By Terra Avilla
I love this season. Mostly because as the temperature drops, I can wear hoodies and sweats, which constitutes ninety percent of my wardrobe, but also because I love Halloween.
I love the movies, the costumes, the decorating, and I love Frightmare Forest.
Guys, I have planned a lot of events. I have orchestrated the use of hundreds of volunteers, it is tiring and it takes a lot of work. Yet, how Dorinda Shaffer, year after year, manages to construct an outdoor haunted experience, weekend after weekend, coordinating hundreds of role players and volunteers. Yes, I said it- weekend after weekend. Not just getting everything ready to go one time a year. It’s for several days multiple times a day. A feat that is pretty impressive, and you can tell Dorinda has refined over the years.
For those who are about to say that they “don’t like scary stuff,” I can tell you that you still need to go. Earlier in the day, they do a less scary version for littler kids, and it is still cool. But for those of you who like a thrill, I 100% recommend taking the short drive to visit Frightmare Forest.
Spooky goblins, witches, and characters from your favorite horror movies make their debut through your journey. The amount of detail on the trail is truly amazing and makes for a very fun experience. However, in true Lassen County fashion, it isn’t the event that makes it so special, it’s the people.
As Frankie and I took our six year old (because she pinky promised it wouldn’t be too scary for her), to visit the labyrinth on Dorinda’s property, I was able to see so many of the people I love from our community, also anxiously awaiting their turn. However, once inside the forest, I observed multiple little goblins I recognized from the community, all volunteering their time.
As Peach clutched my hand, my heart swelled with pride to live here, as older kids softened their growls, and adjusted their “scariness” to fit her age.
She would squeal with excitement and a little bit of fear, and they would wink and softly growl back. She loved it. And I loved it. I loved that I live somewhere, where we have such a cool event, that could rival any big city’s haunted house.
As Peach exited the forest, she was so proud of herself, and couldn’t wait to tell her friends at school that she went through the Frightmare Forest. It will be something we do annually with her until she is too cool (or thinks she is too cool) to do it with her mother and her father. I am so thankful that Dorinda finds the time (and patience) to orchestrate this year after year. Our community loves it and so do I. After all, it is one of the reasons I love the place we live.
