# What is this strange glowing object in Montana? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381 "2010-03-05T03:50:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/1 "2010-03-05T03:50:26Z")
I was exploring the state of Wyoming using Google Maps when I discovered a strange object amongst the wilderness: [link](http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=44.575658,-111.19687&spn=0.001742,0.003514&t=h&z=18) Can anyone provide me with some clues? I googled “Divide Crossing Road” and got nothing. EDIT: Oh crap! It’s clearly in Montana. Mods, can you edit the post title? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/2 "2010-03-05T04:01:48Z")
It is an aerial view of the end of a logging road. The interesting object you see is a gravel pile that is partially covered with snow. Melted in spots. The pile of gravel/rock is there to build the road. Nothing mysterious if you know what you are looking at. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/3 "2010-03-05T04:02:02Z")
It looks like a road that ends in a clearing, to me. I don’t see any glow, just some light-colored ground. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/4 "2010-03-05T04:02:45Z")
It does not look as though it is glowing to me. I think it is just an area of light colored dirt, clear of vegetation. It is probably where vehicles turn around and/or park by the white building just to the left. I have seen much odder things than that on Google Earth/Maps. ETA: Oh OK, the white thing is gravel pile is it? But why should there be snow on it and not elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/5 "2010-03-05T04:26:36Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > ETA: Oh OK, the white thing is gravel pile is it? But why should there be snow on it and not elsewhere? If the gravel pile has been there awhile it could be colder than the surrounding ground and retain snow cover that melted everywhere else. The other possibility is that instead of a cold pile of rock it could be a small pond of water that has frozen and retained snow cover. In any case, this picture is from the eastern boarder of Idaho an Montana and strange white markings on the ground are probably ice or snow. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/6 "2010-03-05T04:36:49Z")
Looks like that’s where the aliens landed. Some men in black suits will be visiting you soon. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/7 "2010-03-05T04:42:36Z")
> [@Electric\_Warrior](#): > > EDIT: Oh crap! It’s clearly in Montana. Mods, can you edit the post title? [moderating] Thread title changed from “What is this strange glowing object in Wyoming?” to “What is this strange glowing object in Montana?” at your request. [/moderating] * * * Gary the Montana Mod ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/8 "2010-03-05T05:34:35Z")
Turn off labels and you’ll see the whole road is glowing nearly as much. The road to the north is glowing more, about the same as the dead-end in question. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-glowing-object-in-montana/531381/9 "2010-03-05T06:12:30Z")
The USGS topo map says it’s a “comm site” or “radio facility” depending on which size map you’re on. Seeing as it’s just about on the state line (which at this point is the continental divide and therefore something of a high point), I’ll bet it’s a radio tower or a cell-phone tower.