Almaden Radar Site - A Very Special Place

[iambeccasmurf]

wow. what a neat video. thanks for sharing. I grew up on the Southside but never knew what the cube was. And certainly never knew that people lived there. I hope that Mt. Umunhum doesn't become like the rest of the area: over-populated and over-developed!

[xrjockey]

What a great video. I live here in Almaden next to the lake, but grew up in Mtn. view. I have seen this structure my entire life. My mother stil` uses it to navigate the south valley. I hunted wild pidgeons on the mtn. for years and was always curious of the people living on the mtn. I was up there staring at monterey at 4:30 in the morning with my father the nite`we all lost Bobby Darin. I mis` them both.

[boxingoutsider1]

what a sad song.

[CrudeDude]

In the 60s we used to see the big antenna slowly rotating from highway17 on our way to Santa Cruz. it was very eerie to see that reminder that any minute we could see the blinding flash and the world would end in a nuclear war......in the meantime we partied "On the Beach"... Then we all became pot smokin' hippies ...and the rest is history.

[Marianvalkyrien]

Check out my Almaden lake park videos.

[trotp3]

It's amazing how many of these bases are up and down our coastlines. My father was stationed at one in Blaine WA, they all look so similar.

[sdhaddad]

I like to meet the author of this very interesting video.

Also, to put me in touch with veteran Ken Nystom please?

Tahnk you.

Dr. Sam Haddad

sdhaddad@onemain.com

[sdhaddad]

I think this is a very nice video.

Please cend me an e-mail to coimmunicate with you?

my e-mail is sdhaddad@onemain.com

[TheLespaulftw]

how do you get up to the base? I went up and we hit an power fence and it was really annoying. We hopped it but couldn't find the road. We are thinking about taking some old minibikes up there. Anyone have some answers?

[rearwheelslider]

Nice video. I hope to someday be able to go to the top. Its a sight I have seen, only from far away. Wish I could touch the big box on top of the hill.

[sjcausa1]

My Dad used to take me up there in the 60s and 70s on Armed Forces Day. Your photos bring back memories of those foregone days........

[GM1258]

My uncle was stationed Almaden AFS

back in the 60's.

My dad and I drove up there from so. calif.

to visit him on several occasions.

The boys in the radar room gave me

the nickel tour.

I spent a lot of time in the pool.

I remember the road up there was a white knuckle ride.

Enjoyed the video and thanx.

[SkateboardersJournal]

I was there as a teenager in the early 70's. It was my favorite base of all of the bases my dad was stationed. Not a week goes by that I don't think about Almaden Radar Site,

[ghr1964]

@SkateboardersJournal i was a kid...72-74 -dad was antonio reyes- have a bless daygil h reyes

[WeddingPhotographics]

@SkateboardersJournal I was there as an 8 year old in 1967. Yes, a very special place. My dad managed the two-lane bowling alley - Sgt Clayburn Wilson with security police. We lived in base housing looking down the valley at the lake. Enjoyed the dinosaur themed play ground. So many fond memories of that special place. Now I'm 52 years old living in Chattanooga Tennessee. I hope to return there to visit in the next couple of years.

[WillEReird]

@GM1258

My father was the caretaker of this base from 1986-1996, when he died unexpectedly. I grew up here, as a ghost-town. Grown over. Dilapitated. The best view of the ocean I could ever describe. I still live on Umunhum. On an old friend's property with the same view. Was here for the '89 quake. The tower is pretty well uninhabitable now, given the cracks all around and up it, the fissures surrounding it.. It was a beautiful place where my dad would watch the eagles nest...

[WillEReird]

@GM1258 This video brought tears to my young eyes, and I thank you for making it. -Joshua Saenger, resident, 1986-present

[neway20045]

Great job! It brought back some memories... I used to play up there was I was a kid. We lived on Lillian way (in the valley) next-door to the commanding officer (Colonel Peters) and his family of three boys and two girls. Wed go up there every once in a while and run aroundArmy brats is an under-statement 

Now that I do a lot of rode cycling I've always wondered why the park service doesn't open it up to hikers, Mtb riders, road cyclists, you know the people!

Jim Gillis

[rearwheelslider]

I agree! I would love to ride my dirtbike up on top of the hill. That would be a blast.

[callg01]

Awesome job. You even used some of my pictures from 1983. Brings back allot of memories... thanks! - Greg

[jpanighetti]

I want to commend you on such a lovely video of a site I've seen from a distance almost every day of my life. I've heard they want to change this into a park but they have been delayed due to asbestos on the property. I've never been up there but it intrigues me so much every time I see it. I work in Gilroy and live in Los Gatos.

[rearwheelslider]

This asbestos b-s is getting out of hand. The government is addidcted to protecting us from ourselves. We need to overcome the govt. They should put up a warning sign and let us roam free!

[MM962]

Beautiful video! I would love to be able to cycle all the way up to the top one day.

[dsnoman24]

I have always been intrigued by the mountain as well. Even though I have never been up there, it (the cube) was always a landmark for me. Every time I saw it, I new I was close to home. I must have been too young to remember it with the dish on top of the cube. Maybe one day I'll get to go up there.

[1O851]

4:10 to 4:25 pretty sweet pictures

[cupcake4o8]

AMAZING!! I couldn't even begin to tell you how intrigued I've been with this place, my whole life. I just recently found out what it was. Seeing these photos of when people still lived there is amazing. I can't believe something once so beautiful has been left for dead like that. I'd LOVE to go up there one day, it'd be an experience i'd never forget. If anyone knows who I could contact to talk about going up there legally, please let me know. Thanks. Great job on the video.

[grazio599]

this is a wonderful video of a place i knew as a child. does anyone recognize the sound track? if so, please leave me a message. many thanks. graz

[georgejimallen]

Love it! Great memories very touching Iam Jimmy Allen formerly Jimmy Blair, I was one of the life guards at the pool, Cleaned the NCO Barracks and had many other odd jobs while we lived on the mountain, my father was SSgt Craig Blair worked in mess hall and sometimes drove the blue buss to take us to school. Thank you for this video Well done!

[ghr1964]

@georgejimallen hi i lived there between 72/74 dad was antonio reyes me n my sister gil h reyes /judy reyes

[deweyparis]

Your video was beautifully & senstively done and it tore my heart out. Thank You!

I was stationed on Almaden AFS for 5 years, 1974-79. Those remain some of the most precious memories of my life. Two of my sons were born while I lived atop Mt. Umunhum. Their mother passed away last month.

I am returning to the mountain in October with my son for the 682nd Radar Squadron reunion, to revisit old memories, to share that part of our history with my son, and to commune with the ghosts of my past.

[ghr1964]

@deweyparis my dad was antonio reyes station there twice- last time was 72/74 then we moved to germany...have a bless day gil h reyes

[kalenapoi]

@ghr1964 HI I remember Sgt Reyes! I was stationed there 1974-1976 and was one of only two women in 1974 another arrived in 75 I believe. There are alot of stories I can tell, but it was a great place and I am sad to see it in this shape!

[kalenapoi]

@deweyparis dewey I remember you as well and many others. Capt. Gallachi . CO Aftos(?), my supervisor was MSGT Johnson. I was one of two women stationed there in 1974-1976. I am not sure how to post a comment on this but will do it this way. One story is that I was manning the switchboard one weekend and someone called to say that the tower was on fire!, but it was just the sun setting behind the tower! Reading the comments made me realize that people in the valley did care-THANKS everyone!

[kalenapoi]

I also want to know if anyone that visited the base, if the one barrack still had the muriel on the wall? I was the artist. Shows you there wasn't much to do up there. They used that room as one of the Sunday school classes after we moved to the valley.

[johncw1959]

Brought back memories for me when I lived there as an 8 year old. For a while my dad was the manager of the two lane bowling alley there. (Air Force Sgt Clayburn Wilson, Security Police). I loved playing on the dinosaur monkey bars and other things at the playground. Anyway, fond childhood memories of Almaden - including TV watching Capt Satelite, Fireball XL5 and the original Superman tv series. Thanks.

[brandage]

Wow, fascinating indeed. I grew up in the Sj area in the 70's and always remember looking up at that tower. I didn't know that people lived/were stationed there either. Thanks for posting.

[BarefootKaree]

Very fascinating!! I grew up in Almaden, and had no idea that people lived/were stationed there. This mountain is very special to me too, I now live on the opposite side in Capitola, and there is something about looking up at that tower... this video gave me chills, thanks for posting this.

[grazio599]

hi. great video! what is the name of the song, where is it from? thanks.

[mrgooseskin]

In comparison, my slideshow shows more of a darker side to the place, but I love this one as well.

[mrgooseskin]

nice job!