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| The Haunting of |
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| Smoke Trail Ranch and |
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| the Apache Fires House & |
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| Red Rock Country UFO's |
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| Sedona Legend Helen Frye |
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| Many would love to entertain the thought that this rugged and beautiful property with so much tragedy and history is haunted. Perhaps as an example would be the following stories.... |
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Many visitors to the ranch have reported a vintage twin engine plane circling the property on misty days. The landing lights piercing the murky gloom, the plane seems to be searching for something or someone.... trying to land but unsuccessful. But all of the sudden, like it never happened at all the eerie phenomena is gone. Like a switch being turned off-- the throbbing sound of the droning engines-- the metallic glint of the shiny plane-- nothing but eerie silence amid the whispering red rock canyon winds.
What is the phenomena? An imprint in the fabric of time? Perhaps when Jack and Helen would indeed circle the ranch coming and going from the property? Or is it Jack and Helen Frye reliving the elation they felt when they first discovered the property in 1941? Or perhaps Jack is alone up there, looking for something or someone, finding no where to land just circling and circling in a time warp of sorts over the property he loved more than any other place in the world? We will never know but this type of phenomena is common all over planet. |
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Unfortunately, Jack and Helen's ranch is not haunted in the way described above. Actually it is possible it is not haunted at all no matter how unappealing this may be. However, I refuse to state the property is not in any way haunted. Most properties with a history have their little quirks in this regard and Smoke Trail Ranch is not without its own energies. This is what I do know:
Where the water of Oak Creek flows through the property of Smoke Trail Ranch, there has been reported all through the years strange lights. These lights are reported to be flashes of "blue" light. The Hopi Indians, who Helen entertained many times on the ranch say the land is sacred and the lights are a sign of that. Many say it is a mirage of light that occurs when the sun sets. The light is said to flash across, from mountain to mountain. One sure thing was it would spook the cattle and horses that Helen and Jack kept here back in the 1940's. (This according to their ranch foreman.) Is there anything to it? I certainly have not witnessed it, but judging from the research I have done I feel there is something to the event and I intend to find out more! |
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On a side note-- Helen always considered the ranch property sacred. This is a sentiment shared by many others as well. The Hopi leaders who visited the property through the years at Helen's request felt Smoke Trail Ranch was very special. When Helen Frye and Jack Frye were first married it is said Helen was very ill. She believed that the healing waters of Oak Creek as they passed through the ranch healed her in the early 1940‘s. Later at the end of her life when she suffered from terminal cancer she again bathed in the waters, convalescing and sunbathing on the banks of the stream. She had a bell installed nearby so anyone on the ranch could ring it to let her know they were approaching, and interrupting her meditations. Unfortunately, the cancer was more powerful than the healing powers of Oak Creek. Of course Helen had smoked her entire life and this physical damage is hard to reverse.
It is thought by some that Helen’s last home, the Wings of the Wind is haunted. When I was in the home though, I felt a real sense of peace and magnificence. Because it is owned by a private party, strangers should resist knocking on the door. Different owners have been besieged by people through the years, trespassing and wanting to see Helen's home. Helen did die in the home and her ashes are scattered on the property. |
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There has been talk by people that have worked for Red Rock State Park, that the Twin Cypress area is haunted. Of course, for nearly 40 years, when the property was Helen and Jack's Smoke Trail Ranch this location was called “Long Meadow.” There is a restroom-shower house there now, built by a cult group who owned the property briefly in the 1970’s and a covered picnic area. At night, the area is said to have very uncomfortable vibrations. You know, like something lurks in the darkness? I must say though being quite adept at sensing such things, I have in the past stayed at that location day and night and never felt more at ease or comfortable.
What about one of the most famous landmarks in the Sedona area? The House of Apache Fires. I have personally tried to pick up on anything that may be emanating from that house with little success. Not to say that a psychic might not be able to pick up much more than I could. On many hours of quiet reflection I have had relatively no unusual experiences. However, there was a time when I heard some unusual noises that couldn't be accounted for, in my analytical mind. At another time, I felt what I swore was someone approaching in the shadowed hallways, but when I turned around no one was there. I was the only one in the house-- gave me cold chills to be sure! Employees and volunteers of the park have also reported unusual incidents on former house tours. |
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| Many years ago when I was on one of the house tours the park ranger told me it was haunted. The area of the house more than once singled out as having unusual and uneasy energy is the kitchen area. I was told recently by a gentleman who knew Helen in the years before she died that the kitchen had a large range in it, wood cook stove, and adjoining gas stove. It was always set up for large gatherings. My impression was with ample accessories for entertaining. Helen did entertain there often. Another person told me she would visit Helen there as a little girl, Helen would always be so kind and generous letting her play all over the house. She even said she was allowed to play on the swinging bed in the master bedroom. Helen would always make her a nice lunch of sandwiches and soup. So the kitchen was a happy place when Helen was alive. The uneasy energy may come from the these rooms being shadowed. Especially a dark room at the rear of the house. on the southeast corner. behind the kitchen. This room with its high windows always gives me a different feeling. If I owned the house I would very quickly change this room and try to make it more cheerful. It is said that in times past. this room was used for storage of meats and groceries; before electricity, sort of like a pantry. The long living room area is also a little dark and spooky.... |
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| Recently I discovered something unusual about Helen's upstairs studio. After scrutinizing photos for months, I pulled up the photo of Helen's studio fireplace taken in the late 1940's. Suddenly I was completely taken aback. A cold chill ran through me from my head to my toes. What caused this frightening effect? In the photo, as clear as can be, was a "human face" staring out of the fireplace. In the many times I and others have gazed at these photos it appears none of us has ever noticed the anomaly. But there it is as clear as day, what appears to be a face floating in the (right) area of the fireplace. The face appears to be turn-of-the-century or older looking man, middle-aged with a handlebar type mustache. I immediately asked a friend to look at the photo, not telling him what to look for. No sooner had the friend looked at the photo than he said-- "there is a face of a ghost in the fireplace." Is it indeed a ghost or just some kind of reflection? I analyzed the photo assuming that it must be the pattern of the bricks behind the fire-screen. But upon enlarging the photo, it appears the face is not in the fireplace but floating on the fire-screen. Of course, a person has to be skeptical and should be. The face could be some natural effect of light and darkness. However, it appears to me that this might very well be an example of a very common phenomena. This being a classic ghost picture. A innocent photo is taken, but something shows up in the photo that was not there in the physical. |
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Who is the man? That is a question which likely can never be answered. Because the photo was taken in about 1948 or so we know it is likely someone from before Jack and Helen owned the property. Perhaps an early settler that died on the property. Most likely he would have died on the grounds where the House of Apache Fires is now built in order to leave an imprint on the house. It could be the ghost of someone that was killed by Indians as much as 100 years earlier? Perhaps a tragic death, otherwise why would it imprint on the fabric of time? The house is built on a bluff. Could a man have been chased by killers ending up on the bluff with no where to go, in essence trapped? Was he then tragically killed? Could this be the ghost of a man killed by one of the antique flint lock rifles that hung over the fireplace in 1948? The rifles belonged to Helen’s great-grandparents. Sort of akin to the Winchester Mystery House saga? You know, spirits of people killed by guns? I invite you all to look at the picture yourself and make up your own minds. To view the ghost in the fireplace, click here. I admit the above is a lot of silly speculation, however that is what this page is all about; it was created for a "fun" RRSP Halloween!
Seriously though, the main energy I have always picked up on in the Apache Fires house is incredible sadness. This feeling overwhelmed me so many times walking the floors of the home that I decided to build this Web Site. I felt that Jack and Helen's story needed to be told-- that they implored it be told! I wanted to give these two people an identity. People need to know that the House of Apache Fires was built by two real life people with dreams and heartaches just like you and I. It is not just an empty unfinished mansion on a hill, a product of a failed marriage. It has a history and the story and an imprint of those that willed it into existence. Every house has a heart, every house radiates the energy of those who have owned it and lived in it. The House of Apache Fires has a "HEART" too. There are thousands of people out there that are thirsty to hear it's story. In this regard this Web Site serves a valid purpose! |
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Of UFO's and Unexplained
Phenomena in Sedona Country |
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| Jack Frye was an active pilot during 1923 to 1959 |
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| Jack and Helen Frye both believed in UFO’s. This may surprise some TWA associates in regard to Jack Frye, however, Helen Frye in a candid manner, once stated that she and Jack regularly saw such phenomena from the cockpit of TWA planes when they were in flight. It is assumed that she meant the Lodestar NC33604, and the Electra NC18137. This is a subject that Jack Frye likely never discussed publicly. Helen Frye, on the other hand, was never one to mince words. She at one time desired to develop the House of Apache Fires, in part, as a center for the study of UFO’s (early 1960's.) A subject which fascinated her even to the jeers of her friends. Helen never gave a damn as to what others thought and can be admired for this attribute. Although I do not have any specifics of what phenomena she and Jack observed through the years, I will relate 2 experiences I myself had in Sedona over the last 20-years. In my life I have taken thousands of images and many photos of Sedona vistas but never have I taken an image of a supposed UFO, or gone out of my way to search for such phenomena. |
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| 1987 or 1988- Village of Oak Creek- Sedona, Arizona |
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| The first incident was most unusual. I was living in the Village on a ranch isolated from the community at large. This ranch was just about four miles east of the Frye Ranch in the Sedona Red Rock Country. One summer evening (dusk) a friend and I decided to go for a walk in the surrounding neighborhoods, something I did often. As we walked down the long red dirt driveway of the ranch, my attention was distracted by what I at first thought was an unusual night constellation, toward the northeast of Sedona, north of Bell Rock. What amazed me was after a moment I noticed this “constellation” was actually moving! “What the hell?” I thought! I immediately turned to my friend and excitedly pointed out the mass of “stars” that were slowly drifting our way. As the formation drew closer we were both stunned by what looked like a group of stars, but was actually a massive fleet of about 50 moving objects. |
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| The ships made nary a sound and cruised at what could be estimated at somewhere above 20,000 to maybe 80,000 feet? The fascinating element to all this was that they were all defined by what appeared be red perimeter lights. Yes, the formation was highlighted by a very prominent array of steady red lights, moving in formation high above the evening vista of the red rock country. The objects had no normal airplane characteristics except they steadily progressed over our heads. They moved in total silence from horizon to horizon in perfect formation for about 2 to 3 minutes. What was it we queried each other? A fleet of military planes? They certainly weren’t civilian! We were both puzzled. Later, I thought perhaps the military was moving a secret fleet of stealth bombers out west to a California airforce base? But recently I have learned that one, the stealth was not fully developed at that time, and two the military didn’t use steady red running lights, ever. My conclusion, these 20-some years later, is that we likely witnessed a fleet of starships. Yes, perhaps UFO’s, but I will obviously never know for sure “what” it was. All I know is it was truly bizarre. One can only imagine what Helen Frye witnessed out at the Frye Ranch throughout the years, an area isolated with endless vistas of virgin Sedona night sky. |
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December 2006-
Camera- FujiFilm FinePix F-10
6.3 mega pixels- UFO image @ 3.07 MB |
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| The following photo is displayed as an example of what occasionally is spotted over the skies of Sedona. Admittedly the image is far from sharp and clear. Sedona is a very prevalent area for UFO sightings. In this instance I was hiking with friends on Doe Mountain out past Dry Creek Road in Sedona country. After returning to the car, we noticed two grey military gun ship helicopters flying over us in a northeastern direction toward Boynton Canyon. Being an aviation enthusiast I quickly snapped a photo of the helicopters. I thought nothing of it until I got home and downloaded the images to my computer. When examining the choppers, I immediately noticed an object high in the sky almost shadowing the military ships. The object does not appear in any other of the 20 some frames taken that day, nor were there any clouds in the skies or contrails. Yet there it was, a definite object, faint and blurry at about 30 thousand feet? I looked closely at the digital camera lens for any lint or dirt specks and found nothing. |
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| However, such concerns fall away when one looks closely at the mysterious object. It is clearly cylindrical in shape, or a saucer, viewed from the side. There is a shadow area on the bottom which matches that of the helicopters, which were highlighted in the same manner from the angle of the mid-day sun. There is a heat signature on it under extreme magnification (reddish hue) as pointed out by a friend who is an aviation expert and studied the image. The fact that it was captured in the same shot of the military helicopters is very significant. It appears, as in many UFO sightings, the military is often nearby. Boynton Canyon appears to be a favorite place for blackops. Many unusual events have been recorded there from black choppers to unusual monitoring equipment discovered here and there. Recently a friend was riding her motorcycle out in the same area, only to be startled by a black military looking chopper flying low over the canyons. The chopper was devoid of any civilian or military markings. This friend, who is also associated with the Frye Ranch is in aviation and law enforcement. The final conclusion: It is definitely an object, faint as it was so high in the sky, whitish in color but not without definition and shadow. Possibly cylindrical, a shape increasingly reported by observers worldwide today. |
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| Unusual object (UFO) is spotted to the left and above the military gun ships seen over Sedona Arizona. Please click for the enlarged version. What is it? Certainly not something on the lense or a stray cloud. |
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| In closing, Helen Frye and Jack Frye both were interested and open minded in regard to metaphysics. Helen especially was very interested in UFO’s and alien life. How can anyone in this day and age not be? How can we as a species so arrogantly think we are the only life in the universe? The Fryes can be admired for their interest at a time when such free thinking was scorned and ridiculed! Bless them both! |
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Close up of object to the left. Distance is quite difficult to judge. But gauging from the lack of clarity it appears to be quite high, perhaps 20 thousand feet, and perhaps really big. |
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| Return to: "House of Apache Fires" |
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Copyright © 2003
Sedona Legend Helen Frye Website
Created By R. D. Reynolds
All Rights Reserved |
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All materials on this website, unless otherwise notated, are copyrighted
and the exclusive protected property of the Sedona Legend Helen Frye Website |
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| Thank You For Visiting |
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| Sedona Legend Helen Frye |
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