Actual facts about the lost mine just don't exist.". Approximately 12 million tourists came to visit the Great Smoky Mountains last year, making it the most visited national park in the United States. People who have disappeared in the Wonnangatta Valley in recent years. In 2008, Warren Meyer, 57, an experienced hiker, set out on a relatively easy six-mile walk in a national park on a warm fall day and was never seen again. That morning, she drove out along the Mountain Loop Highway to the Sunrise Mine Road, where one path to the summit of Vesper Peak begins, signed her name in the forest park registry at the trailhead, and made her way off along the trail. The ones who did told of mysterious creatures inhabiting the vast forests and restless spirits stalking the area. Much of what we've discussed here is pretty deep into legend territory, even though there really was a Jacob Walz/Waltz whose grave you can really visit and there really was a Julia Thomas, as True West magazine will attest. Even stranger, the clothes contained higher levels of radiation than normal. Its also wise tohike with a companion. They attract millions of tourists yearly from across the country and overseas. But he was not willing to divulge details not to outsiders. This is widely speculated due to the mountains slightly artificial appearance. Speculation over the ancestry of these mountain folk has ranged from claims that they are descendants of the Lost Colony of Roanoke who fled to the Appalachian Mountains to theories . We may never know, and Alfred Beilhartz has never been found. Suspicion immediately fell on the only other person who lived there: John Bamford, who cooked for Mr. Barclay. Many of these stories are similar. For example, Hope Collins, Trennys mother, writes a letter about coming to terms with her loss. [3] It is also said that a forest was planted over the site to hide the leader in his final resting place. Nonetheless, his mere presence in this forbidding terrain has captured the national imagination the embodiment, in a vast country, of the strange allure and abiding fear of places so distant they can swallow people up without a sound. The students were hiking from the parking area towards a spot called Andrews Bald, and had separated into smaller groups based on how fast they could walk during the hike. I honestly think the real story has never been told to the public. In the end, that is the case with all of these. Mountain Disappearances Mysterious Stories Blog - StrangeOutdoors.com When Ruth's body was found in a gold-lust-fueled search in December 1932, the mystery only deepened. Many better suited vehicles were unable to pass in that storm and were stuck road side on the way up the pass. The first was a 75-year-old man named Middie Rivers, who often served as a mountain guide. One day in 1913, when Bierce was in his 70s, he told his friends and family he was going to Mexico to join . Waltz allegedly died of pneumonia in the winter of 1891 with a sack of gold under his bed. Located high in the San Gabriel Mountains, it's the only peak in the 60-mile-long range with such an unflattering name. A large number of people also claimed to have seen strange lights in the sky or a huge, apelike man walking among the trees. However, others described the light as a pulsating orange-and-red glow.[8] When police searched the area, nothing was found, leading certain people to believe that a UFO crash had been covered up. Despite his age, Landers was an experienced hiker, avid mountain climber and distance runner, and was in good physical shape, and he also was very familiar with the area, as this was his second attempt to scale Shasta and he had spent much time practicing there and getting a feel for the terrain. He had seemingly just ceased to exist. Very few things are more exciting than the prospect of rolling up your sleeves like Indiana Jones or Scrooge McDuck and uncovering a long-hidden hoard of gold and making the cover of all the papers. They were both found dead, with their heads missing, along a riverbank.[2]. It was rather baffling because that particular area was a barren mountaintop with only snow and rocks and there wasnt really anywhere for him to get off to without being seen. What makes it particularly eerie is that she was seen headed down the mountain, but after going over that ridge no one going up the mountain saw her coming down. The Crazy Mountains of Montana have long been seen as a harsh, rugged range of wilderness with a sense of mystery. Another strange disappearance here in the same area occurred on September 25, 1981, when 58-year-old Thelma Pauline Melton, often called just Polly by her friends, was hiking with two of her friends near the Deep Creek Campground. Andrew Irvine is in the top row on the far left, George Mallory is standing beside him. These gems could slow down time and provide answers to secrets. These 10 Famous Murders In Michigan Will Never Be Forgotten That's the good news. In July of 2004, 9-year-old David Gonzales was camping with his family at Big Bear Lake campsite in Northern California's San Bernadino National Forest. The Bennington Triangle's most enduring unsolved mysteries are the disappearances that plagued the area from 1945 to 1950. The next player in the tale is one Doctor Abraham Thorne, who, like the Peraltas, is not Dutch. Police had the tape in their possession for over 20+ years and said they lost it. Possibly, this is because the discovery of the tomb would have huge geopolitical repercussions as the Chinese believe Genghis Khan was from China. She was uncomfortable enough to ask her boyfriend to meet her at the showing and he did, but he showed up late and waited outside. No, of course not. Sadly, murders, disappearances, and abductions happen everywhere - even in Virginia. The Superstition Mountains are a mountain range east of Phoenix and are known for their picturesque volcanic peaks and jagged canyons. There is no indication that the police consider him a person of interest. The point is that people have some strange ideas about the place and all the death and mystery surrounding it. A New Theory Claims that the "Eye of the Sahara" is Atlantis. She was 58. For 10 hours, he lay there waiting for the fog to clear. In some cases, you even get to hear from the families through published written letters. The Kangtega peak (aka The Snow Saddle) is a mountain summit in the Himalayas of Nepal. Three unsolved disappearances have haunted the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for over four decades. Exclusive shows & extensions. To this day, there is no explanation for the mysterious goings-on in the Nahanni Valley. How do you find a treasure? They Werent The Police. Last year a women name Najal Ferrell went missing from my town. Thats why you keep the fire going all night, said Charlie Lovick, a local farmer in Merrijig. But in Thunder God's Gold, Barry Storm alleges that on his own search for the mine, he had barely escaped the fire of a sniper he called "Mr. X" who he believed was protecting the mine. The wild, untamed expanses of the African continent are no stranger to dark mysteries. If you know anything about human nature, you know Ruth's disappearance and mysterious death did not dissuade others from following in his footsteps, and, in fact, the headlines brought on by his story only inspired thousands of imitators. One example is when the Atadero family was allegedly threatened with arrest if they tried to go off snooping around on the Big South Trail, and although it was claimed by authorities that the trail was the only way in or out of the canyon, this turned out to be a falsehood, as Allyn found records of various other entry and exit points. All exits had security cameras. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Bennington Triangle Disappearances. The campers were nowhere to be found. Like so many others, this mountain harbors an array of unexplained mysteries, most of which will likely never be solved. Often, fugitives on the run hide in the thick growths of trees and fog within the more than half a million acres of land in the national park. Mystery Mountain Winter Park Again, a massive search was launched, but no sign of Melton could be found. Disappearances of people like Middie Rivers, a lifelong area resident and experienced hunting and fishing guide, who led a group of hunters into the wilds of Glastenbury Mountain in early-November, 1945. And the FBI is looking for some random green car. Tom Kollenborn's explanation of the types of summer storms common in Apache Junction makes the connection between the mountain and a god of thunder clear and believable. The exact circumstances at the end are murky at best, but she seems to be have the actor. Rainier National Park on Friday, October 9, 2020, for a solo-hike, and was supposed to return the next day. This is where the case gets weird. LUNCH POTLUCK AND SLUSH CUP . Authorities were unable to even get a good set of tracks to follow, which would have made things easier considering Meltons left shoe had apparently had a noticeable crack in the sole which would have made her tracks distinguishable and easy to differentiate from those of other hikers. In some cases, the person seems to just evaporate into thin air within moments, with no discernable reason, and here we will look at some of the stranger of such cases. So, to take a closer look at some of these unsolved mysteries, I purchased the book Unsolved Disappearances in the Great Smoky Mountains. The book was first published in 1998 and then updated in 2009. The information on the NAMUS site is updated daily. Davids parents, Jose and Rosenda Gonzales, believe their son was kidnapped and may even still be out there, that the bones are not really from their son, but authorities are quick to point out that the location of the remains and the fact that no other child has ever gone missing in the area means they likely are his. Wikimedia Commons Paula Welden disappeared around Glastenbury Mountain in December 1946. The 1945 book Thunder God's Gold by Barry Storm tells of the author's real-life attempts to find the gold mine himself during the 1930s and 1940s. Thats why you keep the fire going all night., As Hikers Vanish, These Mountains Hold Tight to Their Mysteries, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/04/world/asia/wonnangatta-valley-disappearances.html. Some speculated that his disappearance might be related to a prison killing of a gangland leader under his watch. The most common theory is that Mr. Barclay was killed by Mr. Bamford, who was, in turn, shot by a friend of Mr. Barclays in revenge. The Superstition Mountains are a mountain range east of Phoenix and are known for their picturesque volcanic peaks and jagged canyons. I heard a crunch, he said, then another crunch as if someone was walking after me but taking steps three or four times the length of my own. This indicates that the creature is bigger than a normal human, meaning that it is Scotlands Yeti. If you have information concerning missing persons please contact the nearest law enforcement agency or the Michigan State Police at 855-642-4847. More than a year later, the. During her walk, she went to talk with older member of the group named Gerald Stuart, who she saw sitting on a log not far away. Thelma Pauline "Polly" Melton, Disappeared September 25, 1981, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina. What strange disappearances have you heard about? At the time, George was with a group of about 20 other hikers, but at some point, he seems to have been separated from the others, although no one can seem to remember when exactly this was. It would not be until 4 years later that he would finally be found, when on June 4, 2003 his remains were discovered up in a remote, inaccessible area up a steep incline about 500 feet above the trail he had vanished on. 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It is one of the most mysterious mountains in the worldwith legends of Roman emperors buried deep within its bowels, lost civilizations living in its chasms, and strange beasts prowling its forested surface. Dennis, at the age of only 6, disappeared in the mountains without a trace in 1969, never to be seen again. As the boy and his parents were taking a hike along a river, little Alfred suddenly simply disappeared without explanation. Adding to this strangeness surrounding the case of Jaryd Atadero are allegations made by the boys father, Allyn Atadero, that authorities were very secretive and dishonest about the whole incident, and seemed to be almost intentionally botching the investigation. A Look at 6 Haunted Places in Michigan | Michigan Once they arrived at their campsite, in a wide valley nestled between snow-capped mountains, Mr. Hill, an amateur radio enthusiast, dialed in to let fellow hobbyists know where he was. I am the author of the popular truck driver stories on Reddits r/nosleep. Some say that Gaisford simply became dehydrated and started imagining things. The rugged country is an easy place to disappear if youre not careful. Darkness plays funny games. She had also been a happy and well-adjusted individual with no discernable reason to want to vanish. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons. The second disappearance was a college student by the name of Paula Weldon, who had set a goal to hike Vermont's famed Long Trail and never returned. Wolf also believes that many portals to other dimensions are on the mountain, explaining why people go missing up there. The mine and its secrets have similarly inspired video games and amusement park rides, and even the park service got in on that sweet Dutch action, opening the Lost Dutchman State Park in 1977, which includes trails named for figures in the legend, like Jacob Walz and the Peralta family. In the light of day, the cattlemen who know the valley best see its mysteries as nothing more than individual cases of bad luck strung together by coincidence. There are multiple cases of missing persons in the Smoky Mountains that remain a mystery decades later (photo by Raggedstone/shutterstock.com). Often, they revolve around a local recluse, known as the Button Man, who dwells in the woods near the campsite and spends his time carving buttons out of antlers. For years afterward, supposed sightings of Mr. Prideaux were reported around the country. Its just become a tall story told around campfires, a local resident, Ben Large, said from behind the counter of the Mansfield bike shop. There was no sign of any struggle along the trail, no evidence of an animal attack, and since this was all on easy terrain right next to camp it was seen as unlikely that she would have gotten lost within seconds like that. There had been no shout or sign of distress, and all calls to him went unanswered. The various stones have been named the Trail Maps, the Priest Map, the Horse Map (featuring a horse drawn with a disturbingly succulent butt), the Stone Crosses, and the Heart Map. We were told the big cats can drag their prey one to three miles away, that they like to take it to a secluded area. Despite an intensive search, no sign of Trenny Gibson was ever found. She was hard to miss, and witnesses say that she seemed to be healthy and in good spirits there at the summit. But people also speculate about an affair that Mr. Barclay was rumored to be having. lijah Sullivan has spent the last six years trying to solve a mystery. Very strange. He is 5-foot-11 with brown eyes and gray hair and a beard. The Many Unsolved Mysteries of Glastenbury Mountain, Vermont 10 Mysterious Deaths and Disappearances That Still Puzzle Historians They had met with another group visiting the area, ironically also named Martin. The Landmark Inn, Marquette. If the word of the world's leading expert on the area isn't enough for you, Thinking Muse points out that the geology isn't there: the Superstitions are volcanic, and volcanic rock does not tend to have a lot of gold in it. Within this wilderness, a string of hikers and campers have met a fate similar to Mr. Hills and Ms. Clays in recent years. Whether this is a secret landing base for UFOs or simply a glitch in Googles mapping systems, we still do not know. 5 months later, after complaining about the stench, neighbors find his body in his parents barn 400 miles from where he was supposed to be. author of the Missing 411 series of books, 27.15 - MU Plus+ Podcast - The Turquoise Scarab, 27.14 - MU Plus+ Podcast - The Pigman's Mistake, Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Claims Aliens are Real and He Saw Them and Their Underground Base, Space News: Aliens Could Call by 2029, Voyager 2 Keeps on Trucking and 25 New Repeating Fast Radio Bursts, A Fascinating Theory to Explain a Large Piece of the World of Elusive Creatures and Monsters. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, Inc. No one really knows, and such cases remain some of the strangest vanishings there are. In November 2014, 20-year-old British explorer Thomas Gaisford set out alone to explore Mount Nyangani in Zimbabwe. Where are these girls? Michigan Department of Corrections. What happened to his scent trail and why did the bloodhounds following him act so oddly? Multiple of the worlds best cave divers aided in the search, but nothing was found. Mysterious disappearances out in the wilds are nothing new, and indeed there are a lot of reasons why someone should go missing while going out into such places. Volunteers, boy scouts, national guard members, multiple rescue squads and even a group of 71 Green Berets came and searched for the boy. A large number of people also claimed to have seen strange lights in the sky or a huge, apelike man walking among the trees. Kids Program: Womens Program: Ski Lessons: Snowboard Lessons: Authorities are not entirely sure of what has happened here, but one thing that does seem apparent is that the location of the remains on the surface of the ground out in the open with no attempt to hide them tends to discredit the idea that the body had been dumped by a murderer. Others have said that the boy may have wandered off and been injured or died of exposure to the elements. Perhaps the most well-known missing persons case in the Smokies is the mystery of Dennis Martin. Welden was an 18-year-old student at Bennington College who decided to hike a leg of the Long Trail during Thanksgiving break when . But for a century and beyond, these mountains, more than most places, have held their secrets tightly. Dingoes prowl the land, howling in the black of night. So, is there gold in them thar hills? Their destination was the picturesque Sunrise Meadows area, where on July 25 they stopped to rest at a place called Sunrise High Sierra Camp, where there were accommodations at nine cabins situated along the rugged fifty-mile High Sierra Camp Loop at an altitude of around 9,400 feet above sea level. In 1870, in order to repay his kindness, elders of the tribe promised they would take Thorne to a place with lots of gold. Again, there are plenty of versions of the story, but the key detail is that a group of Apaches killed all the Peraltas but one. We searched that exact area. Why couldn't he hear or see the people looking for him? He had vanished in the exact same area eight days earlier on Tuesday, June 18, during a short hike with friends and colleagues. Author Tom Kollenborn reports that a prospector by the name of James A. Cravey thought he could beat the odds of finding the mine by using a helicopter in 1947. Between 1943 and 1950, several mysterious disappearances took place in these woods. She was described as a very physically fit and experienced hiker, so how could she just vanish seemingly into thin air like that when she was with her friend? In contrast, writer Jen Wolfe says the Peraltas were cattle ranchers. What in the world happened to Jaryd Atadero? I am amazed at how many teenagers were running away in the 1970s according to the police. I came, I saw, I conquered. More reading: The Strange Death Of Mateusz Kawecki. Others believe that he was visited by creatures from another dimension. Mysterious disappearances in the Superstition Mountains The legend of the lost gold continued to attract people, and, in 1932, a veterinarian in the Park Service, Adolph Ruth, decided to go treasure hunting. Unsolved Disappearances in the Great Smoky Mountains, an Analysis