Episode 48: The Black Forest Haunting
At least from where the Lee family is standing, their story is one that's too bizarre to be true.
Episode Transcript
I think it goes without saying that I spend a great deal of time researching different hauntings. And I'd be willing to bet that you'd say the same about yourself. I mean if you're listening to a podcast like this then you definitely have an appreciation for the spooky and the macabre.
Now given our shared interests when it comes to this field as a whole, we've likely all heard the more notorious stories. We, of course, know all about the Conjuring house and the Amityville haunting. We've spent a great deal of time researching the Stanley Hotel and Winchester Mansion.
But it wasn't until quite recently that I came across the story at the center of this week's episode. Which evidently is the most famous haunting that we have never heard of.
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Now not unlike many of the haunts that we've discussed throughout the course of this past year, this particular case has been subjected to a great deal of skepticism. Although many of the previous stories were criticized by unconvinced third parties, in the case of this haunting, the doubt was felt by those who experienced the activity firsthand.
That fact alone makes this one of the most peculiar stories that I've ever heard. I mean, I can certainly appreciate an air of objectivity when approaching claims of the paranormal; but at the same time, the activity that this family witnessed had been pretty much undeniable since the start. And yet, they went to extreme lengths to debunk their experiences. Well, that is, until they captured proof.
So let's go ahead and peel back the layers of this haunt. Because, in all honesty, that isn't even the half of it. And at least from where the Lee family is standing, their story is one that's too bizarre to be true.
I'm Courtney Hayes and you're listening to Haunts. Stay tuned.
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Truth be told, the story of the Lee family and the Black Forest Haunting is somewhat akin to the tale of Dudleytown. If you recall our coverage of that haunt back in Episode 37, then you'd know all too well that Dudleytown was once an unincorporated township nestled into a dense and eerily-named forest. One whose chief exports were lumber and paranormal activity.
I'll have that episode linked in the show notes just in case you missed it. But now it's worth mentioning that all of this could be said for the Black Forest of Central Colorado.
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Not to be confused with the chilling German forest of the same name, Colorado's Black Forest blankets roughly 200,000 acres in Ponderosa Pines. Apparently, the growth of these trees is so dense, that if you're looking down at the forest from nearby Pikes Peak, the area would likely appear to be a dark island in a sea of prairies and farmland--hence the name black forest.
Now as I'm sure you likely guessed, the Black Forest of Colorado has a storied past. Dating back approximately 800 years, this area was inhabited by several different native American tribes, who used the forest as a place of protection as well as a source of fuel and timber.
That is until the area was settled in the 1850s. At this point, the Black Forest became a primary source of lumber which, at the time, was really quite scarce. That, of course, made way for an influx of jobs and opportunities for pioneer families--many of whom built their lives right there beneath the pines.
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Based on the description that I shared with you earlier, it likely goes without saying that this woodland is shielded by a pretty thick canopy. The likes of which lends an eerie sort of ambiance to the forest floor below. That darkness is then accentuated under the cover of night, given the very little light pollution that reaches this area. Simply put, it's just darkness for miles on end.
Of course, that doesn't sound like everyone's cup of tea. But there are some like myself who find solace in the quiet of rural living, which is precisely why the black forest is a somewhat popular residential area.
Now to be clear, I should mention that this isn't your average suburban neighborhood. For from it actually. The residences scattered throughout the black forest are still fairly remote--miles away from the closest proper town.
Again, it's not for everybody, but for a close-knit and somewhat exclusive group of farmers, outdoorsmen, and even a few budding families, the Black Forest is an idyllic place to live.
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It was in the early 1990s when Steve and Beth Lee caught the itch for this sort of lifestyle. Being young parents themselves, the Lees were beginning to feel like a home in the country, with plenty of space for their two sons to run and play, which wouldn't be such a bad idea. And given the quiet beauty that it offered, Steve and Beth couldn't think of a better place than the nearby black forest.
So they began looking at listings and touring properties until they came across one in particular that ticked off all of their boxes. Nestled into the heart of the forest, there sat a modest 5-acre plot of land, with a beautiful two-story cabin built upon it.
Being that this was their perfect house, the Lees took no time in putting in an offer. By 1991, the family was moving in with the intention of making this cabin their family home.
It should have been a happy time. One that Beth and Steve had dreamed of for years. But before they had even begun to take root, those dreams came crashing down. Leaving the Lee Family buried in a haunting dark thicket of Ponderosa Pines.
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The trouble began not long after Steve and Beth closed on the property. They had only just moved in a few weeks prior and at least at the very beginning things at the cabin seemed pretty normal. That is until the Lees began to notice strange occurrences.
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The activity was, of course, subtle at first. The sounds of footsteps and rustling would manifest from time to time. On occasion, an odd blip of light would appear out of the corner of the eye. It was the kind of activity that was just assertive enough to make of, but at the same time, not so offensive that it couldn't be dismissed as a trick of the light or an old house settling.
Then the rattling began. What could only be described as metal chains clanking together, this sound would erupt through the cabin in the dead of night. Keeping the family awake for hours on end.
Now as a quick aside here, I myself have experienced a similar activity. As some of you may recall from one of the earlier episodes, I once heard the sound of rattling chains in my apartment while I was living back in Georgia. And to put a long story incredibly short, that apartment turned out to be out of this world haunted.
All of this is to say that I did everything in my power to debunk that experience. But with a sound as specific as this, well trust me when I say that it was really hard to dismiss. And at least from where I'm standing, that statement is doubly true for a cabin in the woods where the event couldn't be blamed on noisy, inconsiderate neighbors.
Or one would assume; but as I mentioned at the top of the episode, the Lee Family and Steve in particular were incredibly skeptical throughout this entire ordeal. And at least as far as he was concerned, this activity wasn't paranormal in the slightest. No instead, this must have been the work of a neighbor who, allegedly, was hell-bent on orchestrating a series of well-thought-out and highly elaborate pranks.
It was harassment, plain and simple. So with that thought in mind, Steve set out to catch the assailant in the act.
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It's at this point in the episode that I feel the need to bring a bit of context back into the equation. I mean, I'm sure that many of you are wondering why Steve would jump to the conclusion that a neighbor had been responsible for the strange goings-on inside the cabin.
Hey, it's a fair question. Sure, under ordinary circumstances this would be a bold claim to make; but trust me when I say that Steve's accusation isn't entirely unfounded.
You see, as I noted earlier, this neighborhood per se is incredibly close-knit. Apparently, many of the residents were somewhat distrustful of newcomers. Meaning that the Lee Family may not have felt welcomed by their new neighbors.
In light of that, I can't blame Steve for thinking that a neighbor was pulling his leg. But at the same time, I highly doubt that anyone was actually pranking the family. After all, this activity went on for years; and a prank of this magnitude would have been a huge time commitment.
But that fact didn't stop Steve from purchasing what, at the time, was a state-of-the-art security system. He set up cameras throughout the entire house, and installed motion sensors on the exterior of the cabin. All in an effort to apprehend this supposed prankster. And yet, even in spite of these efforts, the activity was only getting worse.
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By now, these oddities were happening on a daily basis. Often times in full view of Steve's cameras. On one occasion, for instance, the family was returning home from an afternoon away from the cabin. And upon entering the residence, the family encountered the presence of what I can only describe as flashing lights.
Beth Lee once recalled the experience, describing the event by stating quote: "It was like the Fourth of July in our living room." I know that's a lot to process. But brace yourself, because there's a good bit more to unpack here.
Evidently, Steve and Beth's two sons had their own strange experiences in the cabin. In fact, they would often complain of seeing dark shadows moving up in their room, along with those ever-present orbs of light.
of course, it's worth noting that Steve's camera system did, in fact, document these lights on film. And even I have to admit that these images are chilling and more than a bit difficult to dismiss. But more on that in a bit.
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Now if you want my opinion, the eeriest part of this entire story is the smell that manifested throughout the course of this haunting. It was a pungent odor that the family likened to that of chemicals. Not in a clean sense but in an overpowering sort of way. In fact, the Lees claimed that this stench would often cause a stinging sensation in their eyes and throats.
I know, that alone would likely be enough to convince most that this activity was beyond paranormal. And to be totally honest, it's at this point where Beth and her two boys are beginning to come to terms with the gravity of their situation.
But, Steve, on the other hand, was still unconvinced. Even though his cameras hadn't caught evidence of the elusive prankster. So he eventually turned to law enforcement, thinking that maybe they would have better luck.
Now it's worth mentioning here that the police exhausted every resource imaginable. They responded to 45 different disturbances at the Lee residence before all was said and done. And even then, they couldn't make sense of what was happening to this family.
There were never any signs of forced entry, no indications that a neighbor had been involved. So in the end, I guess that there was really one thing that it could be.
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Okay, so I think it's high time for us to take a closer look at Steve Lee's security system.
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As you can imagine, this system caught numerous photos throughout the entire affair. But, to Steve's dismay, none of them substantiated his theory that the disturbances at the cabin were caused by a neighbor. And frankly, they only raised more questions.
I'm going to do my best to describe these photos just to give you an idea of what we are dealing with here. But to really understand the full gravity of this situation, you really need to see them for yourself. So make sure to go check them out in the show notes.
Images available here!
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Generally speaking, these photos document what I can only describe as spectral mists. Sometimes taking up the entire frame, other times simply appearing in the background, Steve's security system captured dozens upon dozens of photos that pretty much proved something otherworldly had taken up residence in their home.
Now by looking at the images, it seems to me that these mists were actually the orbs of light that the family had seen around the residence. And at least in the case of a handful of the photos, these mists were oriented around a 100-year-old vanity mirror that the Lees kept in one of the upstairs bedrooms.
Which sort of makes sense when you think about it. I mean, as we learned back in episode 38, it has long been theorized that mirrors are actually portals. Or rather gateways between this world and the next.
In fact, it's for that very reason that various different cultures throughout history would cover mirrors in the presence of the dead. This practice, supposedly, ensured that the dearly departed wouldn't become trapped within the mirror in whatever realm lies beyond the glass.
I know, it all sounds a bit eccentric when you put it that way. But hey, maybe these theories are onto something. After all, these images do lend some credence to the idea. Or at least, I think they do. But don't just take my word for it. Because as we will soon see, I'm not the only one to draw this very conclusion.
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Suffice it to say, it took some time. But eventually, even Steve had to admit that the cabin was haunted. There had just been too many inexplicable incidents for there to be any other logical explanations.
So with that, the family's focus shifted a bit. Instead of asking who had been pranking and trying to catch the culprit in the act, they were asking what was haunting them. And of course, they continued to collect evidence. Which brings this story to a somewhat cinematic turn.
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You see, in February of 1996, the Lee Family and their cabin were featured on an episode of a little-known TV show called Sightings. Now I'm sure many of you remember the show from back in the day. But for those of you who may not, allow me to explain.
Sightings is pretty much the original paranormal reality TV show. Back in the 90s, it was the only program that actively covered the paranormal and the unexplained. Meaning that it was the pioneering force behind the genre and what it is today.
Now as you can imagine this was a pretty big deal for the Lees. I mean, back in those days, there really weren't a whole lot of resources for people experiencing hauntings. So having the help of seasoned investigators was a welcomed bit of respite for Steve and Beth.
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Over the course of 18 months, the Sightings Team made two visits to the Lee's cabin. And on each of these occasions, they enlisted the services of psychic medium, Echo Bodine.
Now it was Bodine who initially made the connection between the vanity mirror that I told you about in the previous segment and the activity going on in the cabin-- stating that the Lee's home contained a very powerful energy vortex.
Beyond that, Bodane claimed that there were as many as 20 negative entities residing in the home. Including the spirit of an older, somewhat threatening man who was quite insistent that he was and still is the owner of the property. As far as he was concerned, this was his house, not the Lee's.
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By now, I think it's pretty obvious that the spirits haunting Lee's cabin had no problem making their presence known to the production crew. Throughout the course of filming, cameras were knocked over and they often heard inexplicable knocking sounds. Oh and on one occasion, a team member named Sharie was supposedly even possessed.
Apparently, during the filming of a conversation between Bonide and the Lees, Sharie felt a presence enter her body. Now she immediately ran from the room in tears, trying to escape this attack. And at Echo's advice, she began repeating the phrase "clear me" as a means to dispel the spirit. But according to Sharie's testimony, she didn't feel normal again until she was far away from the property.
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In other words, the team at Sightings was pretty convinced that the Lee Family had a bona fide haunting on their hands. In fact, Echo Bodine herself later described this level of activity as being monumental.
I know, that's quite the statement to make. Especially considering that up until recently, the family at the center of this haunting wasn't convinced that they were being haunted at all. However, in the end, the Lees would ultimately be faced with undeniable proof.
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Six months after the Sightings crew concluded filming, psychic medium, Peter James paid a visit to the Black Forest. He, like Echo Bonide, was overcome by the level of energy radiating from the cabin. But it was he who made one final, earth-shattering discovery that ultimately solidified everything for the Lee Family.
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Now in order for this to really make sense, I need to take you back a few years. You see, well before they moved into the cabin, the family had suffered the loss of Howard. He was the son of a very dear friend who apparently died of a drug overdose.
I think it's worth noting here that Howard was very close to the family. In fact, Beth often referred to him as their adopted grandson. So as you can imagine his loss was immediately felt in the Lee household.
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So fast-forward a bit to that day in 1996 when Peter James came in contact with a spirit who seemed a bit more friendly than the others dwelling in the home. In fact, James got the distinct impression that this spirit in particular was shielding the family from all the negativity that was running rampant through their space.
Beyond that, it seemed to James that this spirit had a bit of unfinished business to attend to. Evidently, this individual had died quite young and his death had been ruled as an overdose.
Although, according to the ghost at least, that ruling couldn't have been further from the truth. No instead, he claimed to have actually been murdered.
Now that was obviously quite the assertion, but here's where things get really spooky. Apparently, during his life, this man was a chemist--which ultimately explains the chemical smell that the Lees had been complaining of. So it would seem, this ghost was initiating the smell as a means to make contact and hopefully set straight the record of his death.
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So by now, you're probably wondering, who could this ghost possibly be, right? Well according to Peter James, his name was Howard.
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Credits
Sources
https://ourcommunitynow.com/local-culture/black-forest-coloradoone-of-the-worlds-most-haunted-places
https://www.riseupparanormal.com/database/blackforesthaunting.htm
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/colorado/black-forest-co-haunting/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Forest,_Colorado
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103549/episodes/?year=1996
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0IHME09o8Mref2QPkNNwb6?si=a21f5ed95c954fbd