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  1. #1

    Default The Haunting of Glastenbury Vermont

    On Columbus Day weekend, my wife and I ventured to the Green Mountain area of Vermont, along the Long Trail/ Appalachian Trail. We decided to hike one of our most memorable sections of our thruhike from 2008. We remembered the firetower that sat atop Glastenbury Mountain in a sea of tall alpine trees. The weather was unseasonably war for mid October. We spent the day hiking among the beautiful trees and woods of Southern Vermont. We reached the firetower around 6 in the evening and set up camp. We climbed the tower and enjoyed the view of the sunset. A young guy climbed the tower and joined us. This is when we met Dave. Dave was from Killington and had helped restore many of the firetowers and bridges in the area and was out exploring before the cold weather arrived. We sat atop the firetower and watched a magnificent sunset.
    We climbed down the tower and made dinner and gathered some firewood. The twilight disappeared and Dave joined us around the campfire. He asked us if we knew the story of Glastenbury Mountain. I had not, but Jen said she had heard that there were strange things reported. Dave proceeded to tell us that Glastenbury Mtn had a dark history. The local Adnaik Indians would not hunt on the mountain because they said it had a dark presense. During the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s there were a lot of disappearances that could not be explained because no remains were ever found. In 1945, A local hunting and fishing guide walked away from his group to use the bathroom in the woods. The only part of him found was an unused shell casing from his belt.
    A local Bennington college student ventured off into the woods of Glastenbury and was never heard from again. A massive hunt took place to find the woman but nothing was found. Some speculation came out that it may have been a mountain lion or a possible serial killer. The indians speculated that there was an enchanted rock that had a massive hole under it. Unsuspecting hikers would walk upon it not realizing that the rock was actually not there and fall down the hole. A series of other disappearnces in the area were reported, including the disappearance of a child. None of the disappearances could ever be fully explained. There ended up being a discovery of one woman that disappeared. After seven months, her remains were found in a field. The remains were mangled and gruesome. Local residents of the small town of 54 reported strange sounds coming from the mountain and in the woods. After the 1950’s, there have been no disappearances and no other strange incidents have been reported.
    So none the less, we heard the story from Dave and laughed it off a little. Then Dave started telling us some stories of strange things that happened to him on the mountain. Dave spent some time on this particular mountain restoring the firetowers and would be on the mountain for extended periods of time. While sleeping in Goddard Shelter, friends and coworkers of Dave reported that there were nights that he would sit up in his sleep and laugh uncontrollably. There were also nights that he would wake up screaming. This coming from a guy that always remembered his dreams and never really has had any strange behavior when sleeping.
    So the night ended with a trip up the firetower to get one more view of the mountains under the light of an approaching full moon. After hearing the story, I looked out amongst the woods and wondered what was out there.

  2. #2

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    The view from Glastenbury

    IMG_3254.jpg

  3. #3
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    You were brave to spend the night on top Glastenbury !!!
    Order your copy of the Appalachian Trail Passport at www.ATPassport.com

    Green Mountain House Hostel
    Manchester Center, VT

    http://www.greenmountainhouse.net

  4. #4
    Registered User Yukon's Avatar
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    LOL, google Bennington Triangle to hear about all these stories. There was a book written that included it, I have it at home but can't remember the name.

    Side note, the fiancee and I almost hiked Glastenbury last weekend. Wish we had, would have liked to have met ya Chaco...

  5. #5

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    Yea we found the books and all, but it was cool hearing it from a local

  6. #6
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff View Post
    You were brave to spend the night on top Glastenbury !!!
    Scariest thing up there is the privvy if you ask me. Maybe them folks were all eaten alive by the thousands of flies and bees and other bugs in that privvy. Literally couldn't see the walls they were so thick.
    "That's the thing about possum innards - they's just as good the second day." - Jed Clampett

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    You didn't do this during a full moon did you?

    When I hiked Glastenbury Mountain years ago, the parking lot was filled with police vehicles. Someone had left a suicide note with relatives and his car was found abandoned in the parking lot there. We didn't see anything gruesome on the hike, but it was hot as hell.

  8. #8

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    Full Moon is tomorrow. It was close though, very bright

  9. #9

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    Privy was fine. It usually gets bad during the busy months. Lots of people stay there instead of going to the top. There is camping on top

  10. #10
    The internet is calling and I must go. buff_jeff's Avatar
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    The weirdest person I met on the entire trail was on top of Glastenbury mountain. This guy was just out there. I passed him on the trail and he was just staring off into the woods. I tried greeting him, but he just spun around and stared at me as I passed. No big deal, but this guy was just out of it. Kinda freaked me out a little. Only person I met that I would have refused to camp/stay in a shelter near.

    Didn't a southbounder get struck by lightning there 2 years ago? Or was that somewhere else in Vermont?

  11. #11
    Registered User Yukon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chaco Taco View Post
    Yea we found the books and all, but it was cool hearing it from a local
    Yeah I have buddies that are locals up there, and I'm not too far away really. They have all heard or told me the same stories but each of them always varies a bit lol. The disappearances are odd, but seem to be coincedence. I have had my best nights of sleep up on that mountain

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    Quote Originally Posted by buff_jeff View Post
    Didn't a southbounder get struck by lightning there 2 years ago? Or was that somewhere else in Vermont?
    Yes... that was Rock Plopper !! She survived but had lingering problems.
    Order your copy of the Appalachian Trail Passport at www.ATPassport.com

    Green Mountain House Hostel
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  13. #13
    Registered User Papa D's Avatar
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    When I climbed the fire tower there, someone told me that Arthur Perkins (or maybe Benton MacKaye) had the inspiration for the AT there at Glastenbury. Is this right? It is a special place - even with deer flies.

  14. #14
    The internet is calling and I must go. buff_jeff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Papa D View Post
    When I climbed the fire tower there, someone told me that Arthur Perkins (or maybe Benton MacKaye) had the inspiration for the AT there at Glastenbury. Is this right? It is a special place - even with deer flies.
    That was Mackaye on Stratton Mountain, which also has a fire tower.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chaco Taco View Post
    The view from Glastenbury
    Mt. Snow? I looked at the tippy-tops of Snow, Haystack and Glasty from the top of Mt. Tom in Mass Sat. Nice weekend for hiking.
    The more miles, the merrier!

    NH4K: 21/48; N.E.4K: 25/67; NEHH: 28/100; Northeast 4K: 27/115; AT: 124/2191

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Driver8 View Post
    Mt. Snow? I looked at the tippy-tops of Snow, Haystack and Glasty from the top of Mt. Tom in Mass Sat. Nice weekend for hiking.
    Yes that is Mt Snow

  17. #17

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    I think I ran into you taking a break on a very comfy looking log with your wife. I asked about the ALDHA gathering. I was hiking down from Galstonbury. I had on a bright yellow shirt. Was that you guys?

    I too was at Goddard Shelter in 2008. I think we meet there back then. I was the one with the load howling at night from a nigthmare. You guys really ribbed about that and my snoring. I was with my buddy and his teenage son who was fascintaed with your thru-hike. I know this was awhile ago. Do you remember?
    You are never too old.

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chenango View Post
    I think I ran into you taking a break on a very comfy looking log with your wife. I asked about the ALDHA gathering. I was hiking down from Galstonbury. I had on a bright yellow shirt. Was that you guys?

    I too was at Goddard Shelter in 2008. I think we meet there back then. I was the one with the load howling at night from a nigthmare. You guys really ribbed about that and my snoring. I was with my buddy and his teenage son who was fascintaed with your thru-hike. I know this was awhile ago. Do you remember?
    Funny, I made the comment when you left us that you looked familiar. I do remember that night at Goddard. HAHA thats awesome. Sorry about messing with you bout the snoring. Where did you end up staying after we saw you on Sunday. We had an amazing night on top. The moon was so awesome thru those trees and getting to go up above the trees on the tower was too cool. Great seein you

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chaco Taco View Post
    Funny, I made the comment when you left us that you looked familiar. I do remember that night at Goddard. HAHA thats awesome. Sorry about messing with you bout the snoring. Where did you end up staying after we saw you on Sunday. We had an amazing night on top. The moon was so awesome thru those trees and getting to go up above the trees on the tower was too cool. Great seein you
    Small world. All the good campsites were already taken. It was liek a zoo out there. I think colleges had a long weekend with Columbus Day. I made it to the shelter just as it got dark. In fact a neeed my headlamp to get water which was one of the first things I did when I arrived there. It was a 17.4 miles day. That is a lot for an old semi-out of shape guy. lol

    I am glad you got to enjoy the night out!!

    Happy trails!
    You are never too old.

  20. #20
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    Sorry to resurrect an ancient thread, I stumbled across Chaco Taco’s summary of the Glastonbury folklore and it’s pretty on point. The popular podcast “Lore” spent most of an episode detailing the same stories:

    https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/67
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

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