A Scenic Location

The location is gorgeous, a pristine wilderness area along the banks of Big Creek, one of the larger tributaries of the Salmon River. The Salmon, also known as the River of No Return for its swift water, is the longest wild, scenic river in the US. Looking from Taylor Ranch toward the hills to the north is a view typical of the region.
There are several cabins on the site. Only the caretaker's cabin is permanently occupied. The university hires a couple on a one-year contract to maintain the site and to supervise the airstrip. An aerial photo of the site shows the layout of the site. The airstrip is on the north (the left edge of the photograph). The caretaker's cabin in the largest building, on a small hill to the immediate south of the airstrip. The research buildings are the two cabins nearest the east of the photo. In the center of the area, there is a cabin occupied by maintenance people while working at the site and a shop next door. Temporary housing for researchers is mostly to the north of the airstrip, just outside the area shown in the photograph.
The site is surrounded on three sides by forest. To the north, across a large grassy meadow and rustic fences dating back to the days when the site was the university's cougar research facility, runs Big Creek.  

Through the center of the site runs Pioneer Creek, the water source for the project and for the whole site as well. In the aerial photograph, Pioneer Creek snakes under the deciduous trees near the center of the right edge , between the caretaker's cabin and the maintenance cabins, and to the north and east of the airstrip. Pioneer Creek is a shady, rippling brook that tumbles down thousands of feet from the mountains just a few miles to the south. Extreme care was needed to avoid disturbing this beautiful little stream. Fortunately, environmental regulations are quite specific about what is allowed. The student designer stayed well within these regulations.