A Bunch of Haunted Ski Resorts from East to West
At first thought, ski and snowboard resorts seem like strange places to find ghosts. But when you consider that many of our winter snow resorts are built in areas that once had a wild and sometimes terrifying history, the occasional presence of an unsettled spirit is perhaps not so surprising.
For example, New England has a long history of haunted incidents. Its stories and apparitions have spread throughout the trails, forests, and villages surrounding the area’s ski and snowboard resorts.
Omni Mount Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, NH
Mount Washington Hotel operates the Bretton Woods Ski Area in New Hampshire. It has reported a ghost for years. It is located in one of the scariest ski resorts in America. The tower suites are said to be haunted by the wife of Caroline Stickney, the man who built the hotel. She reportedly writes on the walls and turns lights on and off at random times. Previously, these encounters were only reported during the summer months. Now that the hotel is open year-round, winter guests also report encounters with the “Princess.” She began to be called by this name after the death of her first husband, when she married Aymon de Fausigny-Lusingay, a French prince. This hotel has an amazing history (it hosted the Bretton Woods International Monetary Conference in 1944). Even I sometimes believe I can see ghostly groups of diplomats discussing world economics around huge stone fireplaces.
Stowe, Vermont, and the Green Mountain Ghosts
Ghost stories are also prevalent in many of Vermont’s old hotels. In stoveGuests at the Brass Lantern Inn have reported ghosts holding impromptu parties. The Green Mountain Inn boasts a ghostly tap dancer on the third floor who dances during winter storms.
Equinox Hotel in Manchester, near Stratton ResortWhere Mary Todd Lincoln lived with her children, it is rumored to be her favorite place even after death. and pass mount snowIn Wilmington, the White House Inn claims to be haunted by the ghost of Claire Browne, the wife of the lumber baron who built the mansion.
The Stanley Hotel and Timberline Resort were featured in The Shining
Out west, ghosts haunt some famous hotels as well as several ghost towns left by miners and cowboys in the last century.
On the huge shoulders of Mount Hood, Timberline ResortThe majestic Timberline Lodge stands. This wooden hotel was built by hand by the Federal Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. It is one of the most beautiful wooden structures of its time. Its unusual rustic architecture made it the perfect setting for scary outdoor shots in “The Shining.” After watching that movie, more than one guest declared that there were axe-wielding ghosts on the loose in the hall and hiding in the bushes.
The hotel that inspired Stephen King’s novel Stanley Hotel In Estes Park next to Rocky Mountain National Park. The hotel puts “The Shining” connections to heart, featuring a haunted room and a “Shining Ball” during the Halloween season. There is a small pet cemetery in the woods nearby, which inspired another Stephen King novel, “Pet Graveyard”. The national park has excellent cross-country trails along the Colorado River.
Old West Ghosts Hiding in the Rockies
Breckenridge, ColoradoIt has long been claimed by the ghost of a miner’s widow named Sylvia. She stays at the Prospector Restaurant, one of the best places in town for breakfast. She lived there when the place was a boarding house. Sylvia used to be madame at the best bordello in town, which was right here in Prospector.
Purgatory Mountain Resort Durango has the advantage of being an old western town full of ghost stories. The 122-year-old Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs from town to the mountains. It is reportedly haunted by an old railway worker who lost his legs in an accident on the tracks. Downtown, at the Rochester Hotel, guests staying in the John Wayne Room have reported seeing a ghost. The image is of a woman wearing Victorian attire or sometimes classy lingerie. Hauntings have even been reported in the city’s school district building.
crested butte, Colorado is home to ancient haunted ski resorts and an old mining town that was revitalized by ski area development. There are plenty of stories and claims of haunted sightings in the town’s renovated rustic buildings. Locals swear they saw a ghost hiking along the road between town and Gunnison. Others claim to have seen several old saloon girls in the early hours of the morning. After hours of dancing at the Eldorado, the girls were looking out the Slogger or the upstairs windows.
Also read: Don’t wait for snowfall! Autumn in the mountains now!
Strange incidents have occurred in California and New Mexico
Mammoth Mountain, CaliforniaHave not seen any ghostly sight in the city or on the mountain, but in the nearby ghost town Bodie, California, There is a state historical park. This ghost town has been preserved in a state of “arrested decay.” I’m sure there are a handful of ghosts wandering these streets at night. The only problem for us humans is that the park closes around sunset. I wonder why?
The mountains of New Mexico have always been rumored to be haunted by the spirits of local Indians. Taos Pueblo residents believe Taos Mountains To be sacred, don’t pay attention to the ski resorts that have been developed there. Santa Fe Resort It is also said that there are routes passing through sacred Indian lands. further south in Ruidoso ski apacheThe spirits of the Mescalero Apaches mingle with the ghosts of Billy the Kid and some old buffalo soldiers who were once stationed at Fort Stanton. And don’t forget Roswell, Only about an hour away – it’s the epicenter of American supernatural stories.
Haunted Hotels in Canada
Up in Canada, like a castle Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Actually presides over Banff. It provides accommodation for hundreds of skiers and snowboarders. They all ski, ride and visit three nearby resorts, Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise. This historic hotel claims several well-documented ghosts. A missing bellman from the 1960s is reported to still open doors for guests and adjust lights. The ghost of a bride, who slipped from the train of her bridal gown and staggered down the stairs to her death, still haunts the halls of the hotel. She is seen dancing in her beautiful but deadly dress.
Strange as it sounds, these haunted ski resort stories have been repeated for years. And who are we to doubt centuries of stories and experiences? The spirits that inhabit our many ski and snowboard resorts add warmth and mystery to our outdoor winter enjoyment. I wish all the ghosts a Happy Halloween.
More on the Travelers United blog: The best tip for staying in a great hotel – get a hotel’s human touch
Charlie Leocha is president of Travelers United. He has been in Washington, DC for the past 14 years working with Congress, the Department of Transportation and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative on the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 to 2018.
