ELF

I lead the hiking group this morning in the misting rain.  We walked a paved forest road in the national park system.  It is the only paved forest road in the United States.  This 3 mile road leads to the former Naval Facility that used Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) to communicate with submarines running at full speed deep under the polar ice cap.  It was in operation from 1985 to 2002.  In fact only one building with no windows and one door remains.  Currently it is used for storage by the National Park Service. Check out ELF Line, Clam Lake, WI on google.  Also, the next time you watch the movie, The Hunt for Red October, it mentions waiting for communication from this facility.

In this group of 22 walkers today, three had a connection to this ELF facility.  One woman lived her entire adult life here.  When the Navy moved in, they asked for volunteers to be given a 2 day physical every year to monitor if the large antenna caused any health problems.  She volunteered for 5 years - no health problems.  A second woman was in the Navy in communications and was familiar this facility.  A third woman had a husband who was an engineer with a Chicago company that worked on part of the facility design.

For lunch we stopped in downtown Clam Lake (unincorporated) at the Elkhorn Restaurant.  I had made arrangements ahead of time for them to set up tables and lay out a taco bar.   Sign on the front door:  Concealed weapons are not allowed. 

Fun in the Northwoods!