Photo: Alan Graham 1958

SQUALL LINE APPROACHING

Alan Graham was the Ansel Adams of Red Canyon. His photos of the landscape and camp are absolutely stunning. Here he captured a squall line moving from the south toward camp with its dark ominous cloud front. When these things hit, anything not tied down was lost. Strong gusty winds whipped tents and men alike. Metal buildings were much sturdier and usually withstood the blast. The long shiny building above the fireplug is the original 42-head shower facility. Water trucks from Carrizozo would attach a hose to the building and pump in heated water for the showers. Often the water supply ran out before you finished showering. A water well was drilled southwest of the camp but the water was too alkali to drink or shower in. Even lye soap would not work in that "gyp" water. It was used to charge the fire hydrants and to flush toilets in the new latrine inside the Quonset hut at upper left. The flat metal building at upper right looks like the PX. Propane has replaced some of the kerosene fired devices; two tanks are seen here.