Introduction
There are two geologic features in California named Bristol, both are near each other and in or near the Mojave Desert.
Bristol Mountains
The range has an elevation of 3,874 feet (1,181 m), and is located in San Bernardino County. Most of Bristol Mountains is in a Federally designated Wilderness and lies within either the Bristol Mountains Wilderness Area or the Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area. The mountains lie north of I40, between Ludlow and Amboy.
Bristol Mountains, California
The collection of buildings in the lower right is Amboy
Image: Wikimedia
Project Carryall, proposed in 1963 by the Atomic Energy Commission, the California Division of Highways (now called Caltrans), and the Santa Fe Railway, would have used 22 nuclear explosions to excavate a massive roadcut through the Bristol Mountains, to accommodate construction of Interstate 40 and a new rail line. The project was part of Operation Plowshare, which proposed using the nuclear weapon sword for peaceful purposes.
This would have been one of the "Atoms for Peace" projects using "Peaceful Nuclear Explosions" - nice safe names for something that sounds horrendous in every way. To paraphrase Hotel California, "On a dark radioactive highway, gamma rays in my hair..."
Bristol Mountains (Wikipedia)
Project Carryall (Wikipedia)
Project Plowshare (Wikipedia)
Bristol Lake
Bristol Lake is a dry lake or playa in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California. The lake is southeast of Amboy, and is approximately 23 km (14 miles) long and 20 km (12 miles) at its widest point.
Bristol Lake, California
Image: Wikimedia
Bristol Lake (Qualla)
Bristol Lake (Wikipedia)
Bristol Lake, San Bernardino County, California (Tom Schweich's site)