ concrete footings that looked like they may have been for a radio tower. This spot overlooks Los Alamos so it would have been a good place for it. The concrete looks like it was from the 1930s, based on other degraded concrete I’ve seen from that period.

Nearby was a clay or terracotta piece that looks like it might have been an insulator or separator. And a piece of what appears to be asbestos sheet insulation, maybe 3/8in thick.

walking the flat area

Today before it got too warm I grabbed both trekking poles and headed toward the radio tower mount area; I’d seen a possible way down that might not involve injury or death. I left Muffin at the site since I didn’t think I could do it safely with her yanking on the leash at odd times.

There is a long-unused fire ring down there so I’m not the first to have this idea.

a pattern emerges

I’m going to put the pics here in order of the pattern, not in the order I noticed them. So you will figure it out quicker than I did

From north to south:

rounding the ledge; camper is on this ledge but set back about 10ft so you can’t see it:

heading west

I think what we are seeing here are scratches and wheel ruts on a much older trail up the mountain. The scratches might be explained by mule sledges dragging radio gear up here, but the ruts look like they were worn in over many years.