Sorry I missed this the first time around. Great post. What is going on in the first photo? Is that a structure to keep the mountain from sloughing off to below? That would be my first guess. Or a mis-placed stripmine. That thing is huge. And though I'm entirely too classy to admit it, enjoyed the squirrelnuts joke as well. Thanks.
In the first photo, they're constructing something down there. Angled it so as not to get all the construction equipment, but they've got it all cleared off and ready to build whatever there. Not sure what.
And never be ashamed to admit you love a good nut joke. lol