Gadianton Canyon: Case of Desert Time Warps and Alternative Universes

A few words:

This account of time or or universe displacement only spawns up on a few websites and about one or two interviews. It is classified as Highway Space Warp case (HSW) but who the hell knows where that term came from unless multiple highways actually have the same problem. The place has historically had similar problems, as mentioned by this case, dating back to the 1800's, if not earlier.

I think the whole experience must be surreal to imagine. But if there were ever a comparison, this would be it: www.youtube.com...

ATS Podcast:
www.abovetopsecret.com...



Location:
It takes place right next to the Escalante Desert in Utah, at a Canyon called Gadianton Canyon. The experience was on Highway 56. I have had no luck finding any significance in that region, so if anyone knows, feel free to post.


History and Lore:

"Among the freighters who hauled supplies to Pioche (Nevada) in the seventies (1870s--J.T.) there grew up a legend that a rocky gorge near the Nevada Line was haunted by the Gadianton robbers, a terroristic brotherhood which the Book of Mormon explains as having sprung up among the Nephites and Lamanites in the century before Christ."

"Wide-eyed freighters told tales of rocks closing the way, and of the canyon folding up to entrap them."

According to the article, the Gadianton could be compared to a covert groups of assassins, causing all sorts of problems in the area.


Story:

Four girls came from a rodeo in Pioche, Nevada back to their dorm in Cedar City, which is part of Southern Utah University. They came through Highway 56 at about 10 p.m. According to the article, it's fairly known for being haunted.

While driving, the black asphalt with the white centerline instantly turned into bright cement.
While trying to figure out what happened, the scenery suddenly changed. The original red canyon walls were opening up to an entirely new environment. "Instead of moonlit desert, they saw grain fields on the right and a large like, with stands of ponderosa pine, on the left." which are said to not be common in that area of the state. The girls then drove to a parking lot at a tavern on the side of the road. This is where everything gets crazy.

One of the girls wanted to ask for help. A few men came out of the building.

Via the article:

[ "There are some guys," Carol said.

Bethany let out a giggle. "Are they cute?"

"Let's find out." Lisa began rolling down the rear passenger window.

"Lisa! We don't have time for this," Janna said.

"Relax!" Hastily she touched up her lipstick. "I'm only going to ask them how to get back to the highway."
]

But as soon as they came out, the girl screamed and told the girl driving to floor it and get out as fast as she can. Why would a girl scream? Well, the next part would be bizarre, but that's not even what did it. Soon, the girls found themselves being chased by "tri-wheeled, egg-shaped vehicles." (via the About.com summary)

It turns out that the girl screamed because she claimed what she saw was in fact not even human.


Trace Evidence (via the article):

"Trooper Vic Lundquist, who investigated the case, noted several circumstances that were never adequately explained.

(1) There were no tire tracks showing where the Chevy had left Highway 56 in Modena.

(2) Tire tracks from the wrecked Chevy extended only 200 yards back into the desert and ended abruptly.

(3) No one could explain how the Chevy had gotten nearly two miles north of Highway 56 without leaving any physical trace of its passage through the rough desert terrain.

(4) Although volunteers searched diligently, no trace of the Chevy's right front hubcap was ever found."


Source


[edit on 24-3-2010 by bananasam]

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reply to post by bananasam


After reading your source link I see that the language is so colorful that it must be a fictional short story. People don't write reports of paranormal events in this kind of language:

Janna North had the wheel of her father's 1971 Chevrolet Nova, and Carol Abbott was in the passenger seat. Sitting in the back seat were Lisa Rochefort and Bethany Gordon. It was after 10 p.m. when the girls crossed the Utah-Nevada state line nine miles (14 kilometers) east of Modena. And they were anxious to get back to the campus before their housemother, Mrs. Mortensen, locked the dorm doors.

That stretch of Utah Highway 56 is pretty desolate, all sand and sagebrush and ocotillo and Spanish bayonet, with the red sandstone bluffs on the northern horizon. So the girls were pretty happy when they finally spotted the Union Pacific railroad crossing at Modena. But just past the rails, Janna noticed something strange. Two sets of blacktop highway headed off into the desert--one veered sharply to the southeast, the other shooting northeast toward the canyon country further north.

...

Five minutes later, the Chevy entered the red-rock canyon. Janna, who had been chatting with her friends, suddenly noticed that the car's headlights were shining more brightly on the pavement. Looking closer, she let out a gasp. The white centerline was gone. Instead of black asphalt, they were driving on white cement..

"Janna, up ahead!" Carol exclaimed.

Janna gasped. The highway ended abruptly at a rocky cliff face. Janna stepped down hard on the brake pedal. Fishtailing slightly, the Chevy screeched to a stop in front of the cliff.

...

Carol looked around in awe. "This sure ain't Modena!"

"We must've gotten turned around back there," Janna said, her gaze darting back and forth. "Where the hell are we?"

Up ahead Janna spied a roadhouse (tavern--J.T.) and an adjacent parking lot. It seemed to have a neon sign, but she couldn't red it. What should have been letters were brightly-lit squiggles and curlycues. Some men came out of the building.

It reads like a sci-fi short story. I have no doubt that's exactly what it is. The preface of your source link says the geography in the story is all wrong. The names are changed so there's no way to put real people in the picture. The story obviously was written by someone else because it's not told in the fist person and I doubt "Trooper Vic" would have mistaken east from west in his home state, as the preface edit suggests the author did. Who wrote it? It's supposedly sourced from a book called "Utah: A Guide to the State" - which is a real book - but if you google any of the text from the story the only results are on Rense, ATS, and GLP.
And perhaps most importantly, does it sound at all reasonable?

It did make for a good read though, thanks.

I think you pointed out a lot of of the right things. I still wonder how this got circulated, and why it was made. In most sites its treated as nonfiction, but the way you put it, the skeptic in me is inclined to agree it is probably the product of someone's imagination.

any idea why ATS did a podcast on it?

[edit on 25-3-2010 by bananasam]

reply to post by bananasam


There always seem to be questions that we cannot answer when it comes to quirky urban myths. I think that's why we hang onto them; because we can't prove them false and no one can pin down enough details to debunk them. Although I would have to say that this one probably wouldn't be "confirmed" if the Myth Busters got a hold of it.

Nonetheless it's all very entertaining. No idea about why the podcast.

[edit on 3/25/10 by OnceReturned]

reply to post by OnceReturned



I have found a 'Vicky Lundquist' aged 60 who is living/or lived in St George about 60 miles south of Modena.

www.ussearch.com... e=UT&searchStateJurisdiction=UT&searchCity=Bountiful

If one is curious enough they can pay for the info and contact the person, but I think this is just a tall tale. No doubt that whoever wrote this was high on peyote.



[edit on 29-4-2010 by phatkhat]

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the source link is rense.com

2nd line

reply to post by bananasam


Really interesting read, thanks for finding and sharing. Starred and flagged.

"It takes place right next to the Escalante Desert in Utah, at a Canyon called Gadianton Canyon. The experience was on Highway 56. I have had no luck finding any significance in that region, so if anyone knows, feel free to post."



Here is a good link: www.prairieghosts.com...

It's tells alot about the myths and legends of mormons in the area. At the time the Gadianton robbers were suspected to be freemasons.
You could also try to lookup mormon lore and legends online or at the library. You can also ask the mormons directly.