Trip Report -- Sunday, 18 February 2001 by Tom Page
On this date, I visited the site of the former U.S. Air Force “Thomas Gap-Filler Radar Annex” near Thomas, West Virginia. [Originally, the Thomas GFA had been designated site P-55F / Z-55F, an annex of Manassas AFS, VA. Reportedly, circa 1963, the site was redesignated RP-62G / Z-62G, becoming an annex of Oakdale, PA.] The aerial photo imagery and the topo maps available on-line from the “TerraServer” web site indicated that this former radar installation was still extant, located on top of Backbone Mountain (elevation 3662` msl), about 4 or 5 miles west of Thomas, WV.
Finding the site from the ground was somewhat difficult. However, thanks to the “TerraServer” aerial photo image, I was able to recognize the access road as soon as I spotted it. The access road is directly off US Rte 219, directly opposite a scenic overlook, exactly 4.7 statute miles west of Thomas, as measured by my car’s odometer from where US Rte 219 South crosses the Blackwater River. I was able to drive about halfway up the access road before encountering a locked bar gate. There was a sign on a tree off to the side that said “Private Property -- No Hunting,” but there was no “No Trespassing” sign. So, I proceeded to go the rest rest of the way up on foot. Fortunately, the mountain top is only about a hundred yards or so further up the access road, which is comprised of firmly-packed black gravel.
As soon as I approached the summit level, I could see the old L-shaped gap-filler radar equipment building -- still standing and appearing structurally sound. The building’s cinder blocks and wood trim looked as if they had been painted at one time, but virtually all paint had worn off now. The GFA site was still enclosed by a rusty chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, but the front gate was wide open. I walked around the building inside the compound, being careful where I stepped. There was various debris on the ground, covered by a thin layer of snow. All doors to the derelict GFA building were gone. Inside the radar-equipment building, there were boxes stacked more than halfway to the ceiling. It did not appear safe to enter, so I didn’t. The diesel room was also full of debris.
At the northeast end of the building were the three concrete footings (foundations) for the radar tower. There was no trace of the tower itself or of the radar sail. However, the three footings were all in excellent shape. Each one had six (6) long bolts and six (6) short bolts protruding from the square concrete block. Each blocked leaned toward a common center, no doubt designed that way for tower stability.
A mound of earth at the south corner of the compound (about 15 feet from the diesel room, and southeast of the gate) appeared to be a buried fuel tank. A few pipes protruded from the mound. Outside the compound to the southwest were a water tank and a radio tower; both were relatively modern-looking.
Where there were breaks in the trees, the views were terrific (on this particular day, the weather was extremely clear, and visibility was limitless). This ex-radar site is not very far north of West Virginia’s Canaan Valley, a popular ski resort area famous for its scenery. Blackwater Falls State Park is also nearby, just south of Davis, a town just east of Thomas.