Hi,
Just wanted to tell everyone about the new book I just finished reading. It's called 'Tales Told In The Shadows Of The White Mountains', and it's by Charles R. Jordan, who is a writer and editor of New Hampshire Magazine.
To paraphrase the back cover, his collection "presents fourteen stories featuring unsolved mysteries, supernatural meanderings, and other tales of intrigue - some well-known and the stuff of local legend, others newly unearthed and offered to the reader for the first time."
There is a lot in here, from Native American legends to local tales of witches and hauntings, all taking place near or in the White Mountains region. It's a good book for 'spooky campfire story' source material when you next go camping.
If you're a fan of this sort of thing (I know I am), I suggest picking it up, or at least taking it out of the library for a look-see. I only wish less of the stories were in nearby towns and more were in the mountains and forests themselves.
Speaking of spooky campfire source material, what kind of scary tales does everyone here have about the White Mountains? We've all had our experiences, supernatural or not, on the trails. I read hiker the experiences in the "anyone know any "psycho in the woods" type stories" thread and was impressed, but I'm wondering if there were any holdouts who have spooky White Mountain tales or people who missed that thread?
Here's my scariest moment out there.
This happened in the early fall a few years ago. It was the wee hours of the morning. My hiking partner was asleep at camp (we were staying at Franconia Brook), and I wanted to watch the sunrise. She wasn't getting up for anything, so I headed out with my headlamp for an upriver swimming spot that happens to have a great flat rock to lie on and watch the sunrise.
Everything was alright as I left the campground, but a few minutes up the trail I got this sense of fear, like I was being watched. I heard some rustling in the woods to the right of the path, which is an uphill incline. I knew bears were around and that was actually settling, since I have encountered plenty and they're not exactly going to hunt people down for a meal. I started whistling and stamping my feet as I walked to make sure we didn't cross paths unaware. My light wasn't illuminating a whole lot... just a couple LEDs, I thought they were brighter.
The rustling began to follow alongside in the woods, maybe a bit up the hill, but quite loud like something big walking and cracking branches. I walked faster, and the sounds consistently followed pace. It followed me all the way to the swimming hole, maybe 10 minutes away. As I went to leave the trail for the swimming hole, I heard loud breathing or panting that sounded all too close.
I rushed off the trail and stood facing the woods with my light and knife for what seemed an eternity, waiting for some vicious animal or weird psycho to attack, before the sun finally rose. It wasn't the most enjoyable time I've had watching a sunrise.
I don't know what it was, maybe a wild dog or a curious bear? Whatever it was, it scared me. I learned my lesson - no more solo hiking in the dark shadows of the White Mountains for me.
Regards,
Ken
Just wanted to tell everyone about the new book I just finished reading. It's called 'Tales Told In The Shadows Of The White Mountains', and it's by Charles R. Jordan, who is a writer and editor of New Hampshire Magazine.
To paraphrase the back cover, his collection "presents fourteen stories featuring unsolved mysteries, supernatural meanderings, and other tales of intrigue - some well-known and the stuff of local legend, others newly unearthed and offered to the reader for the first time."
There is a lot in here, from Native American legends to local tales of witches and hauntings, all taking place near or in the White Mountains region. It's a good book for 'spooky campfire story' source material when you next go camping.
If you're a fan of this sort of thing (I know I am), I suggest picking it up, or at least taking it out of the library for a look-see. I only wish less of the stories were in nearby towns and more were in the mountains and forests themselves.
Speaking of spooky campfire source material, what kind of scary tales does everyone here have about the White Mountains? We've all had our experiences, supernatural or not, on the trails. I read hiker the experiences in the "anyone know any "psycho in the woods" type stories" thread and was impressed, but I'm wondering if there were any holdouts who have spooky White Mountain tales or people who missed that thread?
Here's my scariest moment out there.
This happened in the early fall a few years ago. It was the wee hours of the morning. My hiking partner was asleep at camp (we were staying at Franconia Brook), and I wanted to watch the sunrise. She wasn't getting up for anything, so I headed out with my headlamp for an upriver swimming spot that happens to have a great flat rock to lie on and watch the sunrise.
Everything was alright as I left the campground, but a few minutes up the trail I got this sense of fear, like I was being watched. I heard some rustling in the woods to the right of the path, which is an uphill incline. I knew bears were around and that was actually settling, since I have encountered plenty and they're not exactly going to hunt people down for a meal. I started whistling and stamping my feet as I walked to make sure we didn't cross paths unaware. My light wasn't illuminating a whole lot... just a couple LEDs, I thought they were brighter.
The rustling began to follow alongside in the woods, maybe a bit up the hill, but quite loud like something big walking and cracking branches. I walked faster, and the sounds consistently followed pace. It followed me all the way to the swimming hole, maybe 10 minutes away. As I went to leave the trail for the swimming hole, I heard loud breathing or panting that sounded all too close.
I rushed off the trail and stood facing the woods with my light and knife for what seemed an eternity, waiting for some vicious animal or weird psycho to attack, before the sun finally rose. It wasn't the most enjoyable time I've had watching a sunrise.
I don't know what it was, maybe a wild dog or a curious bear? Whatever it was, it scared me. I learned my lesson - no more solo hiking in the dark shadows of the White Mountains for me.
Regards,
Ken
