Mysterious Monolith Update: Third Monolith Appears Atop California Mountain

Yes, for real. Another unexplained monolith has been spotted, this time in Atascadero, California. The ever-familiar silver silhouette stands atop Pine Mountain, which is located between the Bay Area and Los Angeles. It closely resembles the first monolith found in Utah, but the haste at which it was seemingly placed mimics that of its Romanian counterpart. 

According to The Astacadero News, the Californian monolith was not placed in the ground and, “could be knocked over with a firm push.” No news if someone indeed attempted to push it over, but the local news outlet estimates it weighs about 200 pounds. 

This monolith is made of a stainless-steel like material and is highly reflective, says Astacadero News. It was first seen Wednesday morning in the Santa Lucia Mountain range by a group of local hikers. Ray Johnson, a regular hiker of the peak, told news outlets that the statue was not at the summit on Tuesday.

Throughout the day many more came to revel in its mystery. As is now monolith canon, no one has been able to explain how the monolith made it to Atascadero, let alone how it made it to the top of a 1,300-foot hill. Local officials are deciding what to do with the monolith, as it’s not firmly placed in the ground and if pushed over, could be a hazard to those recreating on the paths below. 

This third monolith has appeared just one day after the Romanian one disappeared from the top of Batca Doamnei Hill in the Romanian city of Piatra Neamţ. The one in Utah we now know was removed by a gang of slackliners who announced why they removed it on Instagram via Tik-Tok video. 

The crew of climbers-gone-environmental TMNT decided there was too much foot traffic in the desert surrounding the statue. Siting the red rock’s delicate makeup, the crew decided it was time to put an end to the viral sensation. 

“This land wasn’t physically prepared for the population shift (especially during a pandemic),” Sylvan Christensen wrote in his post. “People arrived by car, by bus, by van, helicopter, planes, trains, motorcycles and E-bikes and there isn’t even a parking lot. There aren’t bathrooms— and yes, pooping in the desert is a misdemeanor. There was a lot of that.”

The team can be seen dismantling the statue and hauling it away in the video, set to the Stranger Things theme song.