Yossarian Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 Numerous theories have surfaced concerning the purpose of the tunnel drilled into the lower town wall. Is it the UW's "G-13" grow lab? A sanctuary for bolt-chopping gnomes? Or merely a pathway into the center of the Earth. The mystery will be unvieled this weekend with a case of Hefe, and a large sledge hammer. Or, an insider could break silence, confidence will be assured. The truth is out there... Quote
Guest Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 Preparation and testing hardware for drilling the tunnel under the English Channel. Quote
scott Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 it is the uw's seismology lab. i walked in there once when the door was open. there is a full sized trailer home in there, there was a guy with headphones on who was looking at some wavy lines on graph paper. Quote
DPS Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 The UW is conducting gravity research using the mass of the cliff as the gravity source. They test the relative speed of beryllium and magnesium in free fall. And that is the real story. [This message has been edited by danielpatricksmith (edited 07-05-2001).] Quote
willstrickland Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 Beacon has the same mystery tunnels on the south face. Mass graves for rap bolters? Quote
Yossarian Posted July 5, 2001 Author Posted July 5, 2001 I don't see how it could be a seismology lab as the trains would disrupt all readings. The gravity idea seems plausable. The Sky Valley book says they were looking for the "5th force." Quote
specialed Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 I just though it was a remnant from the old days of the quarry. Where they used to store equipment and shit. But all the other ideas are a hell of a lot more interesting. Quote
Guest Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 What is Index and the tunnel? Is this a caving topic? Quote
Peter_Puget Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 The Index guide is correct the tunnel was originally used to test tunneling equipment check out this site: Robbinstbm.com. The UW began to use the site after Robbins cleared out. Before the access road to the tunnel was graded the whole area in front of the wall was a swampy mess much of the year. Quote
erik Posted July 5, 2001 Posted July 5, 2001 uw is going to miving their experiment over near hanford. iwas talking to bro awhile back and he showed me the whole set up.... the conversation went like this..... uw...blah....blah....................................................................................................gravity........................................................ ...........radiation........................................5th phd...........................................................boeing...............................................blah...blah...............hanford..................neutrino...... ..............have a nice day. all the blanks was homeboy getting excited and explaining the whole process. i finally got that blank stare that my girlfriend gives me when i talk about lcimbing....hmmmm  Quote
slaphappy Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 I made the mistake of asking a worker/scientist who was eating his lunch out in front of the tunnel a few years ago, and I heard the same thing Erik heard for way longer than I cared too. I'm sure I had the "deer in the headlight look" going on! Quote
pope Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 The tunnel? Could be just about anything, couldn't it? Miles Mellough knew what it was all about...he offered to tell, but his price was too high. He was hinting around 'bout some kind of germ formula that a guy named Wormwood lost his life tring to conceal. I couldn't see where he was going with this, but he also mentioned some guy named Freitag, some guy whose family made bugspray. That's right, Freitag..makes noise like a leader. Got a lot of money but doesn't like to talk about it. Ist das kein Moglichkeit, dass Karl fur die Ubermensch im Indexischen Bergloch arbeitet? A more likely theory is that the Kennedy estate, in appreciation for Brother Jim's historic Everest climb, and as a caution against further attempts by Castro at embarassing our great nation's elite families, is preparing a final resting place for Lou's unit. Think about it...where are they going to put that thing? [This message has been edited by pope (edited 07-05-2001).] Quote
forrest_m Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 The fifth force experiments were trying to determine if there was a force acting contrary to gravity, so they were dropping spheres of equal size but different mass and seeing if it made a difference that they were doing it in the presence of such a large, dense mass (the granite - that's why they were in the cave in the first place). Kind of like Galileo in reverse. I always imagined that if you went wandering into that tunnel, sooner or later you'ld fall down a vertical shaft and there you'ld lie, forgotten for 10 million years... Quote
Guest Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 Where is this tunnel? Is there a lot of good sport climbing at Index? Quote
Guest Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 If doors are gone could be a good bouldering cave... Quote
specialed Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 Tons of sport climbing Officespace, you should go out there and get on one called Slow Children, its only 10d. Quote
Guest Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 Where can I get a guidebook and directions? I am new to the area. Quote
Peter_Puget Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 REI and Marmot have guidebooks. Its out off hwy 2 halfway between Stevens Pass and Monroe Quote
specialed Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 OS - There are sport climbs at Index, but its mostly a traditional area. There's beautiful granite cracks and stiff ratings. If that's not your thing, you might want to check out Exit 38 and some other areas around Mt. Si for bolted sport climbing. Smoot's Falcon Press Washington Rock Guide is a good intro to various climbing areas in western Washington and the rest of the state. Quote
Yossarian Posted July 6, 2001 Author Posted July 6, 2001 Index meets the requirements for a great climbing area: free camping and free beta (entire guidebook is available online). Quote
Peter_Puget Posted July 6, 2001 Posted July 6, 2001 Yossarian is right Index is a great area - maybe the best in WA. But...the camping sucks in the imediate area. Quote
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