Facilities | Directions | Observing Conditions | Guidelines | Dark Site Courtesy | Committee

ACCESS NOTICE

Ed Kline

Many members worked for years to find and acquire a good dark site from which to observe. Because of their perseverance, the Deer Trail Dark Sky Site was found and leased. The site was renamed the Edmund G. Kline Dark Site when the society member who had led the effort to create a dark site passed away. The April 2002 Denver Observer was dedicated to Ed Kline,  If you'd like to download a copy, click here.

The dark site is intended for the use of society members and their guests.

Dark Sky Weekends are scheduled once per month, on the weekend nearest the new moon. These are the best times for new members to get acquainted with the site.

Facilities

The most recent development at the site was the addition of eight 10-ft x 10-ft concrete observing pads and two research and images pads in the Summer of 2006.

The present facilities include:

	Fourteen 10' x 10' concrete N-S aligned observing pads (3 doubles and 8 singles) each with a separate ac power pole with four grounded outlets
	Two cleared observing areas for research and imaging activities (South end)
	Leveled area for large Dobsonian telescopes and/or vehicle parking just to the West of 8 new observing pads
	Warming hut with electric heat, red lighting, a microwave oven, and seating areas
	Two designated handicapped parking spaces
	Vault toilet with nighttime red lighting
	Gravel access road
	Abundant dark skies.

The Site is about 60 miles east of the “mousetrap” in downtown Denver.

Take I-70 east to the Deer Trail exit (exit 328), turn left at the end of the exit ramp, and turn left again on CR 217 (after the Phillips 66 station). Take CR 217 just over 1/2 mile, and turn right (east) onto CR 34. Stay on CR 34 about 6 miles until you get to CR 241. Turn left (north) onto CR 241 and continue about 1.4 miles –- you’ll see a culvert with a wide gate on the right (east) side of the road.

Directions for arrival from the North. Please do not use for after dark arrival:

Take I-70 eastbound to exit 316 (Byers). Turn left at end of ramp which puts you on eastbound US-36. Take US-36 east 17.2 miles to CR 241. Turn right (south) onto CR 241 and continue for 6.2 miles. The DSS entrance is on the left between two tall posts.

Note: Travel distance from Denver using the North route is actually 3.9 miles shorter than the traditional route. The first 5 miles of CR 241 going south from US-36 is narrow and somewhat rough. Be careful.

To keep everyone's experience at the dark site a pleasant one, the DAS E-board and the Dark Sky Site Committee instituted some guidelines. Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines. Enjoy the site and may your skies be dark and clear!

Access | Warming Hut Rules | Dark Sky Site Courtesy | Guest Policy
 

There is a combination lock on the front gate at the Edmund Kline Dark Site.

Any DAS member in good standing may obtain the combination by calling the DAS President, Ron Mickle at (303) 433-7641 or emailing the Dark Site Committee at darksite@denverastro.com. Members can receive the combinations to the electricity and the shed after they have been briefed as to their use.

Warming Hut Rules

• The last people on the site must turn off the lights and the heat.
• A microwave is provided for warming drinks. Please clean up after yourself.
• No pots and pans, appliances, or other supplies are to be left in the shed.
• No personal supplies are to be left in the shed overnight.
• Do not donate furniture or other things unless you clear it with the Dark Site committee first.
• No food left overnight in the shed.
• No sleeping overnight in the shed.
• Quick naps are permitted if you feel you might fall asleep on the way home. We would prefer you get your nap rather than falling asleep on the road. However, we don’t want it to become a tent for camping.
• Clean up after yourself before you leave the site.
• Please clean up all food that drops or is spilled, otherwise it will attract mice and insects.

Dark Site Courtesy

Please remember that white light disrupts the eye's dark adaptation and can ruin Astrophotography. Following these simple guidelines will improve the experience for all:

• Drive carefully on the road, there are blind spots in the low areas and you will find cattle on the road at times.
• Try to arrive before dark.
• Upon arrival at the site, sign-in at the warming hut. If you are a new member, ask if a Dark Site Committee member is present to give you a site orientation.
• DAS MEMBERS have priority usage at the concrete pads. Holding a pad for friends is NOT allowed.
• If you have to arrive after dark, turn off headlights when turning into site. Please do not arrive using North route after dark.
• Turn off all dome and trunk lights. If a light can't be turned off, pull the fuse, use layered red brake light tape or just duct tape over it.
• Driving into the site after dark without lights is extremely dangerous, particularly if you have never been there before. If you must arrive after dark, please stop at the entrance and wait until someone comes out to help guide you in with a red flashlight. If no one comes, please walk down to the observing stations to get someone.
• When you drive in, position your car so you can drive out directly instead of using your back up lights.
• Use only dim red flashlights. Never shine a flashlight in someone's face or on their scope.
• Please wipe your feet carefully before using the warming hut.
• Please chip in and do some cleaning up in the hut or at the observing sites. It is the responsibility of all users to keep the place clean.
• Astrophotographers may wish to use the South field since it is somewhat isolated from the rest of the area.
• There is no sleeping in the warming shed overnight. However if you need to nap for a short period, you may use it. We would rather you fall asleep there rather than at the wheel on the way home.
• You may warm drinks in the microwave—it is not there for warming food and cooking since we have no water to clean up. If you spill, please clean up after yourself.
• If you are the last person to leave the site, lock the vault toilet, turn off the lights and the heaters in the warming hut. Then, lock the warming hut, turn off the breakers to the pads (leave the warming hut breaker on), lock the breaker box, close and lock the gate to the site.

Other Suggestions

• Wear warm clothing. The nights can be extremely cold in the winter and surprisingly cold in the summer.
• Bring your own power such as a battery and/or an inverter since the power sites are limited at some times of the year. Also bring extension chords.
• Hot drinks can help you survive the night!
• When approaching the telescope of someone who does not know you, introduce yourself and ask before looking through the scope. Most members (with the exception of astrophotographers when they are taking pictures) will be happy to share their scopes.
• Bring your own toilet paper in case the vault toilet runs out.

Guest Policy

The Edmund G. Kline Dark Site, while for the exclusive use of the membership for serious observing, will allow visitors on a limited basis. Groups or classes wishing to use the dark site may do so only with prior arrangement through the DAS president or vice president. In general, large groups are not welcomed due to liability concerns.

• Members are responsible for educating their guests as to the rules.
• Prospective members, out of town astronomers, and others may be guests one time.
• Members can bring family any time and personal friends on a limited basis, but should not abuse the privilege.
• Groups of five or more guests must be cleared through the president or vice president prior to visiting the Dark Sky Site.
• DAS MEMBERS have priority usage at the concrete pads. Holding a pad for friends is not allowed.

Members:

• Darrell Dodge
• Glenn Frank
• Joe Gafford
• Jim Holder
• Mike Hotka
• Wayne Kaaz
• Bernie Poskus
• Ken Takahashi
• Bryan Wilburn

Email contact: darksite@denverastro.org