Talkin’ Rockin’ Haunts with Rocky Mountain Haunters

Maybe it’s the crisp air, the longer nights or the warm, earthy smell of a fresh pumpkin pie, but something happens in October that brings out the crafter in us all. Suddenly, houses you normally wouldn’t bat an eye at catch your attention. Walking at night becomes a fun activity — rather than a scream-at-your-TV decision — as you look for the most elaborately decorated yard. It’s just a time that brings people together, and no one knows that better than the Rocky Mountain Haunters (RMH).

“I make a real point to be family friendly. I’ve learned I can’t put my giant spider by the front door because so many people are so afraid of spiders.”

What started as a simple Halloween email list between a few friends in 2001 has grown into a thriving online community of over 100 members, reaching outside the confines of Utah. Their website even has a map of all the amazing haunts you can find throughout the state. The group also gets together for in-person gatherings to share tips and build spooky props together. The best part is that there’s no barrier for entry — longtime haunters and complete beginners alike take part in this community and share secrets for the most ghoulish haunts.

Talking to RMH committee members Greg Shoop, Karen Christensen and Remington Sorenson was a treat. Each brings a different aspect to the craft of building haunts: Christensen’s art background allows her to create finely detailed props, while Sorenson has more experience with tech, and Shoop is all about synchronizing music to his displays. “I make a real point to be family friendly,” Shoop says. “I’ve learned I can’t put my giant spider by the front door because so many people are so afraid of spiders.”

“Oogie Boogie was the first prop that I built. So this year is my full circle [moment].”

When it comes it comes to building a haunt, the most essential part is finding what works for you. Most RMH members tend to lean toward a theme for their houses. Sorenson is a The Nightmare Before Christmas guy. His whole display features iconic scenes from the movie, like singing pumpkins and Jack falling into Christmasland. This year, Sorenson took it up a notch by building a six-and-a-half-foot tall Oogie Boogie animatronic, featuring moving components like shaking dice and a spinning table. “Oogie Boogie was the first prop that I built,” Sorenson says. ”So this year is my full circle [moment].”

As for Christensen, she applies her artistic talent to creating pirate-themed haunts. “We definitely try for family friendly, spooky … [my display] was more diverse before but it’s pretty much all pirate now.” Shoop and Sorenson say you could walk through Christensen’s display for half an hour and still miss half the details.

“There’s joy in sharing our knowledge.”

Even with these various approaches to decor, similar challenges arise. The three ghouls of the haunt-building world are storage, budget and the elements. Shoop says, “We’re all very envious of Karen’s storage space. She has more storage than people have houses.” Even so, Christensen has needed to get creative when it comes to breaking down and storing her elaborate pirate sets. However, her main issue is budgeting to build her dream project — an endless mausoleum — citing the cost of the see-through glass as the main problem. Ensuring that your props are still usable for next year is another nightmare because of heavy rain and strong winds.

The haunters are all about welcoming people into the world of Halloween prop-building. Shoop says, “If it’s your first time there and you don’t know how to build [your prop] or you struggle with it at all, you’re gonna have five or six people jump in to help you build it … and there’s joy in that. There’s joy in sharing our knowledge.” So, whether it’s store-bought Spirit Halloween animatronics that could use some customization, learning to build your first foam tombstones or finding a community to share crafting tips with, the RMH will make your Halloween vision rise from the grave.

If you want to learn more about this spooky community, or simply find all the best haunts in your area, check out rockymountainhaunters.com or join their Facebook group and see what exhilarating nightmares await.

Read about more spooky spots:
Love Like Blood: The Heart of Utah’s Goth Community
Odyssey Dance Theater’s Thriller Returns With New and Old Haunts