The Haunted West

  This past August, W.I.G.S took a road trip to the annual Goldfield Days celebration. Initially we were planning on pulling Ol’ Kaw Liga (that would be Paula’s pop-up trailer, named after a Hank Williams song), but ended up cruising south in style aboard Mona’s 40-foot motor home. We went without any itinerary, just wanted to visit the town that is home to one of the most famous haunted places in America: The Goldfield Hotel. We knew that there would be other ghost hunters in town, we figured on meeting up with members of R.E.A.L and NNGH from Reno; and during the weekend we also ran into several ghost hunting enthusiasts from Las Vegas. We toured the area with a local historian, met some very interesting townsfolk, watched a parade, ate some great barbeque, joined in a ghost hunt of the Goldfield High School, and hung out at the Santa Fe, the oldest operating saloon in Nevada, where we were treated to karaoke by the local talent (well…local anyway). Goldfield is such an incredi...

One of the most common paranormal phenomena experienced by investigators is unexplained smells. Among the most common scents reported are cigar/cigarette smoke and floral scents; rose, lavender, and jasmine in particular. While sudden odors may be startling at first notice, most can be explained away through analysis of the surrounding environment. Certain odors can linger for a long time: smoke, fuel, urine, oils and certain plant extracts; how long is dependant on the absorption characteristics of the material they are embedded in. Highly absorbent material like wood can radiate residual odors for many years. Some investigators believe that certain aromas exist because of paranormal activity. These individuals believe spirit entities can either manifest these smells from memory or that the energy of the spirit generates the residual scent. Because not everyone in an area may perceive this type of paranormal phenomenon, it is theorized that the odors are not physically present i...