Raven Rock Mountain Complex - Site R Tour

As part of the Obama Administration's ongoing efforts to promote openness and transparency at all levels of government, the Raven Rock Mountain Complex is proud to open up its top secret defense facility for public tours. Because of the remote location and security requirements of this underground facility, tours are being offered only through the White House's Weekend at Camp David program.

Tour Description

Tour guests will arrive via the six and a half mile tunnel between Camp David and Site R. Guests will proceed to the Security Building, where they will be finger-printed, photographed, and searched.

Staff from the Fire & Emergency Services will conduct a briefing on the fire evacuation plan and the use of the emergency escape masks. While an evacuation is highly unlikely, the safety briefing is required for all Site R visitors. Flashlights will be issued to all guests in the unlikely event the entire facility is suddenly plunged into complete darkness.

The tour will begin outside the facility. Guests will be driven to the top of Raven Rock Mountain to view the massive antennas and communication equipment that link Site R to the Pentagon and to military facilities around the world.

After a demonstration of the rotating antenna system, you will climb to the top of the antenna tower for an outstanding view of the Pennsylvania countryside. Then it's back to the Security Building to the pedestrian adit and a very very long elevator ride. You will then proceed to the inner tunnel to continue your tour.

A supervisor from the Power Support Division will then take you on a tour of our recently rebuilt primary
Class A West Power Plant. Our miners have been busy expanding the underground cavern to accommodate the significantly larger fuel storage tanks.

You will see the new generators in action and learn how the chillers, pumps, air handling units, heat exchanger, boiler, and sprinkler suppression system works.

You'll hear the story about the 1990 explosion; what caused it and what's being done to prevent it from happening again.

The tour continues to the main command center for Site R where you will have the opportunity to see the exciting day-to-day activities up close.

The RRMC serves as a National Military Command Center (NMCC) and the Alternate Joint Communications Center (AJCC) for the Pentagon. As such, all communication links between the Pentagon and military installations throughout the world are replicated here at Site R.

Members of the 114th Signal Battalion will accompany you on this part of the tour to answer questions. Tour guests are requested to refrain from touching any of the electronic equipment, especially any red buttons.

The next stop on the tour is the Ventilation System Control Room. The Raven Rock facility is located deep inside a mountain and requires a sophisticated ventilation system to continuously control and monitor the air quality.

The central filtration system draws in unfiltered air from outside through numerous strategically dispersed intake vents. The air passes through a bank of 12 filters certified for the collection of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC or CBRN) toxins.

Staff from the RRMC Life Support Division will be available to answer questions about our blast protection systems and electromagnetic pulse filters.

Guests will proceed to the enormous deep freshwater reservoir to climb a steel ladder up to a catwalk over the illuminated greenish-blue water that stretches far into a dark cavern. You will also be briefed on the pumps, compressors, and the steam system used to generate hot water for the facility.

Finally, you will head over to view a demonstration of the bomb blast doors at the the main personnel entrance. The entire installation is sealed off by these 30-ton bomb blast doors, 3 feet thick, that can be hydraulically closed in less than a minute.

The tour ends with a quick stop at the Granite Cove dining facility located in the Alpha corridor.   Deli fresh sandwiches, hot food, rotisserie chicken, fruit, snacks, desserts, and beverages are available for purchase.

Enjoy the view outside the fake windows while waiting for Installation Commander Jeff to stop by and answer any remaining questions you may have about RRMC, our 700+ employees, and our important mission supporting the Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan for the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff.

Following the 20 minute snack break and restroom stop, you will head back to the Pavilion to be escorted back to the Camp David Tunnel entrance for your return trip to Camp David. View the tour map.

DISCLAIMER: This tour takes place in a deep underground hardened command and control facility, with no daylight and with breathing air subject to the successful operation of aging mechanical air intake devices. IT INVOLVES EXPOSURE TO A VARIETY OF MACHINE AND EQUIPMENT OPERATIONS, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, FUMES CREATED BY DIESEL ENGINES AS WELL AS OTHER INDUSTRIAL IRRITANTS SUCH AS DUST, HIGH NOISE LEVELS, AND TEMPERATURE EXTREMES. The rock located within the facility contains Actinolite, which is a naturally occurring form of ASBESTOS, and may potentially pose a health hazard.

Furthermore, you will be required to climb stairs and walk concrete roadways up to a mile in length up and down hills. Because of the great likelihood of a major smoke event and total darkness should a fire break out during a tour, participants must maintain a flashlight and also be issued and trained to use an emergency escape breathing apparatus. Emergency escape will require a long walk while under considerable duress.

Tour guests may be required to stay for longer than duration of the tour for up to multiple days due to "slam door and button up" emergency lock downs. Tours may be shortened or cancelled in response to an increased readiness posture or an elevation in the DEFCON or COGCON level. The Raven Rock Mountain Complex periodically runs drills for emergency operations. During these drills when the facility is operating under Blue Light and Iron Gate procedures, tours will be suspended until the standard access procedures resume.

 

RAVEN ROCK SITE R TOUR SOUVENIRS

Tour guests will have their choice of receiving either an official RRMC coin or t-shirt as a souvenir of their visit.

 

RAVEN ROCK SOUVENIR COIN

Bronze challenge coin with raised painted design on both sides.

Front: Official Site R logo with inscription: Alternate Joint Communications Center Site R.
Back: Eagle with inscription: Well Done! From the Headquarters Commandant.

 

 

 

RAVEN ROCK SOUVENIR T-SHIRT

Official Raven Rock t-shirt with the Site R logo and clever caption "Raven Rocks!" on the front and the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 114TH SIGNAL BATTALION on the back.   Note: This is the SAME stylish t-shirt that President Obama was recently spotted wearing while on vacation in Hawaii!

View photos from President Obama's recent tour of Site R.

     Return to the White House Weekend at Camp David page.