324: Trail Tales 77

Summary

National Park After Dark – Episode 324: Trail Tales 77

Date: September 25, 2025
Hosts: Danielle & Cassie

---

Episode Overview

In this “Trail Tales” episode, Danielle and Cassie bring together listener stories that range from hilarious mishaps in odd museums to heart-stopping encounters with nature’s fury, deeply personal moments of grief and hope, and some chilling brushes with the supernatural. Through these shared experiences, the hosts highlight not only the humor and horror that lurk in our wild places but also the beauty of connection—to the land, to each other, and sometimes to forces beyond comprehension. The episode’s tone shifts from spooky and suspenseful to deeply heartfelt, making this compilation equally chilling, uplifting, and memorable.

---

Key Discussion Points & Stories

1. Locked in the Bryce Canyon Taxidermy Museum

Timestamps: 01:48–09:04

• Storyteller: Lauren
  Lauren recounts being inadvertently locked inside a taxidermy museum at Bryce Canyon National Park. After snow closed most of the park, she and her fiancé decided to check out an eccentric museum where the owner proudly boasted of his collection. Soon after their arrival, he left for a “quick errand”—locking them inside for nearly an hour with no way out. What starts as a joke (“maybe he taxidermies humans next door?”) quickly morphs into genuine anxiety.

  Quote:

  • “We were locked in a motherfucking taxidermy museum.” (03:27, Lauren’s letter)
  • “That would scare me so bad if I walked into some weird taxidermy shop and the guy was like, oh, I just have to run a quick errand. I’ll be back soon. Click.” – Danielle (04:05)

• After the ordeal, the hosts agree: Always use the buddy system, and don’t be afraid to call for help in strange situations.

2. A Close Call with Lightning in the Chiricahua National Monument

Timestamps: 10:45–21:25

• Storyteller: Jordan
  Jordan describes a solo hike that almost turned deadly due to a fast-moving monsoon storm. Despite planning for an early return and checking the forecast, sudden thunderheads transformed a beautiful day into a dangerous situation. Jordan races the storm, debates whether his trusty wooden staff is a lightning rod, flees through exposed terrain, and finally receives a pin from an indifferent ranger instead of the response he’d hoped for.

  Quote:

  • “For the first time in years, I felt legitimate fear about the situation that I was in.” (15:05, Jordan’s letter)
  • “This lady completely disregarded everything I told her of the storm the hikers, the deteriorating weather conditions. I was soaked with sweat, flushed with exertion. Rain was audibly hitting the roof. I just told her of the imminent possibility of loss of life and this crazy old bat wanted to give me a pin.” (17:37, Jordan’s letter)

• The hosts emphasize the lessons: respect mountain weather, plan contingencies, don’t assume you’re safe based on a forecast, and know your evacuation routes.

3. Jenny Lake Ranger Fan Moment

Timestamps: 25:45–28:46

• Storyteller: Gwen
  In Wyoming’s Tetons, Gwen is ecstatic to meet the legendary Jenny Lake Rangers, having heard about their heroics on the podcast. She chats with Jack McConnell, a 30-year veteran, only to learn later he’s a central figure in the very rescue trail tale that first captivated her.

  Quote:

  • “I want you. You’re an og. You’ve seen some.” (27:55, Gwen’s letter)
  • “Our jaws dropped. The dude with arthritis and bow legs is truly a hero and a freakin savage.” (28:20, Gwen’s letter)

• A joyful reminder of the real-life impact these stories can have—and a bridge between fans, listeners, and the park community.

4. Eminent Doom Beneath the Safeway

Timestamps: 29:15–35:29

• Storyteller: Will
  Will shares a quirky piece of small-town lore from Nevada City, CA: the town sits atop hundreds of miles of crumbling, flooded gold mine tunnels, with the “weakest spot”—and rumored site of impending doom—right under the local Safeway. Childhood fears of sudden sinkholes and underground chaos persist into adulthood.

  Quote:

  • “It has caused many sinkholes and a few newspaper articles and studies done about this... The weakest spot was right below our local Safeway.” (30:03, Will’s letter)

• The hosts laugh about how early anxieties stick with us and agree that this definitely counts as small city lore.

5. Ghost of a Royal Park & Serial Killer Family Lore

Timestamps: 37:37–45:09

• Storyteller: Sarah
  Sarah recounts a supernatural encounter while hiking alone in Bellingham, WA—an apparition of an Indigenous woman glowing pale green in the pre-dawn woods, followed by getting mysteriously “stuck” looping back to the same spot on the trail. She then shares the family lore of her birth: her midwife, Martha, was tragically murdered by a serial killer the night she was born, a story that later intertwined with her partner’s family in a chilling twist of fate.

  Quotes:

  • “I saw the silhouette of a human form just a few feet away from me... seemed like an indigenous woman wearing a dress and her outline was giving off a pale green light.” (41:13, Sarah’s letter)
  • “The night I was born, the midwife named Martha... became the victim of the serial killer known as Caesar Barron.” (42:37, Sarah’s letter)

• The hosts express awe and sympathy, reflecting on life’s strange, sometimes haunting connections.

6. My Star-Crossed Lover is Trolling Me from the Afterlife as a Blue Butterfly

Timestamps: 46:42–59:15

• Storyteller: Emily
  Emily shares an epic, poignant love story with Grant—a dear friend turned possible soulmate, whose passion for wilderness led to his death climbing in Glacier National Park. She recounts the profound grief that followed—and the flood of symbolic blue butterflies (from literal mountainside sightings to urban murals and even lingerie ads) that began appearing after his passing, often when she most needed reassurance or guidance.

  Quotes:

  • “He was kind, but not so kind that he wouldn’t ruthlessly roast you for your double chin in a photo. He flew by the seat of his pants...” (51:45, Emily’s letter)
  • “A blue butterfly came and landed on my arm and just stayed there. Paige and I burst into hysterical tears and laughs.” (52:45, Emily’s letter)

• Emily describes how these encounters, from summits to survival situations, continue to shape her healing and motivate her adventures, culminating in a remembrance pilgrimage to Glacier.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Danielle on being locked in:
  “I’d be like, I’m being kidnapped. I am in a taxidermy museum. I don’t like closed in spaces. Don’t lock me in.” (04:19)
• Cassie reflecting on danger:
  “Now I’m scared. We’ve scared ourselves for sure.” (21:54)
• On lightning safety:
  “You just don’t want to be the tallest thing around. And also, if you’re outdoors and there’s really nowhere to shelter, to stand on your backpack and curl up and wait it out, because you’re creating a gap between you.” – Danielle (22:31)

---

Thematic Highlights

• Respect for Nature’s Power:
  Repeated stories urge listeners to never underestimate weather, wildlife, or the environment’s unpredictability.
• Human Connections—Living & Beyond:
  From fan-meets to ghostly visions, the ties between people (and to those no longer with us) run deep.
• Lore & Laughter:
  Local legends about collapsing Safeways, weird museum trips, and nostalgic nods to supermarket games bring levity to the episode.
• Loss & Healing:
  Emily’s butterfly tale rounds out the show with a stunning reminder of grief’s persistence—and the unexpected beauty that can follow.

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Locked in a Taxidermy Museum: 01:48–09:04
• Lightning Storm in Chiricahua National Monument: 10:45–21:25
• Jenny Lake Ranger Encounter: 25:45–28:46
• Safeway Sinkhole Lore: 29:15–35:29
• Ghost of a Royal Park / Serial Killer Lore: 37:37–45:09
• Blue Butterfly Star-Crossed Lover: 46:42–59:15

---

Final Thoughts

The hosts encourage all listeners to share their own wild, weird, and heartfelt stories by submitting them through the podcast website. With a reminder to adventure thoughtfully and remember the occasional “buddy system” (even in taxidermy museums), Danielle and Cassie sign off with warmth, humor, and a bit of awe for the haunting magic of nature—and the stories it creates.

---

[Next episode teased: Alien abduction and cryptid tales—available for subscribers!]

Transcript

[Cassie]

Foreign.

[Danielle]

Hello. Hello, everyone. Welcome to another Trail Tales episode. We are so excited to have you here. But first things first, before we get started, it's very important that you know that today is coming down to the Wire for the last time that you can get your merch for spooky season. It's selling out fast. It's not going to be available much longer, so go grab it. We have tie dye. If you haven't heard, if you haven't seen for Monday's episode, I'm still wearing the tie dye shirt today and we have a lot of cool stuff on there. So go hop over there.

[Cassie]

Yeah. Down to the Wire for the last couple of days. So if you want a you got haunted shirt, don't say we didn't tell you it was available because we are. But anyway, yeah, you can go to npadpodcast.com which we revamped the site. It's so nice if you are like interested in going to see our little like, it's just a refresh, but it's really fun colors.

[Danielle]

It's. Yeah, it does look really nice.

[Cassie]

Yeah. So the shop page is directly linked on that. So you can go poke around and see what's there. Or if you're like, hey, I don't want any of that stuff, that's fine. But if you do want stuff in the future, we're working on that as well, so. All right, that's enough business. That was exhausting. I want to tell some stories.

[Danielle]

Okay, let's hear them.

[Cassie]

And I want to go second because the title of yours is really intriguing me. Okay, your first one. Do that.

[Danielle]

Let's hop right in. Okay, so my first one is titled Locked in the Bryce Canyon National Parks Taxidermy Museum.

[Cassie]

What'd I tell you?

[Danielle]

It is intriguing.

[Cassie]

Starting strong.

[Danielle]

I already know I do not want to be locked in this place. I'm interested you would like to be locked in. All right, let's go. I owe my sister in law big time for getting me hooked on your podcast a few years back. As a nature lover true crime junkie, you're kind of my perfect match. I think you'll get why after this story. In March 2016, my fiance, now husband, and I went on a trip to cross off a few more national parks off of our bucket list. We spent the majority of our week's vacation exploring Zion national park, hiking by day and hot tubbing with mountain views by night. What a dream. The last two nights of our trip, we had reservations at a motel in Bryce Canyon national park in the Short distance between the parks, we watched a skiff of snow accumulate on the desert landscape. By the time we got to Bryce Canyon, all but one trail was closed in the park due to the snow. We hiked that trail twice, posed with Thor's hammer, hit all the scenic viewpoints and realized we still had a day and a half left in the most inaccessible park. My fiance's idea. Why don't we check out the taxidermy museum? We passed by on our way up to the park. Now he knew this was a stretch. As a lifelong vegetarian who is against hunting for sport, even I was surprised that I agreed to check it out. I guess there's only so much cops you can watch in a motel room in Utah without a beer run in sight. We got to the museum and the owner excitedly greeted us. You could tell it had been a very quiet day with the snow. He was thrilled to show off an extensive collection of animals that he boasted he mostly hunted himself. We'd been there a whole three minutes when he said he had to run a quick errand to the post office, but that we should stay and keep looking. He walked out the door and we heard a loud click. He had locked the front door and the interior of the door did not have a deadbolt or knob to let ourselves out. We were locked in a motherfucking taxidermy museum.

[Cassie]

For some reason I thought this was like going to be an overnight situation. Like they closed like night at the.

[Danielle]

Museums, but night at the taxidermy museum.

[Cassie]

Yeah. I didn't realize it was like within five minutes of arriving in the middle of the day.

[Danielle]

That would scare me so bad if I walked into some weird taxidermy shop and the guy was like, oh, I just have to run a quick errand. I'll be back soon. Click.

[Cassie]

Yeah. Oh, you would lose. You'd be on the phone with the police immediately.

[Danielle]

I'd be like, I'm being kidnapped. I am in a taxidermy museum. I don't like closed in spaces. Don't lock me in. Yeah, that would not go well for me. And it. This person feels the same way because they say at this point I'm starting to panic. Which turns into a game for my fiance. He starts in with, do you think the other building is where he taxidermies humans? And well, at least we have good company. Pan Pan's arms to the hundreds of dead animals staring at us with cold plastic eyes. His laughter and jokes started to fade when we were still in there 45 minutes later. The quick errand turned out to be almost an hour long. The owner chuckled when he got back that he had run into a friend and lost track of time chatting. Little did he know, I almost yanked an antelope off the wall to bust out a window with its horns. I just about ran out of the building when the front door unlocked. While we can laugh about it now, that was the longest hour of my life. I've been wanting to share this story since I started listening to npad, but a part of me has always felt guilty sharing, since the museum owner was genuinely so nice and had trusting intentions, we think. But then again, the man locked us in a taxidermy museum, so I think I'm 1000% justified in sharing this. Enjoy the. But use the buddy system when it comes to taxidermy museums. Cheers, Lauren.

[Cassie]

I can't believe she didn't call anyone. You would have called. I would have given you.

[Danielle]

I would have called 911 immediately.

[Cassie]

Oh, okay. So I was being generous.

[Danielle]

Yeah. I would have banged on the glass for him to turn around, and if he didn't, I would have called 911.

[Cassie]

Yeah. I mean, which is fair because you don't know their intentions, and it feels. You can't just lock people in a building. In a building and leave.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Like, you know, it sounds like it was genuinely a mistake, and he was probably a really nice person and hopefully has not done it since, thankfully. But just especially, I mean, maybe if I was with Al, I wouldn't feel that way. But if I was, if it was me and you, or if I was by myself as a girl locked in a building by a man, I would call the police immediately.

[Cassie]

With a bunch of dead animals.

[Danielle]

With a bunch of dead animals. Yeah.

[Cassie]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

Like, if Al was there, I feel like he would do the same thing her partner did. Where Start choking, make light of it.

[Cassie]

For sure. I can envision that.

[Danielle]

So then maybe I would. I would last a little longer.

[Cassie]

Up to 10, maybe. Okay. You're like, okay, I've had enough. I'm not that interested in it. See, I feel like I would. I feel like I would milk that 45 minutes pretty easily. Like, looking around, depending on the vibe, depending on. Because at first I was like, oh, like a museum. But the way it's described, it feels like it's more of somebody's, like, personal collection. Yeah. That is, like. I don't know.

[Danielle]

That's how serial killer stories begin.

[Cassie]

I don't know. So I was a couple months ago, and Jeff came to visit, and we went. There's a museum that's like kind of in a nearby community that's just like in an old, like, building. And like, it's an. It's a true. It's not somebody's personal collection from present day. But you go into the museum, I had no idea what to expect. I didn't know what this museum was even about. I was just like, you feel like you're. It seems like you're bored, so let's do something. So we go and lo and behold, it is. It is somebody's personal taxidermy collection from, like the 1800s. And this person was like, she. Oh, she was the fiance of John Wilkes Booth.

[Danielle]

Oh, I remember you telling me this.

[Cassie]

Yes. And I forget her name, which is really funny. But anyway, the worst taxidermy ever. She came from, like, a lot of money, so she had a ton of money, like, philanthropic pursuits. And I guess she donated her personal. I mean, there are thousands of taxidermy everything from like big game animals to like thousands of butterflies to eggs of all kinds to reptile.

[Danielle]

It.

[Cassie]

It was a lot. And I feel like Jeff was like Ace Ventura in that scene of. You know, when he walks into the trophy head collection and he's like, gasping. He's like, where have you taken me? I'm like, I'm really sorry. I'm so sorry. But we're here. Enjoy this 10, please enjoy Polar Bear. And he's like, that's really sad.

[Danielle]

I hate it here.

[Cassie]

It's like, get me back to Utah. This is upsetting. Anyway, okay. Roundabout way of saying, I spent 45 minutes there very easily, so I don't even know if I would know I was locked in. Yeah.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

It's the most wonderful time of year. Autumn has arrived and with it, cooler nights and heartier warmer meals. And HelloFresh is here to save the day, bringing you comforting chef design recipes and fresh seasonal ingredients right to your door. And this season, they've taken things up to the next level with their biggest menu refresh yet. It's bigger. They've doubled their menu. Now you can choose from 100 options and each week including new seasonal dishes and recipes from around the world. And you can dig into bigger portions.

[Cassie]

That'Ll keep everyone satisfied.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

It's healthier. Feel great. With an even healthier menu filled with high protein and veggie packed recipes. HelloFresh is now helping you eat greener with new veggie packed recipes that have two or more veggies. And somehow it's tastier. Get steak and seafood recipes delivered every week for no extra cost. There's three times more seafood on the menu now at no extra cost. Discover new seasonal produce every single week, from snap peas to stone fruit to corn on the cob and more. I use HelloFresh every week, two times a week and those two nights and leftovers for lunch the following days are hands down the best tasting homemade meals I make every single week. And I look forward to choosing my meals ahead of time on their site. Usually one vegetarian and one pescatarian meal every week. For me, the best way to cook just got better. Go to hellofresh.com npad10fm now to get 10 free meals and a free item for life. One per box with active subscription free meals applied as discount on first box. New subscribers only, varies by plan. That's hellofresh.com npad10fm to get 10 free meals and a free item for life.

[Cassie]

Okay, we're taking a different turn. We're going to a natural disaster type thing. Okay this story is titled A Close Call with Lightning in the Chiricahua National Monument hi Cassie and Danielle. I'm a longtime listener of your show and a first time story submitter. I told the following story to my sister Hannah, also a big NPAD fan, who urged me to send it into you. So shout out Hannah and here's my story about a sketchy lightning storm in the Chiricahua National Monument. I awoke that morning at a quarter after four with the wild urge to get out and go hiking. I had gotten back late the night before from hanging out with friends, but despite the little sleep, I felt especially energized. I I checked the weather forecast as I packed my gear. It was July and the first monsoon storms had already hit Tucson a week before. Monsoons can be hazardous for hikers, with lightning and flash floods being routine features of the late afternoon storms alongside heavy rain, high winds and hail. I was unconcerned about storms, however, as I intended to be off the trail well before the storms usually arrived and the forecast indicated nothing out of the ordinary for that afternoon. I hit the road as the sun broke over the Rincon Peaks east of town and raced along I10 towards the mountains. It was 7:30 when I parked my car at Maasai Point and began the 10 mile circuit through the national monument's hoodoo forests. Shrubby junipers and stately ponderosa pines grew amongst towering gray columns of volcanic tuff. Agave, yucca and cactus made up the underbrush, filling out the classic sky island ecosystem found in the mountains of southern Arizona and New Mexico. While keeping any eye out for wildlife, I located the greatest natural walking stick I have ever found. This detail may sound dumb, but I just can't express how perfectly straight, ergonomic and well proportioned this staff was. It seemed tailored just to me and combined with the empty trails and beautiful weather was just another lucky addition to an already auspicious day. By 9:30 I made it to Inspiration Point, a high vista which gives incredible views into the interior canyons of the national monument. I found a small ammo box hidden beside a tuff boulder with open me scratched into the lid. Opening it revealed a notebook and pen for hikers to leave messages, along with dozens of fragments of paper, coins, seashells, a picture of someone's pet peacock, and more. My favorite note read Enjoy a beer on us weary traveler. Sorry, it's PBR Ned and Ashley3224 I left a short note of my own and continued hiking. I took Big Balanced Rock Trail past its namesake into the heart of the Rocks Loop where I ate my lunch amongst the hoodoos. Visible to the south were the largest of the Chiricahuas, irregular mountains which alternated between jagged ridges and wide, rounded peaks. Many extended entered timber zones where trees clumped in dark patches, giving the mountains a look like the back of a great buffalo shedding his shaggy winter hide. I hiked down into the Sarah Deming Canyon, thankful again to have my trusty staff as I navigated the steep terrain before heading east and north up the walls of Rhyolite Canyon. Around noon, as I descended the northern wall of Echo Canyon, I turned back and saw dark thunderheads gathering about the mountain peaks. In the hour or so that I had been in the canyons with a sight. With sight line cut off to the south, monsoon storms had moved in. My mood instantly darkened. I increased my pace to stay ahead of the storm clouds, which swept north and west with astonishing speed. I was deep in Echo Canyon, climbing higher into the northern hoodoos when the thunder and lightning began to crack and boom on the plains to the west. I began to really regret my position. I was under the ragged edge of the storm. The sky split black and blue above my head. The safest place from the lightning would have been deep down in the canyon, but that would have involved hiking back under the storm clouds and trading the threat of lightning for that of flash floods. I debated sheltering in place among the hoodoos, but the weather was only going to worsen and I really doubted the ability of the volcanic tough to protect me from the lightning. Recalling An NPAD episode about hikers struck by lightning in a cave on Yosemite's Half Dome. Who could ever forget that? That was really upsetting.

[Danielle]

Yeah, that was an awful episode.

[Cassie]

My best option appeared to be hiking with all haste back to my car. The trail was very exposed along the rim of Echo Canyon, but there were only two miles left and I was still somewhat ahead of the storm. I decided to press my advantage and booked it. I knew that lightning can strike even in clear conditions, and I was under no illusion that just because I was on the edge of the storm that I was safe. The truth was that at that point, no option was safe, and the best thing I could do was to minimize my time exposed to the storm. While the hoodoos conveyed a psychological comfort and gave the feeling of COVID I knew they offered no actual protection from any incoming lightning strikes. For the first time in years, I felt legitimate fear about the situation that I was in. I remembered that the average person has a 1 in 11,000ish chance of being struck by lightning in their lifetimes. I wondered what the probability was for me now. I was unsure about the exact amount of risk I faced. I doubted my decision to charge down the last couple miles of the trail, and I flinched peel of thunder. But I stuck with my decision and kept my thoughts on the shrinking trail ahead of me and humored myself with thoughts about what stories would be told in the wake of my electrified annihilation. At least I'd go. Suddenly, while doing something I loved. Hannah, at least, would understand. I was practically running from COVID to cover between stands of hoodoos. I held my walking stick horizontally at my side as I navigated stairs, rocks and boulders, winding my way ever closer to the trailhead. At one point, I nearly halted at the sight of a large gap in the hoodoos, the 50 or so feet that was completely open. I kept my eyes on the blue sky ahead of me and hurried across it. But by midway, the thought occurred to me that my loyal hiking staff might cause me more risk than benefit, that I might be carrying a wooden lightning rod that could make the difference between getting hit or getting home. It had been with me all day, contributing to a sense of confidence and fearlessness during my terse mental deliberations about the incoming storm and my rapid evacuation from the canyon. But in that moment of exposure and fear, my nerve broke and I dropped it. As I rushed along the trail into the next patch of COVID I turned to look behind me and saw my faithful friend lying betrayed and abandoned in the dust. I kept going and soon it was out of view. It's like Wilson.

[Danielle]

Wilson, Wilson.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

No.

[Cassie]

At this point I was close to the Echo Canyon trailhead, which lay a quarter mile or so ahead of Maasai Point. Thunder boomed behind me, and I whispered a repetitive chant for safety, aimed as much at heaven as it was at whatever spirits yet remain among the hoodoos. I scrambled around an outcropping of tough boulders when I suddenly came upon a family of tourists. I was alarmed at the sight of them casually strolling and admiring the rocks. I quickly explained that it wasn't safe for them to be on the trail with the lightning storm bearing down. The dad said something about how they weren't planning on being there long anyways, and thanked me for my concern. I nodded, realizing I wasn't going to convince them to turn around, and made a mental note to tell the visitor center of the hikers I knew to still be on the trail. That family plus one other hiker and trail runner I'd passed eight lives still on the trail. This gave the rush back to my vehicle a sense of purpose beyond the simple satisfaction of my survival instinct. In record time, I reached Maasai Point, drenched in sweat and laughing hysterically as I reveled in the protection of my Honda Faraday cage. I pounded a lead of water and electrolytes and drove down into Bonita Canyon to talk to a ranger at the visitor center. I walked in quickly, rain beginning to patter on the parking lot, and made a beeline for an elderly woman sitting at the front desk. She was the only parks employee I had seen all day. I quickly relayed to her the seriousness of the weather conditions outside, the eight souls still out on the trail, and the disaster that could potentially unfold. I asked if there was another ranger who could hike in, or at least sit at the trailhead and count the hikers on their way out to account for their safety, and her response dumbfounded me. Did you see the big balanced rock? She asked, completely unfazed by my concern. What? I responded. The big balanced rock. She pointed to a poster on the wall. Did you see it? Yeah, I responded, absolutely perplexed. Did you take a photo of it? She asked. Yeah, I think so, I said, unsure of what the hell was going on with this lady. Well, that means you hiked at least five miles today and you get a pin. She produced a small metal pin from the drawer in front of her, bearing the image of the big balanced rock. This lady completely disregarded everything I told her of the storm the hikers, the deteriorating weather conditions. I was soaked with sweat, flushed with exertion. Rain was audibly hitting the roof. I just told her of the imminent possibility of loss of life and this crazy old bat wanted to give me a pin. I hesitated for a second and began to turn around. At the same moment, a ranger walked in the door, relieved at the sight of another parks employee. I shot out a quick thank you to the lady at the desk, took the pin for some reason, and then quickly relayed everything to the other ranger. She listened and thanked me for the information, adding that the monument had a procedure for bad weather and would make sure everyone would make it off of the trail safely. I thanked her and walked back to my vehicle, letting the rain fall on me as I strode across the parking lot. I sat a moment before I turned the engine on, processing everything that had just happened and meditating on the new respect I had for the weather. I vowed to do more research on lightning safety, look at more than one forecast before committing to a long hike, and make no assumptions about weather, regardless how clear and sunny the day seemed. I urge other listeners to do the same when participating in the outdoors, in addition to the preparations we make for the risks presented by wildlife, terrain, temperature, and more, it is important to never leave home without a contingency for sudden bad weather, especially during yearly periods of unpredictable patterns like monsoon season in Arizon. A thank you for reading my story. I wrote it more as a thank you for providing good information about stories about the outdoors. I really did think about the Yosemite lightning fatalities during my own lightning experience and it convinced me to not shelter in the safe feeling, but actually unsafe hoodoos. I'm also pretty sure that the 1 in 11,000 statistic came from your episode about Sparky, the Shenandoah ranger who got struck several times during his life as a ranger. Seven times actually. Or no, 11.

[Danielle]

I don't remember. It's been a while.

[Cassie]

You guys can tell me. By sharing stories that may seem macabre about the risky, hazardous and deadly situations that claim the lives of other unfortunate outdoorsmen, you provide lessons for the rest of us to live by. Alongside Tooth and Claw and other podcasts that feature stories of wilderness survival scenarios, you provide an incredible source of entertaining information that undoubtedly has helped inform the actions of other hikers to their benefit. So thank you for your podcast and I look forward to the next episode.

[Danielle]

Sincerely, Jordan well, glad you made it out, Jordan.

[Cassie]

Yeah, that's scary. It's like I feel like in older age and with the knowledge of what we've now learned over the journey of national park after dark. I don't know. I used to, like, get really stoked for thunder and lightning storms, especially in the summer as they roll in in the afternoons here in New England. It's just. It's a really, like, almost comforting type of thing. Or. I used to find it cozy. Yeah. But now I'm scared.

[Danielle]

Same. We've scared ourselves for sure. And I think there's just something different about where I live too, because I'm at higher elevation and I'm kind of towards the top of a mountain.

[Cassie]

And your neighbors fucking outhouse blew up with a lightning strike.

[Danielle]

My neighbors actually got struck by lightning. Not the people, just their outhouse. Yeah. And sometimes when we're up here, I mean, I've. The thunder is so loud, and I just feel I'm not the tallest thing around me, which is helpful. And that's something important to know, is that lightning usually goes for the tallest thing around. So even in the hoodoos, you know.

[Cassie]

Yeah. But can it bounce around? And it can.

[Danielle]

And I mean, it's definitely not a safe situation. And glad you got out of there. But even with that, like, where they say wherever you are, you just don't want to be the tallest thing around. And also, if you're outdoors and there's really nowhere to shelter to stand on your backpack and curl up and wait it out because you're creating a gap between you. So if the ground or something near you gets struck, that electricity is not going to come up through your feet. If you're standing on your backpack. Of course, if you have, like, metal and shit on it, like, make sure that's off of it. But yeah, I just. When I'm at my house now, I hear the lightning or I hear the thunder. Lightning. Yeah.

[Cassie]

You're in the market for a.

[Danielle]

So close. I'm in the market for a lightning rod.

[Cassie]

Yeah. So if anyone knows how to get.

[Danielle]

One in Vermont, because I have been struggling to find someone who actually installs them, please let me know.

[Cassie]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

Because I'm scared.

[Cassie]

I'm scared. You first told me all of that when I was physically trapped at your house when the roads were eroding away.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Cassie]

And you're like, oh, by the way, it's really dangerous up here and you're stuck and we can't leave.

[Danielle]

Like, do you like my house?

[Cassie]

Get me out of here.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

There's a scam going on right now that almost got me about unpaid toll fees. And it's not just happening to me.

[Cassie]

Multiple friends have said they've gotten similar.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Texts between that and the confirm your credit card details messages from weird emails claiming to be delivery services Fraud is lurking when it comes to your money, you deserve to feel safe from fraud and in control. And that's exactly what you can expect with Cash App. When you get the Cash App card, not only do you get access to a ton of perks and benefits like exclusive early access to nationwide concert pre sales or discounts on popular brands, but you also have extra security with the power to instantly lock or unlock your card right from your phone in just one tap. If a suspicious transaction pops up on your card, Cash App has your back by automatically declining the purchase and sending you a heads up to confirm it's you or not. Behind the scenes you can rest assured knowing your account balance is protected by 24.

[Cassie]

7 fraud monitoring.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

And if something ever feels off, you have the ability to lock your card right from your phone in just one tap. With Cash App you can spend, save and live your life knowing your money is right where you left it. With advanced built in security protections you can count on and help when you need it. Spend with peace of mind today and order a Cash App card in the app or at Cash App Card for a limited time only new Cash App customers can use our exclusive code to earn some additional cash for real. Just download Cash App, use our exclusive referral code Secure 10 in your profile, send $5 to a friend within 14 days and you'll get $10 dropped right into your account. Terms apply.

[Cassie]

That's money.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

That's Cash App. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partners Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank Member FDIC Instant discounts provided by Cash App, a Block Inc.

[Cassie]

Brand.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Visit Cash App legal podcast for full disclosures.

[Danielle]

Oh okay. My next story is titled Jenny Lake Ranger hello ladies. This isn't so much a trail tale, it's more of an expression of my gratitude for your education of all things National Park. I am a fairly new listener. I stumbled upon your podcast while looking for two of my favorite things, national parks and societal history, especially of the haunted variety. One of the first episodes I listened to was a trail tale about a rescue from the Jenny Lake Rangers, where I learned they are the badass elite of the NPS Rangers. Just this last week, my family and I traveled to Wyoming for my husband's dad's surprise 80th birthday, just about 30 miles from Jackson Hole. Fortunately, I have an extended family who loves hiking, so a few were up for a quick hike to the Tetons. I hadn't put Jenny Lake and the Tetons together until someone mentioned doing the lake trail and it dawned on me. I told the family about the Jenny Lake rangers and my desire to meet one. They thought I was a little ridiculous, but I felt no shame. Imagine David Rhodes of Schitt's Creek with his snarky response of not feeling shame for the mall pretzel here. Obviously my husband and I went to the ranger cabin first thing. There were two rangers there. The younger one was helping a different couple, so I asked the older gentleman if he was one of the badasses of the exclusive of Jenny Lake Rangers. He chuckled a little and said yes that he had been there for 30 years. He explained that he was one of the oldest veterans, confirmed what had been mentioned on the podcast, that there was very little turnover and how the newer generation, gesturing to the other ranger, are getting prepared to take the reins. After chatting a bit, I asked if I could take a picture with him and he tried to push it off on the new arranger and I, politely yet aggressively with love of course said no, I want you. You're an og. You've seen some. He laughed again and willingly complied. He came out from behind the desk like his arthritis had seen better days. He took a selfie with my husband and I and asked how I heard about the jlr. I told him it was because of your podcast and since I was so close I had to meet the greatness in person and get a picture so I could die happy. As we were thanking him and leaving the ranger cabin he threw out, we should listen to the lightning strike episode. We went for a hike to the waterfalls and Inspiration Point and on the way home turned on episode 13. Little did we know the ranger we talked to, Jack McConnell, was one of the two rangers who ran, slash, scaled the mountain and 45 minutes to get to the injured. Holy nutballs. Our jaws dropped. The dude with arthritis and bow legs is truly a hero and a freaking savage. I was in awe meeting him, but after learning about his heroism I wish I was able to express the astonishment directly. I feel very fortunate to have met such an amazing human and get a picture with him. One of the coolest aspects is how much you can tell he still loves his job after 30 years. I just wanted to thank you ladies for the podcast and love you share for all cool stories surrounding the amazing playgrounds in our country. I've shared your podcast with several work friends but you for sure have a large following for my extended family. Now I included pictures of the fraction of my family who went to the Tetons as well as the picture of my husband and I took with Jack. Please keep doing what you do. Much love and appreciation, Gwen.

[Cassie]

Well, I subconsciously put those two trails. The one I just read about Jordan thinking about the lightning strike episode and now. You know what I mean?

[Danielle]

Yeah. You always find like a little theme in there.

[Cassie]

I know. And I put these together like kind of months ahead of time. So if it feels like I'm listening to it for the first time, we'll see. Cool. I mean it's cool to see like people actually making real life connections and stuff through the stories we share. So that's always.

[Danielle]

Yeah. And it's nice that you're showing a bunch of love for the people who are involved too.

[Cassie]

Yeah. And deserved of that to love. Yes. My second story is titled Eminent Doom is Lurking Beneath Safeway. Yes, it relates to nature.

[Danielle]

Question mark. I always was suspicious of Safeway, so I'm intrigued.

[Cassie]

Deep beneath the grounds of the small mountainous community of Nevada City slash Grass Valley, California lies something that third grade me was terrified of. Something lurking, waiting to give in and wreak havoc.

[Danielle]

Dick Safeway.

[Cassie]

Hi ladies. My name is Will. Feel free to use my name. I've changed the names of other people involved. I live in Bellingham, Washington, but previously lived in Nevada City, California, where this story takes place. You called for small city lore and here I am providing. Although I don't know if people were as genuinely terrified as I was. So I don't know if this counts, but it is definitely known by the public. It has caused many sinkholes and a few newspaper articles and studies done about this. So Nevada City is a mining town in Northern California that became pretty popular during the Gold Rush. This will be important to the story as I get into it. So without further ado. I was in Mrs. Zell's third grade class. As any other third grader, I was bouncing up and down with energy, ready to learn about the Gold Rush. It was the first day of the unit after all. Who wasn't excited? Actually, everyone. Everyone wasn't excited. Everyone but me. We looked at the map of the Empire Mine State park and learned about what gold was. We ended it with city lore. Deep beneath the ground, there are 367 miles of flooded underground mining tunnels that extend all throughout the city. The weakest spot was right below our local Safeway, where I go all the time with my mom and is less than a Mile from our house. I mean, she had to be joking, right? Nope, she was not. You know that scene at the end of season four of Stranger Things where it is just the ground ripped open and looks like pure hell? That was going to happen at Safeway. Where would I get my ice cream? Where would I get the stupid little Safeway Monopoly cards that I never won anything from? I wasn't really concerned about food as much as I was about those things. I was the only person scared of the Safeway giving out when I was inside of it.

[Danielle]

It.

[Cassie]

I wouldn't step in it for months, probably six to 10, because I didn't want to sink into the ground. A 2022 report deemed the underground mining tunnels very unstable. I was going to end up with the donkeys that couldn't pull themselves out. And that wouldn't happen if I didn't go in. Thankfully, while I lived there, nothing did happen beneath Safeway, but I will not be going back. So for those who are wondering, how does this connect to a nature to nature or a national park? As I said earlier, Empire Mine is a state park. Does this count? Yes, of course counts. And it is where those tunnels originate from. Also, I don't know if this is quite small city lore, but eminent doom is lurking beneath Safeway deep, deep down, haunting that small city. Thanks again for all you do and hope you enjoyed the story. Even if it may not count as small city lore. Enjoy the view, but don't get too close to Safeway, Will. I mean, the things you learn in like third grade stick with me forever. Forever. Remember, like that meme that's been going around. It's like, I can't believe how concerned I was about the sun exploding in 5 billion years when I was 12 or something like that. It's like, how is nobody thinking about this stuff anymore?

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Cassie]

And it feels like that is. I mean, it seems like much more of a reality that you should be concerned about because sinkholes are very real and can be quite dangerous.

[Danielle]

If I ever see a news article that says Safeway collapsed into a sinkhole.

[Cassie]

Some somewhere Will from Bellingham, Washington, well, it's gonna be like.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I knew it.

[Cassie]

I knew it.

[Danielle]

It's why I haven't gone in in years.

[Cassie]

I've been trying to warn the people. Yeah. So if you're in Nevada City, Safeway. Be careful out there.

[Danielle]

Careful out there. Yeah. Use our code. Npad@safeway.

[Cassie]

Do you remember the Monopoly things? We had them at Shaws, I think.

[Danielle]

Yeah. I feel like Market Basket might have had them. When we were kids.

[Cassie]

Yeah. I'm. My stepdad was so into them. Like, we had like, stacks and stacks and I don't know if anything ever came of them. I thought it was a scam.

[Danielle]

Major couponing, where you go in and you bring in all these groceries and then they owe you like $3.

[Cassie]

Yeah. You know who does that? We know somebody. We know an extreme couponer.

[Danielle]

We do, yeah.

[Cassie]

Jess, from our group trips. Vet tech. Is she. Yes.

[Danielle]

I didn't know.

[Cassie]

She'll post her hauls on Instagram and she'll be like, you know, this was the retail value, this is the coupon amount, and, like, this is what I was owed. And then she has like a picture of her stash.

[Danielle]

I need to pick her brain.

[Cassie]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

I want to just do it one time. Just for the thrill.

[Cassie]

Yeah. Just to see what you think happens.

[Danielle]

When you're in your 30s. I just want to feel something.

[Cassie]

I was like. Because there was a show about that, wasn't it?

[Danielle]

Yeah, there was. Wasn't it called like Major Couponers or something?

[Cassie]

I don't know. But it was around the time that my mom was like, you guys can't have me and my sister. Like, we're not doing cable, like for the summer. Like, like where you need to. You can have like the five basic channels and then like go outside. Which I'm very thankful for now. But one of those channels was. It always had Supermarket Sweep on. Do you remember that show?

[Danielle]

It rings some bells.

[Cassie]

But the whole premise was essentially contestants would like, start at a grocery store with carts and a timer. Would. They would have like a time.

[Danielle]

Oh, I do kind of remember that.

[Cassie]

And they would have to go and get like the most expensive, expensive things or something. And so I remember everyone would always go to the baby aisle first, cuz every, like diapers and formula and like, things that were like a lot of money.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Cassie]

I don't know. The prep, the details are fuzzy, but that made me feel something when I was 10, I guess. Like, what are they doing? So the opposite of extreme couponers. Yeah.

[Danielle]

You were watching that? I was watching SpongeBob.

[Cassie]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

The trauma our parents put us through.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Have you ever heard a true paranormal story that terrified you so much that.

[Cassie]

It stuck with you for years?

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Well, Monsters Among Us podcast has thousands each week. Monsters Among Us brings you chilling true stories from real people. People sharing their eerie experiences with the paranormal. From ghostly sightings to encounters with strange creatures, this show dives into the unknown and leaves you questioning everything you thought you knew. The tales are told in the witness's own voice from callers all around the world. Witnesses like Julie, who drove past a car accident only to realize a spirit had just joined her in her passenger seat. Or an anonymous caller who saw three strange entities in the the woods moving in unison, then lost eight whole hours without any explanation. Or Mac from Mississippi, who broke his back when he fell out of his tree stand, only to be nursed back to health by a sympathetic Sasquatch. These tales of the supernatural are carefully collected and curated by host Derek Hayes and shared in the form of audio recordings that get straight to the meat of each terrifying story. Derek cultivates an atmosphere that is equal parts spooky and nostalgic. Think Unsolved Mysteries meets Art Bell. This show is appropriate for all audiences. With a back catalog of nearly 500 episodes, it's ready to binge. So whether you're a skeptic or a true believer, Monsters Among Us is the perfect podcast to fuel your fascination with the paranormal and send shivers down your spine. Listen to Monsters Among Us podcast now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Cassie]

Okay, do you have another one? I'm lost.

[Danielle]

I do.

[Cassie]

Okay.

[Danielle]

Mine is titled the Ghost of a Royal park and a bonus story where I become the source of some family lore, and it involves a serial killer. Okay, hey ladies and the rest of the NPAD community, it's tradition to begin these trail tales with gushing about how loved you both are and how this is, hands down, the best podcast ever. Thank you. I have binged through all your episodes to the point where I can only allow myself to listen while I'm at the gym so I don't go through them too fast. It also encourages me to extend my workouts so I can keep listening longer. I find myself captivated by your storytelling and it's also really fun to hear all your side tangents. Thank you.

[Cassie]

Hope you enjoyed that last one.

[Danielle]

Yeah, we have lots of them.

[Cassie]

We're just giving the people what they want.

[Danielle]

My trail tale begins in 2018. I was going to school in Seattle and it was the beginning of my senior year of college. I have always enjoyed hiking and camping growing up and I wanted to do more of it in my life, but for some reason felt stuck. At some point I realized I could just go alone. I didn't need permission or an invitation from anyone else, so I made it a goal that for my remaining time in Seattle, I would make experiencing the incredible outdoor areas nearby a priority. I did my first solo hike in Snow Lake in The Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, and I was absolutely elated. The next weekend I was still riding the high as I set out to hike Raptor Ridge in Arroyo park in Bellingham, Washington.

[Cassie]

Oh my. Another Wellington, Another connection.

[Danielle]

You guys know each other.

[Cassie]

What am I doing?

[Danielle]

There's themes in all of them. There always is in every trail Tales. Where the trail begins is relatively close to town and there are even some houses along some stretches of trail before it goes deeper into the the forest. I was excited to get out again, but I soon came to realize the vibe was completely different this time. First, the driving directions I had gotten off all trails were incorrect and it had me driving up a gravel road that seemed more like a driveway. And I began passing abandoned cars, scavenged RVs, and piles of junk that began to grow bigger and bigger as I drove. It was sketchy, so I turned around and pulled into a dark, eerily lit gas station to try and piece together some better directions. Soon I was on my way and was pulling into the correct parking lot. As I got out of my car and got my gear together, I just had a weird feeling like I wasn't supposed to be there. At one point another car pulled into the parking lot, parked a few minutes, then left. Also, keep in mind that it's probably close to 5am at this point, so the eerie feelings are exasperated by the fact that it was still dark. Alarm bells were going off in my head and what did I tell myself? Eh, I drove all this way. I'm sure it's fine. And I set off on the trail. The bad feeling persisted. Every little noise startled me and I was on high alert. I would come around a corner and my headlamp would reflect off something and make me jump, thinking it was a person or a monster. At one point I heard a really loud banshee like screech off in the distance. And what do you know, it came from the direction I was heading. I came to a junction in the trail. It was a wider, more open area. I went over to the sign to check my trail connection. Out of the corner of my eye I. I saw the silhouette of a human form just a few feet away from me. It was the figure of a woman and from what I could tell it seemed like an indigenous woman wearing a dress and her outline was giving off a pale green light. By the time I had turned my head all the way towards her, she was gone and the forest was completely silent. At first I wasn't sure what I had just seen. And then it Slowly dawned on me. I had seen a ghost. Still, I hiked on, and in about 30 minutes or so, it was light enough to not need my headlamp anymore, and all my bad feelings had dissipated. I got to my destination and had the viewpoint all to myself. On my way back to the trailhead, I stopped by the spot I had my ghostly encounter to try and see if I could debunk what I had seen. I looked for clues, anything that could have caught my headlamp light, anything that could have cast a weird shadow. There was nothing I can't explain or reason it away, so I'm sticking to my conclusion that I saw a ghost. Then things got a little weird again. I was back in the part of the park where there was a neighborhood around me, and it was supposed to be an easy walk back to my car, but I kept getting lost. I somehow got stuck on a loop, walking in circles back to that same spot over and over. No matter which path I chose, it wasn't leading me back to my car. I confirmed each time I was back at the place which trail I was supposed to take, and each time, it kept me circling. I started the day with the forest telling me to leave, and now it wouldn't let me go. Eventually, I took some shortcuts that I probably wasn't supposed to. I know I'm a big leave no trace person, and I didn't like it, But I was desperate to get home. I found my way back to the car and drove home. Now, I had this paranormal encounter that I didn't know how to process or make sense of. But, hey, it's a good story. I definitely got haunted. That's the end of my trail tale. But I also wanted to throw in a little family lore story, per your recent request. I don't even know how to ease into the story, so I'm just gonna raw dog it it.

[Cassie]

Great.

[Danielle]

Great. The night I was born, the midwife named Martha that delivered me had stayed a little later after her normal shift, to finish things up with me in the hospital. She had also delivered my brother a few years earlier. So my family was familiar with her and we all had a really good rapport. When she finally left to drive home, she became the victim of the serial killer known as Caesar Barron. He shot at her car, running her off the side of the road, moved her into his car, and then drove further down the road where he attempted to sexually assault her, then shot her in the head and dumped her in the road.

[Cassie]

Holy.

[Danielle]

That's awful. He had multiple victims from his adolescence and then a handful more victims from the Pacific Northwest. It was brutal. And I knew about the incident from a much too young of an age that got the death penalty but died of bone cancer while he was on death row. He was given one last chance to talk to detectives about his crimes and give any sense of closure. He didn't give them anything. The hospital has a statue of her outside as a memorial. I went and saw it on my birthday a few years ago to tell Martha thank you for sticking it out with me and that I hope she would be proud of me and all the other people she had helped bring into the world throughout her career. This is definitely family lore. Origin worthy. The story goes further though. When I was newly dating my partner, I had told her this story and she said, wait, I know about this. My partner's mom was a nurse and worked in the same hospital, so she knew Martha. After the murder, she had told my partner, who was still little, that something bad had happened to one of her co workers and that she hoped the little girl would grow up and not feel burdened by her connection to that tragedy. My partner's mom had been praying for me my entire life, not knowing who I was and then having me come into her life as her daughter's girlfriend. Anyways, that's all I have for you. Thanks for reading this and thank you for all that you do. I hope I run into you someday on the trail and maybe a ghost at the same time so we can all get haunted together. All the love, Sarah.

[Cassie]

Wow. I loved both of those stories. Love the raw dog transition. Sometimes there is no natural segue. But thank you for sharing both of them because they were both so interesting. I mean, the second one is horrific. Awful.

[Danielle]

It's awful.

[Cassie]

I don't know if I was prepared.

[Danielle]

For that weird connection. Life is funny though, to find that connection later in life to something like that and then to have that weird ghost encounter. And glad to hear you're out on the trails. I will have to pass on getting haunted together, but I would love to see you on the trail.

[Cassie]

Let's leave the haunting out of it. Yeah.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

This episode of National Park After Dark is sponsored by Graza Fresh Never blended Single origin olive oil. And when I say single origin, I mean Graza is made with only one type of of olive from one region. No mysterious blends.

[Cassie]

And as an Italian, I take the.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Quality of olive oil very seriously. I'm doing the the Italian hand gesture right now. I also take making cooking as easy as possible seriously and With Graza's Squeeze and spray bottles, that means no more messy drip spouts, which also means less cleanup. And I love options. So with their three types of olive oil for any task, their Drizzle perfect for top chopping salads or using for a bread dish, their Sizzle for everyday.

[Cassie]

Cooking like marinating and sauteing, and their.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Frizzle for crisping and grilling. No matter what you're cooking, Graza has got you covered and it may or may not count as cooking, but I've really been into just plain chocolate ice cream with a little splash of drizzle Graza olive oil on top for a sweet treat. And don't knock it till you try it.

[Cassie]

Okay.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Speaking of trying it, you can get 10 off of your first order on Graz's site, but I personally suggest just grabbing the Trio. That's all three squeezy bottles, the Sizzle, Frizzle and Drizzle. So you're set for every style of.

[Cassie]

Cooking you may need.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

So head to Graza Co and use NPAD to get 10% off of Trio, which includes the Sizzle, Frizzle and Drizzle. And get to cooking your next chef quality meal.

[Cassie]

Okay, my last one is a little lengthy, but if I included it, I meant to and it's worth it. Okay. It is titled My Star Crossed Lover is Trolling Me from the Afterlife as a Blue Butterfly. Hi ladies. This is a trail tale that spans decades, multiple states, national parks, the material and spiritual worlds. It's long, but I promise I'll land the plane eventually. Grant was my man. That's not my man. We met when we were in our early teens at Sleepawake summer camp in the foothills of the Berkshires and instantly became inseparable. Camp is where of our love for the great outdoors started. After camp ended that first summer, we stayed up for hours at night talking on the phone. We only lived about 15 minutes away from each other, so once we could drive, we also started hanging out outside of camp. We continued to get closer throughout our teenage years and eventually transitioned from campers to counselors together. We remained extremely close, spending our days off together, always fielding questions from those around us on whether we were together like that. That we were being shipped long before that was a word. Our life paths started to diverge. Me going off to college in Maryland, him staying in Connecticut and trying to put himself through college. Eventually he dropped out due to financial reasons and began a more nomadic lifestyle. He started organic farming in mountain towns in exchange for room and board so he could spend his free time in the mountains and he kept getting called back to the area surrounding Glacier National Park. He eventually settled in Whitefish, Montana and became deeply rooted in the mountaineering and organic farming community there. Over the years we remained close, catching up through texts, phone calls, Instagram, DMs. He'd visit me in Maryland when he'd make his way back east or we tried to see each other when we were home for the holidays. One of us was usually in a relationship, so nothing ever came out of it romantically. On one of these visits when I'd had more than enough to drink, I proclaimed my love for him while we were stargazing. I don't recall much other than him just having a big ass grin on his face and saying he loved me too, but still neither of us crossed that line to more than friends. Years later I went out to visit him while he was spending the farming off season in Utah. We took an eight hour round trip to Bryce Canyon to hike and during that drive he said, em, remember that night you told me you loved me? I groaned and said something like please don't embarrass me. He gave me his smile that basically sparkled and proceeded to tell me that night was the best night of his life. He went on to say that while he loved Montana farming and his lifestyle so much, if there was one person he would give it up all for, it would be me. I was stunned speechless. I was recently out of a serious and toxic relationship, had just moved to Boston, and was in the early stages of dating someone new. What he said scared the out of me. I loved him so much, but I couldn't fathom ripping him away from the things and places he loved so much. But I still always thought we'd find our way back to each other romantically. The last few years, things carried on in our usual cadence, remaining close but never crossing the friend line. I thought we had more time. Spoiler alert. We did not. On Sunday, August 18, 2024, Grant blissfully woke up in the backcountry of Glacier national park after a night spent cowboy camping in the mountains with a friend. They went on to summit Heaven's Peak together. Grant then went on to climb McPartland Peak solo. He and his friend made a plan to meet back later that day, but Grant never showed. That evening his friend alerted park rangers that he never made it to their rendezvous spot. What ensued was an all hands on deck attempt to try and locate him by foot and by air. The area he was last seen in was super technical terrain, so Only highly skilled personnel were allowed to join the search party. Before we go further, let me say Grant was a highly skilled hiker, climber and mountaineer. He was 32 years old and had completed over 197 ascents, at least 90 of which were in glacier. He had also hiked and climbed in the Himalayas. He had an extensive list of outdoor achievements. This was his passion and how he decided to invest his time when he wasn't busting his butt on a farm. He was also described by friends in the glacier mountaineering community as having no ego and all kindness. Sure, he had a higher risk tolerance than the average person, but he understood the risks he was taking, was prepared and knew when to call it. On Sunday, August 25, 2024, a week after he was last seen heading up McPartland 2, Bear Air spotted his body 1/3 of a mile east of McPartland Peak below the ridgeline between Heaven's Peak and Peak and McPartland Peak. His injuries indicated he sustained a deadly fall, a tragic accident. It gutted me and turned my world upside down. It made me rethink everything, why I lived, where I did, what I was prioritizing in life, etc. His passing has been really difficult for obvious reasons. Losing someone you're close to is heartbreaking, but it's also been gut wrenching for a much less obvious reason. To those around me, I'm forced to grieve what could have been with him that we didn't have more time to find out our race our way romantically and I'm forced to sit with the what ifs that will never be in this lifetime. I'm hopeful about the next lifetime though. He was truly an amazing human.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

He was a goof.

[Cassie]

He was the type of guy who'd come visit you across the country and whip out a cabbage and carrot from his backpack so he could make you coleslaw with the produce he grew. He was always up for an adventure. He gave the best bear hugs. He was kind, but not so kind that he wouldn't roost ruthless ruthlessly roast you for your double chin in a photo. He flew by the seat of his pants and was completely unfazed by even the craziest circumstances. He always had a ridiculous story to which you'd reply, you did what? He was everyone's biggest cheerleader and supporter, always ready with words of encouragement. He was humble beyond belief and so dang curious. He believed there was something to learn from everyone he met and he lived a life he loved. The day they announced they Found his body in A press release August 26, 2024. What in the today's August 26th recording.

[Danielle]

It one year to the date of that Damn.

[Cassie]

One of my close friends, Paige, went to yoga. She had never met Grant, but knew how important he was to me and had been supporting me during the time he was missing. She is more woo woo spiritual than I am. So during a meditation she asked for a sign. Grant, if you can hear me me, show me a blue butterfly. A few days later, I was off from work and wanted to go on a hike to honor Grant. It is what he loved to do and more importantly, something we love to do together. I was living in Boston at the time, so I picked out a trail in the White Mountains. I told Paige my plan and like the amazing friend she is, she insisted I not go alone and that she'd take the day off to join me. We went on our hike and had a great time. It was a beautiful late August New England day and it was exactly what I needed to ground myself after my world was was so rocked. Paige and I were closing in on the end of our seven mile hike and we're only about 800 meters from the trailhead when a blue butterfly came and landed on my arm and just stayed there. Paige and I burst into hysterical tears and laughs. The blue butterfly then flew to some of the nearby brush on the side of the trail and hung out there letting us take photos and videos of it. And ever since, Grant sends me blue butterflies. Sometimes they're like a hey, what's up? Hello. Please read in the Fetty Wap voice. I hope I did that justice. Like a gymnast competing in the Olympics dressed as a blue butterfly or a blue butterfly painted on a city mural. Sometimes he's trolling me or flirting with me, like with an Instagram ad for a bra with blue butterfly nipple covers. Get your head out of the gutter, my man. And most often, I see them on almost every trail. Run and hike, hike in the Wasatch Mountains, near my home in the state of Utah, and all over recent trips to the Grand Teton national park and Sawtooth National Forest. He has a way of sending them to me when I need them most. A lot of times it's when I need a little motivation or encouragement. Someone to tell me you got this or keep on going on a hard route. Other times it's more dramatic. On a recent summit of Lone pike in the wasatch, a challenging 16.5 mile trail run with 5, 700ft of vert on a Hundred degree day, I accidentally took a wrong turn on my descent. My watch beeped and since I had a sun hoodie covering it, I just assumed it was a mile marker. But as I looked down I saw there was a blue butterfly at my feet that wouldn't leave. So I stopped to say hi and asked Grant why he was so obsessed with me. The butterfly then started going in the direction I had come from. I quickly checked my watch and sure enough my watch had beeped because I had gone off my route and the butterfly led me back to the right turnoff. It was towards the end of a pretty long hot day and I was almost out of water. There he was, was looking out for me. Then on a recent backpacking trip to the Sawtooths in Idaho, I got myself into a little bit of a pickle. The last day we were supposed to hike six to seven miles out, which involved a few river crossings. It was pretty early and still pretty crisp, so I didn't particularly feel like waiting in an ice cold river with my heavy pack and being wet and potentially cold for the drive home. I looked at the map and saw that I should be able to bypass the river crossings by just staying on the side of the river we were already on. There were trails marked for two of the bypasses and one of them it wasn't marked, but I thought, thought how bad could it be? I somehow roped a new friend into this adventure with me and we set off to bypass that dang river. Initially there was a bit of a trail, then the trail became a little more sparse. So we started bushwhacking and I followed the map to try and connect us to the trail after the river crossings. I'm looking at the map and we're getting so close, but we started running into some pretty big rock formations and I'm like, I wonder where this trail is. I continue on a little farther and look down to this the see the trail hundreds of feet below us, essentially down a cliff. I forgot about those silly little elevation lines on the map. We started looking for routes down and every time I was like, maybe we remember we have these big packs with our backpacking gear. After quite some time trying and failing to scope out a safe route down, I suggested we take a break to regroup. I was starting to panic. We didn't really have time to bushwhack back to the river crossing. Our group was going to be worried about us if we didn't show up by a certain time. But I also didn't see a way down as soon as I found a safe place to sit, a blue butterfly came and sat right next to me long enough for me to tell my new friend about Grant and how he sends me blue butterflies. Which, as you can probably tell by now, isn't a quick story. Once the butterfly left, I took a deep breath, stood up and pretty much immediately found a safe route down. Forever my cheerleader and forever the mountain goat. Grant was just letting me know that I was capable and would get down my to safe and would get down safely. I love my blue butterfly sighting so much I got a small blue butterfly tattooed on the arm that he first landed on in the White Mountains. A little nod to live more like he did. Experience what you can while you're alive and learn and grow from everything and everyone around you. Grant was always asking me to come to Glacier into Montana, the place he kept getting called back to and eventually made his home. I never made it while he was on this side of heaven, but I'm going this August to commemorate his one year anniversary and know he'll be happy that I made it at all. We don't get to choose when our loved ones go. I wish we got so much, much more time. And I would do anything to hear his laugh again or see his him grin so wide and shake his head at me because apparently I'm the ridiculous one. But until then, I can't wait to see the mountains he loved so much. He decided to stay in them forever, to breathe the mountain air he adored, to feel his embrace from the sun shining down, and to catch his laugh in the breeze. And I know he's always with me wherever I go. Well, that's my trail tale. Thank you for taking the time to read Grant's and my story and for creating such an amazing community. Enjoy the view, be safe out there and tell your people you love them, even if they're now just a blue butterfly stalking you on your trail run. XOXO Emily. And she attached a picture that I will post that we have permission to post of Grant taking in the views in Glacier National Park. Just looking like he's absolutely thriving and just living, you know, heaven on earth in that time. So thank you for sharing a bit about him because, like, I feel like I know him a little bit, you know.

[Danielle]

Yeah, it was really, really beautifully written and based on what you said is that you would be going to Glacier national park for the one year anniversary, which is actually right now when we're recording. So we hope that, yeah, you're having a really beautiful time and you're seeing the places that he loves so much. And. And we're hopefully. Sure.

[Cassie]

We hope you're surrounded.

[Danielle]

Yeah, we hope you're surrounded by blue butterflies and enjoying all the wildlife and incredible views there are out there. Yeah.

[Cassie]

So it's like kind of a, like, sad, sweet one to end on. But I guess if you are an outsider, I'm taking my neck. My last story that we share, like, on those subscriber platforms and is I probably did this intentionally. It's titled I'm not interesting enough to be abducted by Aliens.

[Danielle]

So we're speaking straight to your heart, and mine is Kaibab Plateau, Cryptid, or something more elusive.

[Cassie]

Okay, so we're on a cryptid theme.

[Danielle]

If you're an outsider.

[Cassie]

Yeah. Cool. Well, thank you, everyone, for writing in your stories. We kind of got right into it in the beginning of this, but. But yeah, if you have your own to share about anything and everything outdoor related is, like, kind of preferred but not necessary. You can send them in. What?

[Danielle]

I said, we just want to know your stories.

[Cassie]

Yeah, we're nosy. Yeah, we know. We want to know it all. Yeah. We have a form on our [e-mail] you could submit a tale there. It'll come into our inbox and we'll go through it. And yeah, thanks for being here here.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Until next time, enjoy the view, but watch your back. Bye, everyone.

[Cassie]

Bye. Thank you for joining us again this week. If you have a trail tale of your own you'd like to share, you can write to us at npadstories gmail.com or visit our website at npadpodcast.com Bonus Trail Tales and content are available to Patreon members and Apple subscribers. Follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and xationalparkafterdark. And if you prefer to watch our episodes, you can find us on YouTube at National Park After Dark. And as always, if you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Wherever you listen to podcasts.