Speaker 1: Today, I want to tell you about a journey that
Speaker 1: I've been on for most of my life. Ever since
Speaker 1: I was a kid, I've heard tales of bigfoot and
Speaker 1: wild men while spending time with my friends and family.
Speaker 1: As I grew older and read more about the paranormal,
Speaker 1: my interest in encryptids and other things strange only deepened.
Speaker 1: That's why I'm so excited to share with you what
Speaker 1: I've personally become involved with the Untold Radio Network. The
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Speaker 1: where I talk about all things strange. This is more
Speaker 1: than just a podcast network. It's a community that allows
Speaker 1: me to meet so many amazing people who share their
Speaker 1: stories and experiences with strange. If you're interested in hearing
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Speaker 2: Now, what are your reporting? I got a screen going
Speaker 2: on here. Something just kid with my dog, something to
Speaker 2: kill your dog? My dog. We're flying through there, over
Speaker 2: the tree. I don't know how it did it? Okay, damn,
Speaker 2: I'm really confused. All I saw was my dog coming
Speaker 2: over the fence, and they would dead once you hit
Speaker 2: the grill. I didn't see any cars. All I saw
Speaker 2: was my dog coming over the fence. Sat, what are
Speaker 2: you reporting? We got some wonder or something crawling around
Speaker 2: out here? Did you see what it was? It was
Speaker 2: enough here. Look, I'm new to window now and I
Speaker 2: don't need anything. I don't want to go outside. Hello,
Speaker 2: hit the boddy out here? What quin I'm out there?
Speaker 2: I thought of a bench about text nine. I don't
Speaker 2: know easy an out there? Yeah, I'm walking right heady
Speaker 2: h Hey there.
Speaker 1: Now, if you've been following me for a while, you
Speaker 1: know I'm always diving deep into the unexplained, the mysterious,
Speaker 1: and the downright chilling. But today I've got something a
Speaker 1: little different. I recently kicked off a brand new series
Speaker 1: over on my other podcast, Backwoods Bigfoot, stories. It's called
Speaker 1: National Park Nightmares, and in it, I'm covering some of
Speaker 1: the most unsettling and baffling disappearance cases from in and
Speaker 1: around our national parks. We dropped the first episode this
Speaker 1: past Sunday and the response has been nothing short of overwhelming,
Speaker 1: So I thought, why not bring it over here and
Speaker 1: share it with you as a little true Crime Tuesday bonus.
Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, I'd
Speaker 1: love to hear from you. Shoot me an email or
Speaker 1: leave me a voicemail using the button right there in
Speaker 1: the show notes. Your feedback means more than you could
Speaker 1: ever know, and it truly makes a difference in the
Speaker 1: type of content we bring you. All right, let's not
Speaker 1: waste any more time. Sit back, relax, maybe grab a lantern,
Speaker 1: and get ready as we head deep into the woods
Speaker 1: for this first installment of National Park Nightmares. There's something
Speaker 1: unsettling about the vast, untamed wilderness of our national parks.
Speaker 1: Sprawling landscapes of breathtaking beauty. Towering granite cliffs, deep forests,
Speaker 1: rushing rivers, and endless trails draw millions of visitors each year.
Speaker 1: But for some, these places are more than just an
Speaker 1: escape into nature. For an unknown number of individuals, they
Speaker 1: become the last place they are ever seen. Over the years,
Speaker 1: countless people have vanished under circumstances that defy explanation. While
Speaker 1: some disappearances can be attributed to accidents, wildlife encounters, or
Speaker 1: simply getting lost, others bear a series of eerily consistent
Speaker 1: patterns that raise unsettling questions. Time and time again. These
Speaker 1: cases unfold in strikingly similar ways. Many of those who
Speaker 1: go missing or last seen near lakes, rivers, or streams.
Speaker 1: In some cases, their belongings or even bodies are later
Speaker 1: discovered in or near water, sometimes in locations that had
Speaker 1: already been thoroughly searched. Strange as it may seem, disappearances
Speaker 1: often happen near large rock formations, cliffs, or granite structures.
Speaker 1: Whether this is a coincidence or something more is unknown,
Speaker 1: but the trend is undeniable. Another common theme is the
Speaker 1: abrupt onset of extreme weather unexpected snowstorms, torrential rain, dense
Speaker 1: fog that hamper search efforts and erases crucial evidence. Search
Speaker 1: teams have often been forced to halt operations due to
Speaker 1: these sudden and sometimes unseasonal weather shifts. When remains or
Speaker 1: belongings are found, They often turn up in baffling locations,
Speaker 1: sometimes miles from where the person was last seen, in
Speaker 1: terrain so difficult that even experienced hikers would struggle to
Speaker 1: get there. Other times, items of clothing are discovered neatly folded,
Speaker 1: or shoes are missing, despite no apparent reason for them
Speaker 1: to have been removed. Many of these cases involve individuals
Speaker 1: who were highly experienced in the outdoors, hikers, hunters, and
Speaker 1: even park rangers, people who knew how to survive in
Speaker 1: the wild and had no reason to simply wander off
Speaker 1: or take unnecessary risks. Yet they vanished just the same,
Speaker 1: with little to no evidence left behind. One of the
Speaker 1: most perplexing aspects of these cases is when young children
Speaker 1: go missing, only to be found alive days later in
Speaker 1: places that should have been impossible for them to reach
Speaker 1: on their own. Some have no recollection of what happened,
Speaker 1: while others describe strange and unsettling experiences. Despite extensive efforts
Speaker 1: involving dogs, helicopters, and expert trackers, some of these individuals
Speaker 1: are never found. Others appear in places that had been
Speaker 1: searched multiple times, raising the question were they always there
Speaker 1: or were they brought back. Over the next several weeks,
Speaker 1: we're going to take a deep dive into some of
Speaker 1: the most baffling disappearances that have taken place in our
Speaker 1: national parks. Every Sunday, we'll examine a different case, analyzing
Speaker 1: the details, considering the possibilities, and exploring the strange circumstances
Speaker 1: that seem to surround these tragedies. I invite you to
Speaker 1: join me on this journey, not only to remember those
Speaker 1: who have vanished, but to explore the deeper mystery behind
Speaker 1: these cases. Are these disappearances merely a tragic byproduct of
Speaker 1: the wilderness, or is there something more at play? Let's
Speaker 1: find out together. In this series, we will cover numerous
Speaker 1: strange and unexplainable disappearances across the country, from the dense
Speaker 1: forests of the Pacific Northwest to the deep canyons of
Speaker 1: the Southwest. As we dig deeper, we will encounter chilling theories,
Speaker 1: eerie folklore, and at times facts that truly are stranger
Speaker 1: than fiction. One theory that occasionally arises in discussions of
Speaker 1: these disappearances is the involvement of an unknown creature Bigfoot.
Speaker 1: Some speculate that the elusive legendary creature known as Sasquatch
Speaker 1: may play a role in these vanishings. Let me be clear,
Speaker 1: I am in no way suggesting that Sasquatch or any
Speaker 1: cryptid was involved in the cases we will cover. My
Speaker 1: goal is to approach these stories with respect for the
Speaker 1: missing individuals and their loved ones, to examine the facts,
Speaker 1: and to give voice to the lingering mysteries that continue
Speaker 1: to haunt those left searching for answers. The goal of
Speaker 1: this series is not to sensationalize, but to investigate, analyze,
Speaker 1: and share the real, documented circumstances of these baffling cases.
Speaker 1: So join me as we begin our journey into National
Speaker 1: Park nightmares. In this first episode, we explore three particularly
Speaker 1: unsettling cases, the disappearance of six year old Dennis Martin
Speaker 1: in the Great Smoky Mountains, the strange vanishing of Thelmapauline
Speaker 1: Melton on a familiar hiking trail, and the baffling case
Speaker 1: of honeymooners Bessie and Glen Hyde, who disappeared while attempting
Speaker 1: to navigate the Grand Canyon's treacherous rapids. Each of these
Speaker 1: cases has confounded investigators for decades, and the answers if
Speaker 1: they exist remain just beyond our grasp. Nestled in the
Speaker 1: heart of Appalachia, Great Smoky Mountains National Park stands as
Speaker 1: a testament to nature's enduring beauty and resilience. Established in
Speaker 1: nineteen thirty four and officially dedicated in nineteen forty, the
Speaker 1: park sprawls over five hundred twenty two thousand, four hundred
Speaker 1: nineteen acres, straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina.
Speaker 1: Its vast expanse encompasses ancient mountains, diverse ecosystems, and remnants
Speaker 1: of Southern Appalachian culture, offering visitors a rich tapestry of
Speaker 1: natural and cultural history. As the most visited national park
Speaker 1: in the United States, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has
Speaker 1: seen fluctuating visitation numbers over the years. Home to over
Speaker 1: one thousand, five hundred species of flowering plants, including thirty
Speaker 1: five types of orchids and fifty eight members of the
Speaker 1: lily family, Approximately ninety five percent of the park is forested,
Speaker 1: with about twenty five percent designated as old growth forest.
Speaker 1: The park hosts sixty five species of mammals, over two hundred,
Speaker 1: forty bird species, forty three amphibian species, sixty seven fish
Speaker 1: species and forty reptile species. Notably, the park is dubbed
Speaker 1: the Salamander Capital of the World due to its rich
Speaker 1: salamander diversity. Visitors can engage in a multitude of activities.
Speaker 1: The park boasts eight hundred and fifty miles of trails,
Speaker 1: including a segment of the Appalachian Trail. It also features
Speaker 1: routes like Newfound Gap Road and the CAD's Cove Loop Road.
Speaker 1: There are endless opportunities to observe species such as black bears,
Speaker 1: white tailed deer, and various bird species. Beyond its breathtaking
Speaker 1: vistas and rich biodiversity, Great Smoky Mountains National Park harbors
Speaker 1: stories of mystery and unresolved disappearances. Since its establishment in
Speaker 1: nineteen thirty four, at least five individuals have vanished within
Speaker 1: its boundaries, leaving behind unanswered questions and enduring intrigue. One
Speaker 1: of the most haunting cases is that of six year
Speaker 1: old Dennis Martin. On June fourteenth, nineteen sixty nine, during
Speaker 1: a Father's Day camping trip with his family at Spence
Speaker 1: Field near the Appalachian Trail, Dennis disappeared while playing a
Speaker 1: game of hide and seek. Despite an extensive search, involving
Speaker 1: approximately one thy four hundred people and covering a fifty
Speaker 1: six square mile area, the largest in the park's history.
Speaker 1: No trace of Dennis was ever found. In October nineteen
Speaker 1: seventy six, sixteen year old Trainy Gibson embarked on a
Speaker 1: field trip with her high school to the park. While
Speaker 1: hiking the trail from Klingman's Dome to Andrew's Bald, she
Speaker 1: was last seen veering off the path, reportedly to observe
Speaker 1: something that caught her attention. Despite extensive searches, no clues
Speaker 1: regarding her whereabouts had been discovered. At fifty eight. Polly
Speaker 1: Melton was familiar with the park's trails. On September twenty fifth,
Speaker 1: nineteen eighty one, while hiking Deep Creek Trail with friends,
Speaker 1: she unexpectedly quickened her pace, leaving her companions behind. When
Speaker 1: they reached the trailhead, Polly was nowhere to be found,
Speaker 1: and subsequent searches yielded no evidence of her fate. These
Speaker 1: cases underscore the unpredictable nature of the wilderness. The park's
Speaker 1: dense forests, steep terrains, and variable weather can pose significant
Speaker 1: challenges even for seasoned hikers. While some speculate about animal
Speaker 1: attacks or accidental injuries. Others considered the possibility of foul play.
Speaker 1: The lack of concrete evidence in these disappearances has led
Speaker 1: to numerous theories, but definitive answers remain elusive. The National
Speaker 1: Park Service continues to investigate these cold cases, urging anyone
Speaker 1: with information to come forward. Visitors are advised to take
Speaker 1: necessary precautions, stay on marked trails, hike with companions, inform
Speaker 1: others of their itineraries, and be prepared for sudden weather changes.
Speaker 1: The beauty of the Smokies is undeniable, but it's essential
Speaker 1: to approach its vastness with respect and caution. Great Smoky
Speaker 1: Mountains National Park remains a cherished natural sanctuary, attracting millions
Speaker 1: with its majestic landscapes and rich biodiversity. However, amidst its
Speaker 1: allure lies a reminder of nature's unpredictability and the enduring
Speaker 1: mysteries that continue to perplex and haunt us. Now, let's
Speaker 1: step into the unknown and examine the first case, the
Speaker 1: disappearance of Dennis Martin. It was Father's Day weekend in
Speaker 1: nineteen sixty and the Martin family had planned a camping
Speaker 1: trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a place
Speaker 1: of lush forests and rolling hills. Six year old Dennis
Speaker 1: Martin was a lively and energetic boy, excited to be
Speaker 1: in the wilderness with his family. On June fourteenth, at
Speaker 1: a popular camping site known as Spence Field, Dennis and
Speaker 1: his brother were playing with two other children from another family.
Speaker 1: The boys decided to play a prank on the adults,
Speaker 1: hiding behind the bushes and jumping out to scare them.
Speaker 1: It was all in good fun. The plan was for
Speaker 1: Dennis to circle around the brush and surprise the group
Speaker 1: from behind, but Dennis never came back. His family immediately
Speaker 1: started searching, calling out his name. Within minutes, panic set
Speaker 1: in The area was thoroughly combed by campers and later
Speaker 1: by park rangers, but there was no sign of Dennis.
Speaker 1: Within hours, hundreds of searchers, including green berets, FBI agents,
Speaker 1: and local volunteers scoured the forest, yet the little boy
Speaker 1: had vanished into thin air. Strangely, on the same afternoon,
Speaker 1: a family reported hearing an ear piercing scream in the
Speaker 1: woods about a mile away from where Dennis was last seen.
Speaker 1: Another witness, a park visitor, claimed to have seen a
Speaker 1: disheveled bear like man carrying something over his shoulder heading
Speaker 1: deeper into the forest. These chilling accounts led some to
Speaker 1: speculate that Dennis may have been abducted rather than simply
Speaker 1: wandering off. Dennis Lloyd Martin was born on June twentieth,
Speaker 1: nineteen sixty two, to William Clyde Martin and his wife Violet.
Speaker 1: A quiet and reserved child, Dennis had a slight developmental delay,
Speaker 1: placing his mental age about half a year behind his peers.
Speaker 1: Despite this, he was active and adventurous, cherishing outdoor activities,
Speaker 1: especially those involving his family. The Martins had a tradition
Speaker 1: of celebrating Father's Day with camping trips, and the nineteen
Speaker 1: sixty nine excursion was no exception. Stay tuned for more
Speaker 1: sasquatch Ottes see. We'll be right back after these messages.
Speaker 1: On June thirteenth, nineteen sixty nine, Dennis, his father, William,
Speaker 1: his grandfather Clyde, and his nine year old brother Douglas
Speaker 1: embarked on a camping trip in the Great Smoky Mountains
Speaker 1: National Park. They began their hike from Cade's Cove to
Speaker 1: Russell Field, camping overnight. The following day, they continued to Spencefield,
Speaker 1: a highland meadow along the Appalachian Trail, intending to spend
Speaker 1: the night there. At approximately four thirty PM on June fourteenth,
Speaker 1: while at spence Field, Dennis and his brother met two
Speaker 1: other boys from another family. The children decided to play
Speaker 1: a prank on the adults by hiding separately and then
Speaker 1: simultaneously jumping out to startle them. Dennis, wearing a bright
Speaker 1: red T shirt, green shorts, and low cut Oxford shoes,
Speaker 1: was instructed to hide behind a bush. The other boys
Speaker 1: executed the prank successfully, but when Dennis's turn came, he
Speaker 1: was nowhere to be found. William Martin immediately began searching
Speaker 1: for his son, calling out his name and scouring the
Speaker 1: nearby area. After about twenty minutes without success, panic set in.
Speaker 1: Clyde Martin, Dennis's grandfather, hurried down the trail toward Cade's
Speaker 1: Cove to seek help, covering nearly six miles to reach
Speaker 1: the ranger station by eight thirty PM. Park rangers promptly
Speaker 1: initiated a search operation that would soon escalate into one
Speaker 1: of the most extensive in the park's history. The search
Speaker 1: for Dennis Martin mobilized an unprecedented number of resources. Over
Speaker 1: the course of two weeks. Approximately one thoy four hundred
Speaker 1: people participated, including park rangers, National Guard troops, special forces
Speaker 1: such as the Green Berets, and countless volunteers. The search
Speaker 1: area spanned around fifty six square miles of rugged terrain
Speaker 1: characterized by steep slopes, dense underbrush, and deep ravines. The
Speaker 1: operation faced numerous challenges. Shortly after Dennis's disappearance, a heavy
Speaker 1: downpour ensued, dropping three inches of rain in a matter
Speaker 1: of hours. This not only hampered visibility, but also washed
Speaker 1: away potential clues and made trails treacherous. Temperatures that night
Speaker 1: dropped to nearly fifty degrees fahrenheit, raising concerns about hypothermia,
Speaker 1: especially for a young child without shelter. Despite the vast
Speaker 1: man power, the search faced coordination issues. The sheer number
Speaker 1: of volunteers, many untrained in search and rescue operations, led
Speaker 1: to concerns about trampling over evidence. Footprints were discovered, but
Speaker 1: were dismissed by officials who believed they belonged to a
Speaker 1: boy scout involved in the search. However, some trackers, including
Speaker 1: retired park ranger and expert tracker Dwight Macarter believed the footprints,
Speaker 1: which indicated one foot was barefoot while the other wore
Speaker 1: an Oxford or tennis shoe, could have been Denis's. Amid
Speaker 1: the search efforts, a potential lead emerged from another family
Speaker 1: visiting the park. The Key family from Carthage, Tennessee, reported
Speaker 1: hearing an enormous, sickening scream around five pm on the
Speaker 1: day Denis disappeared. Shortly after, they claimed to have seen
Speaker 1: a disheveled, rough looking man running up a trail near
Speaker 1: where the scream had originated. The individual appeared to be
Speaker 1: attempting to remain unseen, and was spotted in an area
Speaker 1: approximately five miles from Spence Field. This account led to
Speaker 1: speculation that Dennis might have been abducted. However, the Federal
Speaker 1: Bureau of Investigation and park rangers found insufficient evidence to
Speaker 1: link the sighting to Dennis's disappearance. The distance between the
Speaker 1: locations and the challenging terrain made it unlikely that Dennis
Speaker 1: could have covered such ground in that time frame. Moreover,
Speaker 1: the report came five weeks after the incident, diminishing its reliability.
Speaker 1: Several theories have been proposed regarding Dennis Martin's disappearance. The
Speaker 1: most widely accepted theory is that Dennis wandered away from
Speaker 1: the group, became lost and succumbed to the elements, or
Speaker 1: an accident in the challenging terrain. The heavy rain, dropping temperatures,
Speaker 1: and dense forest could have disoriented him, leading to fatal consequences.
Speaker 1: Another possibility is that Dennis was attacked and carried off
Speaker 1: by a wild animal, such as a black bear or
Speaker 1: a feral pig, both of which inhabit the park. However,
Speaker 1: no signs of an animal attack, such as blood or
Speaker 1: torn clothing, were ever found. Some speculate that Dennis was abducted,
Speaker 1: possibly by the rough looking man reported by the Key family. However,
Speaker 1: there's no concrete evidence to support this theory and no
Speaker 1: ransom demands or credible sightings followed. A less conventional theory
Speaker 1: suggests involvement of supernatural forces or unexplained phenomena. Given the
Speaker 1: lack of evidence and the suddenness of Denis's disappearance. However,
Speaker 1: this remains within the realm of speculation without any supporting evidence.
Speaker 1: Fast forward to September nineteen eighty one, and we find
Speaker 1: ourselves once again in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Speaker 1: This time it's a fifty eight year old woman, Thelma
Speaker 1: Pauline Melton, who would vanish under mysterious circumstances. Thelma, an
Speaker 1: experienced hiker familiar with the trails, was enjoying an afternoon
Speaker 1: hike on the Deep Creek Trail with two friends. It
Speaker 1: was a route she had hiked many times before. As
Speaker 1: they strolled through the woods, Thelma walked slightly ahead of
Speaker 1: the others. She rounded a small bend in the trail,
Speaker 1: and in an instant she was gone. Her friends expected
Speaker 1: to see her just ahead on the path, but when
Speaker 1: they reached the bend, there was no sign of her.
Speaker 1: They called out her name, searched the immediate area, and
Speaker 1: retrace their steps nothing. What makes her disappearance particularly strange
Speaker 1: is that there was no logical place for her to
Speaker 1: have gone. The terrain was not difficult, and the area
Speaker 1: was not known for dangerous wildlife. She had no history
Speaker 1: of wandering off or cognitive issues. A large scale search
Speaker 1: turned up nothing, no footprints, no clothing, no clues. It
Speaker 1: was as if Thelma had stepped into another dimension. To
Speaker 1: add another layer of mystery, some reports claimed that in
Speaker 1: the days leading up to her disappearance, Thelma seemed uneasy,
Speaker 1: as though she knew something was wrong. Her husband was devastated,
Speaker 1: and despite exhaustive efforts, she was never found. Thelma Pauline Melton,
Speaker 1: affectionately known as Polly, was born on February twenty sixth,
Speaker 1: nineteen twenty three. At fifty eight years old, Polly stood
Speaker 1: at five feet eleven inches and weighed between one hundred
Speaker 1: seventy to one hundred eighty pounds. She had auburn hair,
Speaker 1: brown eyes, and was a habitual wearer of eyeglasses. Known
Speaker 1: for her vibrant personality, Polly was an active member of
Speaker 1: her community, often volunteering at a center where she served
Speaker 1: meals to senior citizens. She was married to Bob Melton,
Speaker 1: her third husband, who was seventy eight at the time
Speaker 1: of her disappearance. The couple had no children together, and
Speaker 1: Bob had two grown sons from a previous marriage. They
Speaker 1: lived primarily in Jacksonville, Florida, but for three months each fall,
Speaker 1: they would retreat to the Deep Creek Campground, nestled within
Speaker 1: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. On
Speaker 1: September twenty fifth, nineteen eighty one, Polly embarked on her
Speaker 1: routine hike along the Deep Creek Trail with two friends,
Speaker 1: Red and Trula. This trail was familiar territory for Polly,
Speaker 1: as she had traversed at numerous times over the past
Speaker 1: two decades. The hike began around three pm, with Polly
Speaker 1: initially walking at a slower pace than usual, prompting lighthearted
Speaker 1: teasing from her companions. As they made their way back
Speaker 1: toward the campground, Polly unexpectedly quickened her pace, overtaking her friends.
Speaker 1: She rounded a bend in the trail and vanished from
Speaker 1: their sight. Assuming she had returned to the campground ahead
Speaker 1: of them, Red and Trula continued at their own pace. However,
Speaker 1: upon arrival at the campground around four thirty PM, they
Speaker 1: discovered that po Polly was nowhere to be found. Her husband, Bob,
Speaker 1: who had remained at their airstream trailer, had not seen
Speaker 1: her since she left for the hike. Immediate concern prompted
Speaker 1: Polly's friends and other campers to retrace their steps along
Speaker 1: the trail, calling out her name and inquiring with other hikers,
Speaker 1: but no one had seen her. After two hours of
Speaker 1: fruitless searching, they reported her disappearance to park rangers at
Speaker 1: approximately six PM. A large scale search operation ensued, involving
Speaker 1: park rangers, volunteers, bloodhounds, and helicopters. Despite the extensive efforts,
Speaker 1: no trace of Polly was ever found. Polly had a
Speaker 1: history of high blood pressure and nausea, for which she
Speaker 1: was on medication. Notably, she did not have her medications
Speaker 1: with her at the time of her disappearance. Additionally, she
Speaker 1: was a heavy smoker, reportedly consuming up to two packs
Speaker 1: of Virginia Slim cigarettes daily. Despite these health concerns, Polly
Speaker 1: was an experienced hiker familiar with the local trails. Several
Speaker 1: peculiar factors have fueled various theories regarding Polly's disappearance. On
Speaker 1: the day she vanished, Polly deviated from her routine by
Speaker 1: deciding against volunteering at the Senior Center, an activity she
Speaker 1: seldom missed. Additionally, her abrupt acceleration on the trail was uncharacteristic,
Speaker 1: especially considering her earlier slower pace. Bob Milton noticed that
Speaker 1: his Valiant prescription was missing after Polly's disappearance, raising questions
Speaker 1: about whether she had taken the medication with her. Polly
Speaker 1: was reportedly grieving her mother's recent death and had possibly
Speaker 1: experienced minor bouts of depression. Her minister speculated about a
Speaker 1: potential affair, although no evidence supports this claim. A supervisor
Speaker 1: at the Senior Center noted that Polly made an unusual
Speaker 1: phone call the day before she disappeared, a departure from
Speaker 1: her typical behavior. Months after her disappearance, a check bearing
Speaker 1: Polly's name was reportedly cashed in Birmingham, Alabama. Investigators followed
Speaker 1: this lead, but it did not yield any conclude usive information.
Speaker 1: Given the lack of evidence, several theories have emerged. Some
Speaker 1: speculate that Polly may have chosen to leave her life
Speaker 1: behind due to personal reasons such as marital stress or
Speaker 1: a desire for a fresh start. Considering her health issues,
Speaker 1: its possible Polly experienced a sudden medical crisis leading her
Speaker 1: off the trail. However, extensive searches yielded no evidence supporting
Speaker 1: this scenario. While there's no direct evidence of foul play,
Speaker 1: the suddenness of her disappearance has led some to consider
Speaker 1: this possibility. The disappearance of Thelma Pauline Melton remains one
Speaker 1: of the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks most enduring mysteries.
Speaker 1: Despite exhaustive search efforts and numerous theories, no trace of
Speaker 1: her has ever been found, leaving her fate unknown and
Speaker 1: her case unsolved. On the crisp autumn morning of October eighth,
Speaker 1: nineteen seventy six, sixteen year old Teresa Trenny Lynn Gibson
Speaker 1: boarded a school bus with her classmates, unaware that she
Speaker 1: would never return home. She was one of forty students
Speaker 1: from Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, participating in a
Speaker 1: school sponsored field trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Speaker 1: The students were told they were going on a hike,
Speaker 1: but strangely, they weren't informed of their exact destination until
Speaker 1: after they had already boarded the bus. The trip, organized
Speaker 1: by their horticulture teacher, Wayne Dunlap, was intended to be
Speaker 1: an educational outing, a chance for students to observe the
Speaker 1: changing colors of fall and learn about local plant life.
Speaker 1: It was supposed to be a fun, relaxing day in nature,
Speaker 1: but for Treny it would become a mystery that has
Speaker 1: puzzled investigators for nearly half a century. What happened to
Speaker 1: Trenny Gibson on that mountain? Did she vanish by accident,
Speaker 1: or was she taken by someone who knew she would
Speaker 1: be there that day. Trenny wasn't the kind of teenager
Speaker 1: who ran away. She was a responsible, level headed girl
Speaker 1: with strong ties to her family. She had left two
Speaker 1: hundred dollars in her drawer at home and had an
Speaker 1: untouched one thousand dollars in her bank account, money that
Speaker 1: had she planned to disappear, she likely would have taken
Speaker 1: with her. Her parents, teachers, and friends all agreed Trenny
Speaker 1: had no reason to run away. She had also dressed
Speaker 1: for a day hike, wearing a blue blouse, a blue
Speaker 1: and white sweater, a brown and orange plaid heavy jacket,
Speaker 1: and blue jeans. She had on her normal everyday jewelry,
Speaker 1: three rings, and carried a brown purse. Nothing about her
Speaker 1: behavior that morning suggested she was planning anything out of
Speaker 1: the ordinary. She was simply going on a hike with
Speaker 1: her classmates, and yet something happened, something that would lead
Speaker 1: to her vanishing without a trace. The students began their
Speaker 1: trek near Klingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smoky Mountains.
Speaker 1: They hiked along the Forny Ridge trail, which would take
Speaker 1: them to Andrew's Bald, a clearing known for its breathtaking views.
Speaker 1: The students naturally split into groups, walking at different paces.
Speaker 1: Trinny was seen walking with a boy named Robert Simpson,
Speaker 1: a friend of her older brother. However, at some point
Speaker 1: Robert stopped to track a bear he had spotted near
Speaker 1: the trail. Trenny continued on without him. Witnesses recall seeing
Speaker 1: her a short distance ahead, walking alone. She seemed to
Speaker 1: be following the trail, but then, in a moment that
Speaker 1: as haunted investigators ever since, she suddenly veered off the path.
Speaker 1: Multiple students later recalled seeing her stepping off to the
Speaker 1: right near a large rock overhang. But why had she
Speaker 1: seen something or someone? Was she simply stopping to rest?
Speaker 1: Or was she lured away. When the group arrived at
Speaker 1: the parking lot near Klingman's Dome around three point thirty pm,
Speaker 1: they assumed she was already there, but she wasn't and
Speaker 1: she never arrived. As the hours passed and Trenney failed
Speaker 1: to appear, panic set in. Park rangers, volunteers, and tracking
Speaker 1: dogs were quickly deployed. The search went on for weeks,
Speaker 1: but no sign of Trenny was ever found. No clothing,
Speaker 1: no footprints, nothing. Oddly, tracking dogs did pick up a
Speaker 1: scent trail. It led from the last place she was seen,
Speaker 1: followed the trail for a short distance, then veered toward
Speaker 1: the Appalachian Trail. The scent continued past Klingman's Dome observation
Speaker 1: tower and down through the dense woods to a roadside
Speaker 1: area about one point six miles away, and then nothing.
Speaker 1: The scent disappeared. At that location, searchers found a partially
Speaker 1: opened can of beer and cigarette butts. These items seemed
Speaker 1: out of place for a group of high school students
Speaker 1: on a school trip. It was as if someone had
Speaker 1: been waiting there for her. Had Trenny been abducted. If so,
Speaker 1: was it someone she knew. Over the years, several theories
Speaker 1: have emerged, each more unsettling than the last. One possibility
Speaker 1: is that Trenny got lost in the wilderness. The Smoky
Speaker 1: Mountains are vast and it's easy for someone unfamiliar with
Speaker 1: the terrain to become disoriented. However, there are problems with
Speaker 1: this theory. For one, she was an experienced hiker. Two,
Speaker 1: had she simply wandered off, searchers should have found some
Speaker 1: trace of her clothing, shoes, or even animal activity around
Speaker 1: a possible body, but they found nothing. The scent trail
Speaker 1: leading to the roadside, coupled with the beer can and
Speaker 1: cigarette Butts, suggests the possibility that Trenny was taken by
Speaker 1: someone who had been waiting there. But how would they
Speaker 1: have known she would be on that trail at that
Speaker 1: exact time, unless, of course, they were already among the group.
Speaker 1: A few disturbing details emerged after her disappearance. A comb
Speaker 1: one that Trenny always carried in her right hip pocket,
Speaker 1: was later seen on the dashboard of Robert Simpson's car.
Speaker 1: Even more chilling, Robert reportedly made some bizarre and unsettling
Speaker 1: comments after Trenny vanished. He allegedly told Trenny's sister that
Speaker 1: if Kelvin Bowman, a young man with a history of
Speaker 1: threatening Trenny, had taken her, she was probably dead. He
Speaker 1: also made an offhand remark about how she could have
Speaker 1: run off with a horny hitchhiker. Was Robert just making
Speaker 1: careless statements or did he know something more. Kelvin Bowman
Speaker 1: was another figure of concern. Months before Trenny's disappearance, Kelvin
Speaker 1: had attempted to break into the Gibson home and was
Speaker 1: shot in the foot by Trenny's mother. After serving a
Speaker 1: six month sentence, Kelvin reportedly threatened to get revenge on Trenny.
Speaker 1: Some students claim to have seen a car following the
Speaker 1: school bus that day, possibly Kelvin's. However, the teacher and
Speaker 1: principal stated that no cars were trailing them. Officially, Kelvin
Speaker 1: was in school that day, but was he or did
Speaker 1: he find a way to follow her. Despite extensive searches
Speaker 1: and investigations, no trace of Trenny Gibson has ever been found.
Speaker 1: Her disappearance remains one of the most perplexing cases in
Speaker 1: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To this day, her
Speaker 1: family continues to wonder what happened to their daughter, sister,
Speaker 1: and friend. Did she make a wrong turn that led
Speaker 1: to a tragic accident, or was she taken by someone
Speaker 1: who had planned it all along? The Smoky Mountains hold
Speaker 1: their secrets well, and Trenny Gibson's fate remains one of them.
Speaker 1: If you have any information about the disappearance of Trenny Gibson,
Speaker 1: please contact the authorities, and remember, sometimes the most unsettling
Speaker 1: mysteries are the ones that leave no trace at all.
Speaker 1: For our final case. In this episode, we travel back
Speaker 1: to nineteen twenty eight to one of the most baffling
Speaker 1: disappearances in Grand Canyon National Park. Bessie and Glenn Hyde,
Speaker 1: a newlywed couple, were adventurous souls on a honeymoon unlike
Speaker 1: any other. Their goal to raft down the entire length
Speaker 1: of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and endeavor
Speaker 1: that at the time was considered extremely dangerous. Grand Canyon
Speaker 1: National Park, located in northwestern Arizona, is one of the
Speaker 1: most iconic natural landmarks in the United States. Established as
Speaker 1: a National park in nineteen nineteen, it encompasses over one
Speaker 1: point two million acres and features the awe inspiring Grand Canyon,
Speaker 1: a chasm approximately two hundred seventy seven miles long, up
Speaker 1: to eighteen miles wide and averaging a mile deep. In
Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, the National Park Service reported a record
Speaker 1: three hundred thirty one point nine million recreational visits across
Speaker 1: all national parks, with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Speaker 1: being the most visited, followed by parks like the Grand Canyon.
Speaker 1: Grand Canyon National Park has been noted for its number
Speaker 1: of missing persons and fatalities. Between twenty eighteen and February
Speaker 1: twenty twenty three, at least fifty six individuals were reported
Speaker 1: missing in the park, with six confirmed deaths during that period.
Speaker 1: In twenty twenty four, the park experienced a series of
Speaker 1: incidents leading to multiple fatalities. August twenty twenty four, a
Speaker 1: sixty year old solo backpacker from North Carolina was found
Speaker 1: deceased near the Thunder River Trail. This marked the fourteenth
Speaker 1: d death in the park for that year. September twenty
Speaker 1: twenty four, two separate boating incidents resulted in fatalities. A
Speaker 1: fifty nine year old man was found dead during a
Speaker 1: non commercial trip along the Colorado River, and a seventy
Speaker 1: one year old man was discovered near river miles sixty
Speaker 1: three point five after being reported missing from the Lower
Speaker 1: Nanco Wheep Camp. These incidents brought the total number of
Speaker 1: deaths in the park to sixteen for the year, surpassing
Speaker 1: the average annual fatalities, which typically range between ten to fifteen.
Speaker 1: It's important to note that while these statistics provide insight
Speaker 1: into recent incidents, comprehensive historical data detailing the total number
Speaker 1: of individuals who have gone missing, been found deceased or alive,
Speaker 1: or remain unaccounted for. Since the park's establishment is not
Speaker 1: readily available. The park's vast and rugged terrain, combined with
Speaker 1: environmental factors, contributes to the challenges in both tracking and
Speaker 1: conducting search and rescue operations. Stay tuned for mor sasquat
Speaker 1: Chyatta see will be right back after these messages. Glenn
Speaker 1: was an experienced outdoorsman, but Bessie was new to the
Speaker 1: adventure lifestyle. Despite this, they were determined to make history.
Speaker 1: They set off on their journey in October of that year,
Speaker 1: documenting their experience along the way. They were last seen
Speaker 1: on November eighteenth, when they stopped at the home of
Speaker 1: an experienced river guide, Emery Colb. He later recalled that
Speaker 1: Bessie seemed uneasy and hinted that she wanted to leave
Speaker 1: the expedition. Days later, their wooden boat was discovered floating
Speaker 1: in the river, completely intact, with all their supplies still
Speaker 1: on board, but Bessie and Glenn were nowhere to be found.
Speaker 1: No bodies, no signs of struggle, no clues. It was
Speaker 1: as if they had simply stepped off the boat and
Speaker 1: disappeared into the air. Over the years, theories about their
Speaker 1: fate have ranged from drowning to foul play, that Glenn
Speaker 1: may have been controlling and abusive, and that Bessie killed
Speaker 1: him before disappearing into the wild. Others think they may
Speaker 1: have fallen victim to a hidden danger in the canyon,
Speaker 1: something unknown that the wilderness keeps secret, but to this day,
Speaker 1: no definitive answers have surfaced. Glenn Rowlin Hyde born on
Speaker 1: December ninth, eighteen ninety eight was a farmer from Twin Falls, Idaho.
Speaker 1: He had a passion for adventure and had previously navigated
Speaker 1: the salmon and snake rivers in Idaho. Bessie Louise Haley
Speaker 1: born on December twenty ninth, nineteen oh five, hailed from Parkersburg,
Speaker 1: West Virginia. Before meeting Glenn, Bessie had been married but
Speaker 1: divorced on April ninth, nineteen twenty eight, just a day
Speaker 1: before marrying Glenn. The couple met in nineteen twenty seven
Speaker 1: on a passenger ship traveling to Los Angeles and quickly
Speaker 1: formed a bond that led to their marriage. For their honeymoon,
Speaker 1: Glenn and Bessie decided to embark on a daring adventure
Speaker 1: navigating the treacherous rapids of the Colorado River through the
Speaker 1: Grand Canyon. Glenn aimed to set a new speed record
Speaker 1: for traversing the Grand Canyon, and Bessie aspired to become
Speaker 1: the first woman to accomplish this feat. In October nineteen
Speaker 1: twenty eight, they traveled to Green River, Utah, where Glenn
Speaker 1: constructed a twenty foot wooden sweep scal, a type of
Speaker 1: flat bottom boat commonly used by river runners of that era.
Speaker 1: They launched their journey on October twentieth, nineteen twenty eight,
Speaker 1: planning to navigate the Green and Colorado Rivers down to Needles, California.
Speaker 1: As they progressed, the hides interacted with several individuals. On
Speaker 1: November sixteenth, nineteen twenty eight, they hiked out of the
Speaker 1: canyon via the Bright Angel Trail to resupply. At the
Speaker 1: South Rim, they met Emery Colb, a renowned photographer and
Speaker 1: river guide, who took their photograph. Colb later recounted that
Speaker 1: Bessie seemed apprehensive about continuing the journey, hinting at her
Speaker 1: desire to end the trip, despite Colb's concerns and offers
Speaker 1: for them to stay long longer Glenn was determined to proceed.
Speaker 1: They were last seen on November eighteenth, nineteen twenty eight,
Speaker 1: as they departed down river below Hermit Rapid. When the
Speaker 1: Hides failed to arrive at their intended destination, a search
Speaker 1: was initiated. On December nineteenth, nineteen twenty eight, a search
Speaker 1: plane spotted their scow adrift around river mile two hundred
Speaker 1: thirty seven. The boat was upright and fully intact, with
Speaker 1: all supplies, including Bessie's diary and their camera still secured.
Speaker 1: The last photo on the camera was taken near river
Speaker 1: mile one hundred sixty five, likely around November twenty seventh.
Speaker 1: Bessie's diary indicated they had cleared two hundred thirty one
Speaker 1: mile Rapid, suggesting they had made it as far as
Speaker 1: Diamond Creek. Despite extensive search efforts, no trace of the
Speaker 1: couple was ever found. The mysterious disappearance of the Hides
Speaker 1: has led to numerous theories. Given the rivers, challenging rapids,
Speaker 1: and their lack of life jackets, it's plausible they were
Speaker 1: ejected from the boat and drowned. Some speculate that Emery Colb,
Speaker 1: being one of the last to see them, alive might
Speaker 1: have been involved. In nineteen seventy six, skeletal remains with
Speaker 1: a bullet in the skull were found on Colb's property. However,
Speaker 1: forensic analysis later determined the skeleton belonged to a man
Speaker 1: no older than twenty two who died no earlier than
Speaker 1: nineteen seventy two, ruling out Glenn Hyde. In nineteen seventy one,
Speaker 1: a woman on a commercial Grand Canyon rafting trip claimed
Speaker 1: she was Bessie Hyde and had killed Glenn in self defense.
Speaker 1: She later recanted and no evidence supported her claim. Additionally,
Speaker 1: after the death of riverguide Georgie Clark in nineteen ninety two,
Speaker 1: documents found among her possessions led to speculation she was
Speaker 1: Bessie Hyde living under an alias. However, Clark's well documented
Speaker 1: early life contradicts this theory. The tale of Glenn and
Speaker 1: Bessie Hyde remains one of the Grand Canyons enduring mysteries.
Speaker 1: Their story has been featured in various media, including a
Speaker 1: nineteen eighty seven episode of Unsolved Mysteries. Despite numerous investigations
Speaker 1: and theories, their fate remains unknown, capturing the imagination of
Speaker 1: adventurers and historians alike. The Wilderness holds secrets that often
Speaker 1: defy understanding. The cases of Dennis Martin, Thelma Pauline Melton,
Speaker 1: Trenny Lynn Gibson, and Bessie and Glenn Hyde are just
Speaker 1: a few among the many disappearances that have left families
Speaker 1: searching for answers and investigators scratching their heads. What makes
Speaker 1: these cases even more haunting is the complete lack of
Speaker 1: physical evidence. No remains, no belongings, no definitive clues, just
Speaker 1: vanished without a trace. Are these simply tragic accidents or
Speaker 1: is there something more? Could it be that the deep forests,
Speaker 1: remote mountains, and roaring rivers of our national parks hide
Speaker 1: something we have yet to comprehend. Some believe these parks
Speaker 1: are home to forces beyond our understanding, whether supernatural, cryptid
Speaker 1: or human. As we continue this journey, we will explore
Speaker 1: even more cases that push the boundaries of logic and understanding.
Speaker 1: In the next episode, we'll unravel more unsettling disappearances, explore
Speaker 1: eerie patterns, and delve into the chilling similarities between cases.
Speaker 1: The deeper we go, the stranger the stories become. In
Speaker 1: the meantime, stay curious, stay vigilant, and keep following the
Speaker 1: National Park Nightmare Series for more of these mysterious cases.
Speaker 2: Did in Sadow