Alien base or military secret? The mountain where 66 humans allegedly died

A newly revealed document has stirred renewed interest in one of America's most persistent extraterrestrial conspiracy theories.

For decades, believers have insisted that a secret base exists beneath Archuleta Mesa near Dulce, New Mexico.

The facility, they say, is run by non-human entities and was once the site of a deadly underground firefight. No physical evidence has ever confirmed the story, but the legend has only grown stronger with time.



The theory centers around claims of a seven-level subterranean complex hidden under the mountain. The base is allegedly shared by US military forces and alien beings, with different levels dedicated to housing extraterrestrials, mind control experiments, and genetic research.

Conspiracy theorists believe it was built using advanced tunneling equipment capable of melting rock to carve out deep chambers. Residents in the area have long reported UFO sightings and unusual animal mutilations.

A former government contractor named Phil Schneider has been one of the most vocal whistleblowers tied to the story. Before his death in 1996, he claimed that while working on construction at the base, a team accidentally breached an alien-controlled section.


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Secret underground base conspiracy theorists are convinced it is “run by aliens.” Image source: Danie Franco / Unsplash


According to him, a violent firefight broke out, resulting in the deaths of 66 humans including military personnel and scientists.

Schneider said he lost several fingers during the incident due to an energy weapon used by the non-human occupants. Schneider also claimed to have seen evidence of human-alien hybrids and highly classified technology being tested inside the base.

He traveled across the US speaking at UFO conventions, often showing what he said was a sample of stealth metal recovered from the site.



Critics dismissed him, but his sudden and mysterious death only fueled suspicions. His supporters continue to view him as a credible insider whose warnings were ignored or covered up.

Locals in Dulce have long maintained that the area is far from ordinary. One resident, Geraldine Julian, told the Santa Fe New Mexican in 2016, “The whole town of Dulce, whoever you want to talk to, they'll tell you what they've seen, a lot of them.”

She described seeing a creature with the upper body of a human and the lower half of a goat. Others have reported sightings of glowing objects, beams of light, and steam rising from various points on the mesa.

A local man named Dory Vigil shared a photograph he claimed showed a UFO flying over Archuleta Mesa. He said he would take a lie detector test to prove the image was genuine and not digitally altered.


Source: KOAT / YouTube

Reports of similar sightings have been collected over the years, with many describing glowing saucers and strange creatures near the mesa. Some claim the military presence in the region has long exceeded what’s publicly acknowledged.

A 1970s-era government document, recently declassified, has added credibility to the base’s construction theory.

It details a nuclear-powered tunneling machine called the Subterrene, developed by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The machine was built to melt rock and create smooth underground tunnels, making it feasible for large-scale subterranean construction. Los Alamos is located just 100 miles from Dulce, further intensifying speculation.



The first major reports of odd activity in the area came from New Mexico State Police officer Gabe Valdez. He investigated a series of cattle mutilations in the 1970s that he said were not caused by predators or disease. Valdez found unusual chemical residues and evidence of surgical incisions that were too precise for any known animal.

These events helped lay the foundation for rumors that an underground base was conducting biological experiments. Though no physical evidence has ever been found confirming the existence of the Dulce Base, the claims have remained consistent for nearly five decades.

Eyewitness testimonies, alleged whistleblowers, and now real government tunneling tech are all key parts of the ongoing theory. The base has become a cornerstone of American UFO lore, consistently cited in conspiracy literature and documentary investigations.

Despite official silence, interest in the site continues to escalate with each new detail that emerges.

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Key Takeaways

  • The Subterrene tunneling machine was a real project developed by Los Alamos scientists in the 1970s to explore underground excavation using nuclear power.
  • Phil Schneider's claims, including the firefight and alien collaboration, have never been independently verified and remain highly controversial.
  • No official U.S. government records link the Subterrene or other tunnel projects directly to the Dulce region or Archuleta Mesa.
  • Despite skepticism from the scientific community, the Dulce Base theory continues to hold cultural relevance and media interest into 2025.
Do you believe a secret base lies beneath Dulce Mountain? Have governments cut deals with extraterrestrials behind our backs? Drop your thoughts in the comments—and tell us whether you think this story is a myth, a cover-up, or something stranger.
 

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