Rainier Mesa

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title: "Rainier Mesa" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["nevada-test-site"] topic_path: "general/nevada-test-site" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainier_Mesa" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/NTS_-_Aerial_view_of_Rainier_Mesa.jpg" caption="Aerial view of Rainier Mesa"] ::

Rainier Mesa is one of four major nuclear test regions within the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). It occupies approximately 40 sqmi along the northern edge of the NNSS and corresponds to Area 12.

The Rainier Mesa area consists of both Rainier Mesa proper and the contiguous Aqueduct Mesa.

At 7680 ft, the top of Rainier Mesa is the highest elevation within the NNSS.

Nuclear testing

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/NTS_Area_12.png" caption="Area 12 within the [[Nevada National Security Site"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/NTS_-_Underground_Testing_014.jpg" caption="Test Chamber for [[Operation Toggle]] ''Diamond Sculls'', inside Rainier Mesa."] ::

Area 12 held 61 nuclear tests between 1957 and 1992, one of which involved two detonations. All tests were conducted below Rainier and Aqueduct mesas.

Area 12 was the primary location for tunnel tests and used almost exclusively for that purpose. The tunnel complexes mined into Rainier and Aqueduct Mesa include the B-, C-, D-, E-, F-, G-, I-, J-, K-, N-, P-, and T-tunnel complexes, and Q- and R- shafts.

There has been some concern that Rainier Mesa is exhibiting signs of tired mountain syndrome, due to the number of nuclear detonations that have occurred at the site.

Current activities

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/NTS_-_Area_12_camp.jpg" caption="A 600-bed camp in Area 12 served as temporary housing to Mesa-region workers."] ::

The Area 12 Camp was renovated and upgraded and provides a secure base camp for military units and other government agencies for conducting counter-terrorism and other exercises in the northern region of the NNSS. It provides an urban terrain setting utilizing existing commercial, residential, and industrial buildings. The camp includes 200 dormitory rooms, a cafeteria, weapons and munitions storage, and numerous operations and support buildings. The Office of Secure Transportation uses it as a training facility.

Notes

References

References

  1. (October 1989). "The Containment of Underground Nuclear Explosions". U.S. Congress, [[Office of Technology Assessment]].
  2. Knapp, George. (2008-11-07). "I-Team: The Road Warriors, Part 2".
  3. U.S. Department of Energy / Nevada Operations Office, ''United States Nuclear Tests - July 1945 through September 1992'', December 2000, [http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/publications/historical/DOENV_209_REV15.pdf DOE/NV-209 Rev 15] {{webarchive. link. (2006-10-12)
  4. National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office, ''Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement Nevada'', ch.2, July 2011, [http://nnsa.energy.gov/sites/default/files/nv_sweis/environmentalimpact/v1b1/Chapter%2002.pdf DOE/EIS-246-D] {{Webarchive. link. (2011-10-18)
  5. U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office. (December 2004). "Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 99: Rainier Mesa/Shoshone Mountain, Nevada Test Site, Nevada".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

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