I adjusted the angle of the light and it caught something reflective as Andy hauled himself across the untensioned highline back to the access tunnel. The smell of rust and the reverberating echoes of friends rigging the line filtered through my concentrating mind as I adjusted exposure settings on the camera. What a wild place!

The steel launch doors high above were painted red with sheets of rusted metal peeling off. Andrew sat on a stairway to nowhere surveying the operation; his shadow powerfully projected on the ceiling. Although no protection was set for the ascent A rope hung nearby for rappelling back down to the tunnel. The multitude of pipes, bolts, conduit, and miscellaneous hardware provided plenty of bomber hand and foot holds for easy ascent.

34′ below the highline the water reflected the blackness of above giving the launch tube an eerie bottomless appearance. It was impossible to say just how deep the water was, but probably over 50′ of rust, chemicals, and stagnant liquid. A fall from the walls of the tube or the line itself probably wouldn’t result in immediate death, but the thought of touching the toxic vat of liquid was quite unpleasant.

Friend after friend sent the 1st ever underground highline as I climbed around exploring and getting shots from various angles. The focused calm shown while on the line was inspiring. I tied in, and moved out on the line, sat for a moment, took a long slow breath, and then stood up. Wham! The unnatural energy of the place sucker-punched my balance, and put my concentration in a choke hold. I whipped under the line, caught by my harness, but loosing my hat to the blackness below. A couple more tries, each one accompanied by a fall, left me pensive, and bowled over by the freight train in my chest. I moved back to the solid ground, an edge found, a limit tested. No send today.

The explosion rocked the complex, reverberating through each of us with a shocking deep roar, a taste of what this place would have been like during a missile launch. Nice work friend, a bit of simple chemistry and preparation threw a whole new level of excitement in amongst an already pivotal mission. Passing the double 4” thick steel blast doors, was yet another reminder of the power that was once held underground here.

We made our way back above ground greeted by the hum of high voltage lines, a just-past-full moon, and a breeze of warm Colorado air. It was quite a different trip then the last exploration Buried Blackness and yet again amazing, exciting, full of good people, and adventuring. Thanks to all who made it great, the best sleepless adventure I’ve had in awhile.