Last updated on March 6, 2009
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Here is a teaser image from when Jeff and I went to the Nike Missile Site in Golden Gate National Recreation Area today. This site, formerly SF-88, is probably the best preserved, best restored Nike site in the country. While there we were shown the inside of two of the command and control vans, were able to go down in the magazine, ride on the elevator holding a missile, and generally wander around.
While riding the elevator down into the magazine we were told that we had to “keep a hand on the missile”, which felt very strange. I presume it’s an effective way to ensure that one doesn’t get caught in what is a gigantic pinch point, but I felt strange touching a museum piece, much less a former nuclear missile. Here is a video that Jeff took of the missile elevator in action from inside the magazine.. We both have more videos and photos than this, but they haven’t been uploaded yet.
After visiting the launch site and being shown around the vans, we started hiking up towards the IFC (Integrated Fire Control) area, which was located on one of the higher peaks overlooking the launchers. It turns out that we took the not-quite-right trails, ending up on one peak over from the IFC, about 500′ away. We could have made it over there by winding our way up steep hills and through brush, but as there were clouds beginning to envelop the mountain tops, sun getting lower, us having no extra water, and no visible hole in the fence on the side of the were facing we headed back down to the car.
Thus far this has been a great trip. Visiting friends, meeting new people, eating lots of good food, and just generally having a relaxing, nice time. Not to mention the weather… It’s like Michigan in May.