Crater Lake

I lived in a small town called Prospect, which is about 50 miles from the historic Crater Lake national park. Crater Lake is open to the public between May and October every year.

My best friend's Dad was the chief of maintenance for the company that ran the restaurant and lodge, who worked in cooperation with the park service. Sometimes we would go with him to the lake to play in the snow, which was usually between 10 to 15 feet high in the winter.

In the basement of the lodge is the center of operations for the maintenance crew. My friend and I once decided to go up into the lodge and have a look around. They had shut everything up for the season so it was basically empty. We turned on all of the lights and ran through the halls. I remember clearly running up a set of stairs and then entering the fourth floor hallway.

All of the lights were on and I looked down both sides of the hallway. On one side I caught a glimpse of a woman mopping the floors-and instantly I ran. I feared me and my friend would get caught meddling around the lodge. His dad would be furious if we ever got caught. I went back down the stairs and told my friend what happened, but he insisted we were the only ones who would be in the lodge.

We went back up and through the hallway again. Nobody there. It dawned on me that the whole place is carpeted. I think that was about the time I realized that I had seen something that was a bit more than natural. I don't remember any unnatural chill but I do remember not being able to talk and wanting to leave the hallway immediately.

I cant remember many points in my life when an experience put me in 'fight or flight mode' so quickly. I will always remember how that felt.

I worked at the park for a few years as soon as I was old enough. Every season people would come from all over the world to visit the deepest lake in the United States. I learned on a tour that the Indians refused to casually visit the lake, because it was a place of spirits. Sometimes you could feel the awesome natural forces just by watching the sun set, even if all you noticed was how beautiful it was.

Tourists galore visited the park, and among them have been paranormal investigators. It's pretty common. They come to investigate a certain room on the 4th floor (413) which is the subject of many accounts.

Now that I'm older and not afraid, I'd like to go back. But I don't think I'll ever get that opportunity again.