Aboveground, scattered across manicured lawns, are about a dozen buildings bristling with antennas and microwave relay systems. Not far from the installation's entry gate are a control tower and a helicopter pad. The mountain's real secrets are not visible at ground level. Curious motorists and hikers on the Appalachian trail are relieved of their sketching pads and cameras and sent on their way.
Security is tight.
In 1936, the U.S. Bureau of Mines took control and started digging. Mount Weather is virtually an underground city, according to former personnel interviewed by Pollock. Apparently, this underground capital of the United States is a secret only to Congress and the US taxpayers who paid for it. The facility attempts to duplicate the vital functions of the Executive branch of the Administration. The Federal Reserve and the U.S. Post Office, both private corporations, also have offices in Mount Weather.