Untitled Document

Virtual tour of WMRS facilities, continued:

The main building at the Barcroft Station is a single 40x100' quonset-style structure. Built in 1952 and named for the first WMRS Director, Nello Pace, this structure houses staff, visitors, laboratory space, dining hall, kitchen, shop and other support functions. Visitors to Barcroft should check in the kitchen or staff office (just to the left after coming in the front entrance). The outbuildings are are all research structures assigned to specific projects or functions, including the animal facilities and the paired astrophysics quonset huts behind. The local area network (LAN) is in turn connected via high-frequency radio to the LAN and T-1 internet connection in Bishop, and there is an additonal backup satellite internet connection. (photo ©Paul Kennedy)

This photo shows the central station facilities. From left to right are the Pace Laboratory (main building), small animal facility, fuel tanks, astrophysics huts, and staff residence huts.

This is the main hallway. The kitchen-dining rooms are on the right, the staff office is on the left, two labs are down the hallway to the left, and a bathroom/dorm room is down to the right with more dorm rooms and bathrooms upstairs.

The dining hall has room for two tables and seats up to 12.

The kitchen is small but well-equipped.

There are three dormitory rooms, each sleeping 7-10.

The staff office is off the main hallway.

The east lab is also off the main hallway, to the east of the front entrance. Here it has been set up for physiology experiments.

In winter 2003-04 it was set up as an exercise room for staff.

The center "physiology" lab contains a sealed oxygen room where atmospheric gasses are controlled.

The flat area above and to the right of the station is the site of the Observatory Dome and a weather station.

Upstairs there is a library/pool room. To the rear is a computer connected to a "Starband" satellite modem, providing backup internet access for station users.

There is also an upstairs TV lounge with satellite cable service.

In winter the snow builds up near the station, sometimes to the rooftop (center right). Curiously, the winds scour out a passageway around most of the buildings (far right). Winds also keep the yard free of snow (left). Click on photo to enlarge. 4-29-05

Barcroft is powered electrically by a state of the art solar-battery-inverter system. This photo shows the solar panels covering the roof of the Pace lab. Click to enlarge photo.

The battery-inverter system. See White Mountain Energy Project (WMEP) web pages for more details.

This is an atmospheric aerosol sampler operated by faculty at UC San Diego and UC Davis.

An automated weather station has been operating at Barcroft for several years, and data are available on-line.

Barcroft houses its own herbarium collection in the east lab.

Barcroft Station has a functional workshop area as well as an equipment storage area and generator room.

The Barcroft well is located next to a small pond fed by natural springs. There is also a well located inside the station building itself.

Bighorn sheep are often seen on the slopes and flats between Barcroft and White Mt. Peak. (photo M Lokken 9-04)

OVL tour	Crooked Creek tour	Observatory tour	Summit lab tour
Barcroft History page	WMRS facilities list	WMRS History Page
"Virtual Reality" panoramas of Barcroft facilities and White Mountain summit
Virtual tour of WMRS facilities, continued:
The facilities (see facilities list for details) at Barcroft include the Nello Pace Laboratory, which is the main station building, several nearby outbuildings housing research projects, the observatory dome which is 1/2 mile to the north up on Barcroft Plateau, and the well and pond which provide water for the station. An aerial photo taken in 1999 shows these features. Five miles to the north, on White Mountain Peak, is the summit laboratory. The Barcroft History page has photos showing construction of the station. Other older photos may be seen on the WMRS History page. The lands to the north and east of the observatory, running all the way up to White Mountain Peak, are part of the designated McAfee Meadow Research Natural Area (see pdf file for details). Barcroft winter status Nov. 2, 2011: Drinking water 23,000 gallons outside, 8700 gallons inside. Jeep, honda generator, 5 gal. container full of treated gasoline. Trailer-mounted diesel generator mostly full of treated diesel fuel, 275 gal. treated diesel fuel in transfer tank. Generator and Jeep parked in energy lab. Propane tanks #6 through #1, 48%, 29%, 40%, 22%, 25%, 73% (approx 2300 gallons). North kitchen tank 0%, south tank 28%. Eight 2.5 gal. containers distilled water in battery box: batteries full 10/24/11. Solar charging system set to winter voltages: 57.6V "absorb bulk" and 53.6V "float". Running 480 watts continuous load. RIO monitor is remotely connected via Starband, as is weather station and some other instruments, Pace robocam is running as are astrophysics cams. A view of the Barcroft facilities from the south. The astronomy dome is clearly visible at the top, and the main Pace Laboratory building is center left. The Barcroft facilities are powered by distributed and renewable energy sources (see WMEP page for details; photo ©Paul Kennedy) The alpine fell fields surrounding the station are home to abundant populations of Marmots, Pikas, White-tailed Jackrabbits, and Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels. The most commonly seen predators are Golden Eagles and Coyotes. Click on photo to enlarge.
The main building at the Barcroft Station is a single 40x100' quonset-style structure. Built in 1952 and named for the first WMRS Director, Nello Pace, this structure houses staff, visitors, laboratory space, dining hall, kitchen, shop and other support functions. Visitors to Barcroft should check in the kitchen or staff office (just to the left after coming in the front entrance). The outbuildings are are all research structures assigned to specific projects or functions, including the animal facilities and the paired astrophysics quonset huts behind. The local area network (LAN) is in turn connected via high-frequency radio to the LAN and T-1 internet connection in Bishop, and there is an additonal backup satellite internet connection. (photo ©Paul Kennedy)