With an electronic click a biometric scanner grants us access to a giant underground compound. The door thunks closed, and the silence is palpable.
Surfaces gleam, everything shines, and it’s possible for a moment to think you’re the first person ever to be ushered inside.
An invitation to The Vault
It’s not every day you get invited to take a look inside a vault. But this is no ordinary bank lockup, and it’s about 10 times the size of the average one. This Vault is located under the sand of the Mojave in Palm Desert California, hidden behind the gates of one of America’s most exclusive clubs.
Approaching from the west, down a curved driveway, The Vault is an impressive sight. With two massive circular doors reminiscent of something from Fort Knox, and human-size lettering across the front, there’s no mistaking that you’ve arrived at a very special place.
Bighorn’s ‘club within a club’
The Vault is essentially an ultra exclusive club within an ultra exclusive club.
Located at the very private Bighorn Golf Club where some of America’s richest and most powerful families own property, The Vault is a facility with a very special and specific purpose; it’s a giant, meticulously appointed showroom-garage for elite collectors and automobile enthusiasts.
The Vault is for elite car collectors
The Vault was constructed as a pristine and secure storage facility for specialty collector automobiles and fine expensive cars.
It was conceived when one of the members of Bighorn noticed some other members spending tens of thousands of dollars adding garage space to homes at the club to store their luxury automobiles.
A large centralized facility was proposed that members could essentially buy storage space in, for less than the cost of a home reno. Dozens of members lined up to back the plan.
Redline Lounge is a haven for collectors
Once through security, and up a few steps, there’s a beautiful lounge area with a bar, cushy leather seating reminiscent of fine automobiles, TVs, tables and auto-inspired decor. Known as the Redline Lounge, the area is accessible only to members who store cars here.
One wall of the lounge is floor-to-ceiling windows, and it overlooks the garage and the precious collection within. The floor is polished concrete so shiny it reflects both the overhead lights and the neon colours of some of the orderly rows of vehicles resting on the surface.
Vintage cars & new automobile technology in The Vault
Cars from last century are parked beside some of the newest and most technologically advanced vehicles of today. Every vehicle is absolutely spotless, dustless and there’s not a speck of dirt to indicate these cars have ever seen the open road. They have, of course; members are free to take their cars out any time they please, but the care that goes into their use and storage is obvious. Engines gleam under the canopy of hoods, tires shine and grilles glint.
Bathrooms too pretty to use
Even that bathrooms inside the Vault are a sight to behold, and its obvious no expense has been spared. Polished steel toilets, and glowing LEDs under glinting lucite surfaces inside the bathroom lend it an otherworldly feel.
The Vault at Bighorn Golf Club inspires
The Vault at Bighorn Golf Club inspiresAs an outsider, getting a private tour of this incredible space for this blog was fascinating. It’s hard to imagine being so rich you can buy storage space in a millionaire’s private vault, but it was definitely inspiring to see what success can get you.
The Vault door whooshes closed behind us, and we step back into the dry desert air, heading back to the main area (a mini downtown?) of the property. Bighorn offers more than just a fancy garage. There’s several restaurants, a spa and even a Starbucks, all reserved exclusive for members of this community.
Bighorn’s motto is “No limits, nothing ordinary” and the property definitely lives up to that. If you’re inspired to inquire about membership, you’ll first need to own property at Bighorn. Current real estate prices range from $1.7 to $11 million USD. Your yearly membership fees are on top of that. But hey, it gives us all something to aspire to, right?
