We Went Looking for Missing People in the Smokies

[@TheLoreLodge]

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[@1-harsh0NEshelly]

Would the dogs hit on her pee? Or sent if she was trying to go &fl but fell? They would find her Did she go on the walk? Any real proof she left with her friends??

[@1-harsh0NEshelly]

Would the dogs hit on her pee? Or sent if she was trying to go &fl but fell? They would find her Did she go on the walk? Any real proof she left with her friends??

[@saywhen9998]

Don’t lie. You definitely don’t work out.

[@arcanite_force]

Bronze Palm Eagle Scout here. The stories you cover regarding scouts being involved are so infuriating to me, because ALL OF THEM DO NOT HAPPEN if the buddy system is followed

[@MissMentats]

As a female city dweller, I have never been a Boy Scout and was super confused as to why the scouts seemingly went on a trip together only to hike individually upon arrival.

[@Nathan-jy6nh]

Evan as a adulte my mates and I still follow The buddy system on hikes

[@skinnywacky]

Golden palm eagle scout here and yeah

[@transposemusic-d3b]

At ease, soldier.

[@edcolt5846]

It infuriates me too. Another Eagle Scout here (never got any palms, life happened and my journey was stunted). Makes me wonder how these people become leaders.

[@DocComics]

'He was almost dead but otherwise in good shape' is my total mood.

[@KG_614]

Word!

[@Catman_CM]

Same, tbh

[@DizzyEyes94]

Me since age 23 😂

[@thecore8605]

Me since 21 rolled around

[@squirllmansam9457]

I'm an archaeologist. A couple years ago I worked out in the Cherokee National forest in TN. Off trail, 70% slopes, huge amounts of mountain laurel, bears, ground hornets, snakes, no service (obviously). Super humid in the summer, the crew I was on ran out of water a couple days. It is brutal out there. We were scrambling up and down some real dangerous slopes to access ridgelines and streams. Even with GIS, it was easy to get lost, and we were often 1-2 miles from one of the roads that wind through the mountains. I have worked in 12 states now, all across the country, in assorted forests and deserts, and nothing has scared me as much as Cherokee. There's something... threatening. I don't necessarily believe in bigfoot or wendigos or what not, but the sheer hostility of the forest made me question on a couple days if I would make it out in one piece. I could see how people go missing, slip while going down a slope, fall and die. There's some crazy places out there.

[@saywhen9998]

You are definitely not an archeologist

[@Megan_Hook]

​@@saywhen9998 And what are you?

[@srslothington]

@@saywhen9998 Proof?

[@tristanhallmark2724]

​@saywhen9998 you are definitely not a decent human being

[@clickherelol]

As someone not from the region who has very extensively hiked around that area, and a lot of the national parks, are you Just simply retarded?

[@AlisCorner]

Regarding the wild people: my family has a cabin in a remote area of the Western U.S., where much of the land (over 2.5 million acres) is government-owned and used for logging. It’s a dense forest, 2+ hours from civilization, so its ideal for anyone looking to disappear. Each year, loggers find abandoned campsites, cabins, vehicles, and unfortunately occasionally even bodies out there. They've been from criminals on the run, families that vanished, religious fanatics, or even seemingly ordinary people with no clear motive. The news is hyper local, but anyone in the area would agree that people live in the woods. So I believe that fan you met and think honestly any large public land has its share of squatters, but these are people who’ve intentionally left society, not members of a hidden tribe or group isolated from society for multiple generations.

[@sappholily]

amanda: *jogs a bit and almost slips* aiden: "careful" also aiden: *jogs a bit on the same rock amanda almost slipped on*

[@trentonghormley6750]

“Did people live here before it was a park?” Brother, have I got some news for you.

[@smolexfundie6458]

😂😂😅

[@nickrogers1124]

Did he say that? I missed it lol

[@trentonghormley6750]

@@nickrogers1124 the other Aidan said it lol

[@JustinSmith-mh7mi]

Underrated comment IJBOL

[@transposemusic-d3b]

Obviously he was talking about white people who make head stones like the one they saw. Not Native American savages.

[@elonever.2.071]

To me the three boy scouts story is pretty obvious that the lawyer's son was bullying the boy that went missing. The two boys went off together and only the lawyer's son returned. Jeff being pretty traumatized by being told he couldn't join the other boys returning to the vehicle. He went off by himself and got lost and perished.

[@WokenWRLD]

450 pages of research for the Great Smokies cluster? Good lord brother that's a madness. The amount of time and effort you put in is absolutely admirable. Thank both of you (Aidans) for all of the work you do. Side note - you should 100% publish a formal book with what you've put together.

[@lizzieandmocha1131]

Oh, absolutely. I would 100% read it. He's kind of inspired me to write one myself on some of these missing person cases. Just a whole book where I throw out theories both wacky and plausible.

[@AnamLiath]

We used our cadaver dogs to locate unmarked graves over 150 - 200 years old, and civil war battle sites prior to construction and on old family farms. A woman I knew uses her dogs to locate unmarked graves and mass graves in Serbia and Croatia, and WWI/II battlefields. Are able to scent very old decomp and bones in soil and groundwater. Buried decomp is centralized to a site and spreads into the soil. The way a dog works scent makes a huge difference in how effective they are in different condition. A dog that works off both ground and air is an asset. Hounds will work of ground scent, as will dogs trained for IPO or AKC disciplines. Once of my dogs worked a cadaver trail by standing on her hind legs to track scent swept into windbreak pines. I've also trained two horses to track live or recently dead people. Horses do very good scent-work, for air scenting they have a height advantage over dogs.

[@MapleHillMunitions]

Does this work? I have what I suspect is tons of headstones on our property. Cheaper than radar.

[@cunit80]

Not always true. Dogs have very high fail rates actually.

[@Mulepetter-y1t]

Thoughts and observations: Case 1 / Polly. I'm a 65 yo female and although I hiked and backpacked for years my knees and hips will no longer cooperate with a "squatty potty." Unless it was a serious emergency I'd elect to make it back to the campground. If she was able to toilet/void the dogs would've found it. My only other thought is since she was a regular there she knew about the baby's gravestone and maybe went to check it. That's something I would do if I walked that trail regularly. Also, that trail was once a road, maybe for lumber or mining but it certainly started life as a road.

[@nilsmuninsheim4279]

This is the first Lore Lodge video to drop, after I discovered your channel. I loved to binge the 411 playlist and see you turning more critical of the sources during this, sometimes even debunking cases - but still maintaining an open mind, even for the unusual or uncanny, where appropriate. And I am delighted to learn the first new entry on 'my watch' beeing a quintessential expedition into what brought me here in the first place. Thank you very much and best regards from Germany.

[@JulieCaptivatedinFl]

I know that local clubs like The Kiwanis Club in my old hometown, care for and leave flowers on old gravestones that no longer have living relatives. It's a great charitable cause that is rarely considered. It's possible a local charity keeps this grave preserved. We would have never known about it if you wouldn't have stumbled onto it by chance.

[@erik7647]

That or an individual, I used to go find and clean up old graves in a historical cemetery where I grew up. I found some of the original graves from the original failed settlement where the town now is, they were Feild stones layed out in a way that is clearly old graves and shared graves, likely entire families based on the known stories of the failed settlement. Also found a bunch of unmaintained and forgotten graves from the French Indian war. I just felt if was bored and finding old cemetery plots from old maps and lucky guesses of where to look might as well clean them up too. Now the cemetery also knows the location so other people who just feel the need to clean them up and help can and help find other sites in the area. Also they now will give a print off sheet on how to safely clean the graves as not myself but others have just gone in with household cleaners (which can damage the stone and environment around it. Obviously overgrown graves now have wildlife and native plants growing around them that can't be disturbed, it's their home even if also the home of a long lost person.)

[@DeliveryMcGee]

Yeah, that stone definitely wasn't 100 years old, looked like it was replaced in the 1980s or later.

[@FlyingSwatters]

Considering the Bobby and Trenny angle: maybe it wasn’t as violent or terrible as everyone assumes (aka he did something to her, lured her, etc) but maybe he was a secret-not-so-secret boyfriend. Tells her to hide off trail so they can canoodle or kiss before heading back (especially if the story of Bobby being in her room is true) and Trenny slipped, hurt herself, cracked her head, anything to seriously hurt herself and Bobby freaked out and Trenny died. He hides her body in some way, tells his dad that she got hurt and died and they cover it up. Just a thought! I’ve just really discovered your channel recently and even though I’ve always felt weird about “true crime” as a genre, I really enjoy your in depth research into the Missing 411 cases, and your willingness to travel to Alaska or the Smokies to see this for yourself.

[@kathryncumberland]

I know you've collabbed with Missing Enigma before and it's cool that you're taking a cue from him and going on location. It really is helpful to see the terrain and general surroundings.

[@MarkhamShawPyle]

I, for one, shall never forget Amanda's I'd-Like-To-See-You-Try-Bub face when Mattis says he could pick her up bodily and run back with her.

[@allisonbarry720]

As someone who used to hike on parts of the Appalachian trail in PA I can tell you how easy it is to get lost on it. Back in the mid to late 90's a friend of mine and I would pick a spot and hike for an hour and turn around. One day we found what we thought was part of the trail and decided to hike it. Well it wasn't a trail it turned out to be just a an open space sparsely populated with trees. When we turned around we were almost positive we were going straight back from whence we came. After 2 more hours of hiking we finally made it back to the road where we sure our car would be. We were over a mile away from it. I can see someone thinking they are on the right track and be way off. It happened to me. I thank God we didn't get lost that day.

[@BearanormalPodcast]

Dude all those flat paver stones on that trail at 57:59 you get those wet enough as you experienced here its REALLY easy to slip and fall on those with just even a little bit of moisture, its never good to pave trails in that, even loose gravel provides a better more stable gripping surface...

[@explosivesun8608]

"As the crow flies" is definitely an interesting phrase, I feel like almost every rural area has one of those phrases. Where I come from there's a lot of mountains and rivers and the roads constantly wind in and out of them, so if you're asking someone how to get somewhere you're off to get to hear the phrase "Well, you can't get there from here." Because there is no direct path there, you have to go on a bunch of different side roads let's go to like five different towns before you actually get there. Anyone else got any others?

[@sarasmr4278]

We used to say that too! I grew up in southwest Kansas and when we drove over the bridge on the way out of town we would always, "Check to see if there's water in the river!" It was very exciting if there was. In girl scouts we went camping by that river and learned how to dig a deep hole in the river sand and wait half an hour and it would fill up with water. I've never actually needed to know that but it seemed very important at the time.

[@kickazz9473]

I'm in east Tennessee and everyone here uses the phrase "how the crow flies" lol It just means the path the crow flies over the mountain is shorter than taking the winding road. So if it's 1 Mile the way the crow flies it may be 4 miles by car.

[@Radwarhead]

I’m from Oklahoma, some of the common things I hear are “just a little ways down the road” that means like 10-15 minutes. Another one would be “it’s a pretty good drive” it’s like an hour or so

[@MapleHillMunitions]

It just means straight. I thought this was a common phrase.

[@SkullbunnibaitzArtz]

The smokies and the Rockies are so aptly named. That does look like smoke and those sure are rocks.

[@janetburnett3935]

In the story about Trenny's disappearance, is there any information about Robert's life after this event? I'd think if he did kill her allegedly, there might have been signs of behavioral issues afterwards, or other crimes he was suspected of... allegedly.

[@elizabethsayeau8305]

thank you to both aidans for putting in so much mental and physical effort for these videos. it's deeply appreciated ❤

[@manuelacosta9463]

It's always a great Friday when The Lore Lodge posts. Thanks for all the effort in research into these cases. There's a special type of tragic horror when it comes to unresolved disappearances, especially in the wilderness and even if the cause may be apparent.

[@waywornwyrm8135]

I have to say that for me, by Spring 2013 Paulides was full of crap when it comes to Missing 411. On the website for the North American Bigfoot Search, a group he founded, in Blog # 186 he talked about having a database program from a programmer who worked for Microsoft to track Missing 411 cases, and he talked about getting a “very thick legal envelope from Finland.” He claimed that both of those would break Missing 411 wide open when his team finishes data analysis “soon.” He has never mentioned either thing since. That combined with his continued strong defense of the quack Dr. Melba Ketchum, if he was ever serious about Missing 411, that ship sailed back in 2013 at the absolute latest.

[@Shoofool]

“‘Helicopter parents suck’ but I don’t want to judge” 😅😅😅

[@yogadork_namaste]

as an infertile mother of ONE child. I will proudly helicopter lmao 🤣 😆 😂 seriously though my child understands and is attached at the hip to me, anyway. if she sets boundaries, I respect that.

[@b_sway]

Wasn't expecting a feature film length documentary but I'm not disappointed in the slightest

[@muntley2341]

Ordered some coffee last week and honestly some of the best I’ve gotten. Thank you for all your hard work and research 🫡

[@TheAJ404]

I just got mine and it smells amazing! I can't wait to brew some!

[@Shoofool]

What if Trenny slipped on the trail rock JUST LIKE YOU DID but didn’t catch herself so she fell down that hill?

[@j.thehappywyvern6397]

Well everyone the missing case is solved now.

[@Radwarhead]

Without screaming or yelling?

[@Megan_Hook]

​@@Radwarhead Could've had the wind knocked out of her while or before being seriously injured.

[@Teriyakirage]

@@RadwarheadI’ve fallen on a rock and hurt myself really bad and the only way someone heard me was because they heard my body physically hitting the rock- you get the wind knocked out of you quick and it can take a hot minute to get your voice back.

[@TheDeathRyder]

Sometimes you have diarrhea at inopportune moments. Sometimes you’re a trail and really don’t want any one to know you’re having diarrhea so you go really far😂

[@2Buildor2Break]

19:15 you are exactly right. I would straightup end an adventure if i forgot my smokes. I want to do better, but that doesn't change that reality for Polly.

[@pickford3152]

Thsnks for taking the time to do this guys..its always helpful to see the place where these ppl actually disappeared. So thsnk you

[@Megnificent.]

Excellent video! I loved seeing the locations "in real life", that was a great touch! Of course I wish people didn't go missing and that there was no need for videos like this, BUT this is a wonderful way of presenting this information. Thanks, y'all!

[@adamb.c.1553]

There was a LOT of strange tension during that hike…. And I loved it!!!

[@ItsaFunkyWar]

Sam and Leah Hunnicutt lived alongside Deep Creek. The land belonged to Marion Eppley before it became a National Park. Samuel wrote a book titled "Twenty Years Hunting and Fishing in the Great Smokies". He has children, grandchildren and great grandchildren alive today. He died in 1969.

[@martinharris5017]

Thanks for that history. Answers Aiden's question and I hope the team see your comment :)

[@joelspaulding5964]

On-location segments, when possible, bring so much context and depth to the tale. Missing Enigma adds much to his stories when able to visit the scene.

[@coreybuchanan5193]

Great smoky mountains lifelong native here, and I can attest, people literally can just vanish into thin air around here. I’m in Western NC near the Cherokee reservation and I’ve seen some extremely strange things around here.

[@pyzkey3894]

I love seeing you guys out and about, this was really interesting!

[@Unfortunatelylita]

Our beloved Friday video, thank you

[@Athlynne]

Much respect for not clickbaiting like 'We Went Into the Forest and Maybe Found Remains,' not that I'd expect such a thing from you guys. Also, just impressed you went into the woods at all, something despite my love of trees and nature I dare not do. I'm autistic and I think neurodivergent people are common Missing 411 targets.

[@amandahall3840]

I live in hazard ky. Same hills. Everyone who comes here for the first time, New York, Texas, ect can’t believe how thick the brush is, and how steep the hills are.

[@SuspiciousWolf]

my family is from Harlan. I was thinking the same thing, looks like all the hills I played on as a kid 😅

[@MapleHillMunitions]

Lots of haints in those hollers.

[@komikbookgeek]

Hey!!! If your family had been around a few generations, hi cousin!

[@ashleydwatson]

What if she took a bathroom break, and THEN leaned over the creek to wash her hands? That water looked fast in some places, and rocks in a riverbed are often more slippery than they look. Just a thought.

[@yourfriendlygothfox9888]

I'm sorry but... "a 2-pack a day smoker that did not bring her cigarettes on this hike" ??? My brother, I'm a 1.5 - 2 pack a day smoker myself that loves hiking and I could not fathom going on a hike like that without bring AT LEAST one pack of cigarettes with me, that alone screams suspicion.

[@abc.216]

exactly lmao, i’m only a pack every 3 days but id have em w me on a hike like rhis

[@yourfriendlygothfox9888]

@@abc.216 I used to only be a half a pack a day smoker but trying to quit with vapes only doubled my nicotine tolerance.

[@abc.216]

@@yourfriendlygothfox9888 yeah vapes are so much more nicotine compared to cigs lmao - i go back n forth between em and have for yrs at this point the best part ab vaping is how cheap it is - most disposables ($25) last me 2 weeks even constantly hitting it, vs like 4 packs ($40-50) in that same time. btw good luck w quitting, ik how tough it is lmao

[@komikbookgeek]

I do wonder if they meant 'extra' smokes? Because yeah otherwise THEY ARE LYING.

[@gbosearcher-3686]

Definitely people lived in the park before it was a park. Family cemeteries are in several places.

[@RobDogman]

Love the video today as always. Hope they nail the proudfoots for poor Sebastian!!

[@martinharris5017]

I have to say, I really enjoyed the "on location" theme of this episode. Nothing wrong with the usual studio-based presentations, but there's nothing quite like being there and getting a sense of what these places are actually like.

[@inactivedishonor5366]

Had a 2 year very happy relationship end yesterday and ran to your channel hoping you had a new one. Tonight as I'm staring at my screen on youtube recommended I see you uploaded an absolute masterpiece. Thank you Aidan for all the help you indirectly give me through life's hurdles man.

[@AlyssaNichols-ex8gk]

I wonder if why Thelma could have been walking quickly ahead was because she forgot her smokes and was going through withdrawals. Maybe withdrawals caused her to have poor judgement in her haste to get back to her cigarettes. I definitely think there are small groups of people that live in the woods, especially in the mountains and northern Canada. But I am reluctant to believe they kidnap and kill people at least regular enough to establish a pattern. Seeing the area really does help form a more educated opinion though.

[@meepmoopiethe3rd]

Listen. I just did a ten mile hike in GSMNP today. That's what's hurting people. I can barely walk. Ramsey Cascades was cool, though.

[@SarahGreen523]

Regarding Trenny Gibson: If Robert was her boyfriend, and if her mother did catch him coming out of Trenny's room, is it possible that Trenny was pregnant? Maybe Robert had a plan with her to run away together, but in reality it was a trap to unalive her.

[@skully5063]

I really hope this theory isn’t true but it seems like a good one

[@komikbookgeek]

Yeah that makes a sad amount of sense

[@Wonderwhoopin]

Guy had the load of the pack right especially for the back and distance . STILL doing all this work yall ! Let’s hike some shit it’s like ghost hunting mountain men in one 😂

[@jelly434]

it's giving 'last known footage' fr

[@katfayegarrett3872]

😂❤

[@Jojo.F87]

Really enjoyed the on-the-ground footage. Love how you guys have gone so in-depth on the missing 411 stuff and can't wait for more :D

[@dbandia]

Hate to break it to you, boys, but people still report seeing Elvis. When Julian Sands was already dead on Mount Baldy out here, at least several people claimed they saw him. Sightings mean exactly nothing except that people see what they want to see.

[@sarasmr4278]

If you carry your water bottles right side up they'll be less likely to leak.

[@TheLoreLodge]

They didn’t fit very well that way believe it or not

[@sarasmr4278]

​@TheLoreLodge it did look like that could be an issue, but I thought I'd try to be helpful just in case. Great video, hope you had fun making it :)

[@04houltonj]

On the scent on the first trail, 2 packs a day, she definitely smelt of cigarettes. How do dogs do with cigarette smoke?

[@Chrissy-f1b]

You guys are deserving of recognition in a very positive way. To dedicate your time and effort is something that speaks volumes about you. It's good to see people who are committed to helping. Your real. Your honest. Your not just "nosy" if that makes sense. Do you take donations to help you out? I would like to help fund you. And bring attention to others to help fund you.

[@jlickley1118]

if they did throw ice balls at Geoff is it possible he received a head injury and got confused on his way out?

[@komikbookgeek]

Extremely possible.

[@allistorkirkland7101]

For trenny I think Bobby stayed behind, lured her away, hurt her in THAT way or asked her out and got rejected, killed her and like your source said, buried her behind his house where his family could defend it. I'd put money on it too tbh

[@intrynzyk]

The amount of time and effort that you put into your videos is definitely appreciated. This has been a great series. On Paulides, I'm probably being too charitable, but maybe he just wants to bring more awareness to cold cases, and eluding to a paranormal explanation will certainly grab more people's attention - like yourself and all of us watching.

[@FuzzehBear101]

I just want to point out that not every boy scout troop is the same. I was part of the OA so I interacted many different troops in my time. I know a multitude of troops that don’t really adhere to the buddy system and I myself didn’t. At summer camps me and my buddy would walk around the reserve and go to different troops campsites. We’d walk in and either try to blend into campfire chats before one of the other kids realized we weren’t a part of the their troop or we’d listen for noisy kids in there tent and throw pebbles at their tent to scare them. Probably on the longest night we left our campsite walked to the boat docks, went back to the camp store to use the vending machines, walked up the zip line (encountered a rattle snake somewhere off path we couldn’t see so decided to nope the hell out), checked out the rifle range to see if we could find any bullet fragments in the back stop. This wasn’t just summer camps whenever we camped at super touristy campsites like KOA type things we’d play manhunt as a troop leaving the hunter alone as we hide behind the bathrooms, random peoples campsites, slightly off trail etc.

[@unredacted9142]

Seeing the trails and terrain of the actual locations gave really interesting context to the stories

[@garrettneukam2588]

THE EPISODE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

[@richardtherichard26]

31:28 the way that woman looked up. She’s ABSOLUTELY exactly 57 and thought she was walking the trail with human traffickers. Hopefully during that hard edit you guys explained so she wouldn’t be too worried 😂😂 1:04:54 I can tell you from experience that not every “snowball fight” is consensual. When I was actually probably around 14/15/16 we had a snow day at my high school. I have a brother who’s only a year and a half older. He was held back a grade so he was only 1 year ahead of me. Well anyway on this day we’re walking to a neighborhood friends house and passed some guys in the year below ME who I know. They didn’t know my brother. Just me. Well we gave our “what up” head nods and moved on and as we passed my friend Justin picked up a snowball and threw it at me. He missed me and hit my brother dead on square in the back of his head. My brother proceeded to chase him down and break his nose. Afterwards while I was still giving my brother a good bollocking about how that’s not okay behavior Justin and his dad came over our friend dans house and told my brother he was going to sue him for breaking his sons nose over a “snowball fight.” So yea, it’s not always consensual and some teenagers are fucked in the head. And the funny part? The “kicker” as they call it… Justin was a scout and his dad the scoutmaster…

[@bushman979]

Pack of cigarettes have 20 in a pack as a former heavy smoker (2-3 packs per day) not having cigarettes with anxiety goes though the roof

[@LKMNOP]

On no evidence whatsoever, I've always wondered if the Dennis Martin one had to do with the friend or grandfather or uncle molesting him and killing or accidentally killing him and the family hushed it up. It wouldn't be the first time that a family has concealed sexual abuse. Once again, I have no evidence whatsoever. I've just always wondered.

[@recordfishhunter9234]

This is absolutely awesome having you guys on site walking where they walked and analyzing the situation is next level way cool 😎

[@martinharris5017]

I'm pleased you guys continue to restore common sense and good research into these "Missing 411" cases. I recently watched a Paulides vid where he tried to insinuate a coverup and bigfoot element into missing persons cases in New Zealand National Parks, LOL! I'm afraid my comment on his vid wasn't particularly complimentary ;) NZ may be a small country, but tourists frequently underestimate the vastness and ruggedness of our parks and the speed with which our weather can change.

[@Trash_Boi__]

Absolutely loved the video guys! Thank you so much for doing such a great job on not only the research, but also getting boots on the ground & actually going out on location to see things from a more investigational standpoint!

[@2Buildor2Break]

"Everything changes, once you are on site." ^ i completely agree, going to see Elk river, in the snowy season, made it very clear, it is impossible to dissapear without leavong a trail, when the snow is 4' deep. Try as you might to rationalize it, once you attempt it. NO.

[@MarkhamShawPyle]

To be serious here, two points. In re Martin, the first HRD / cadaver dog was deployed (by the NY State Police) in 1974, and thus not an available option at the time of the 1969 disappearance. In re Melton, you are healthy young people. In 1981, Polly Melton was 58, perhaps ten pounds overweight, a two-pack-a-day smoker, raised on the sort of diet associated with having been born in Alabama in 1923, and had hypertension. The parsimonious explanation is a sudden myocardial infarction.

[@Mulepetter-y1t]

In that case I think the body would be evident though.

[@sandrafreeman515]

So, if this young man named Robert was Trenny's boyfriend, what happened to him? Has anyone followed up with him to see if he knows anything or is willing to reveal anything now?

[@martinharris5017]

yeah, i wondered that myself. It does seem likely to me that that they "eloped" together.

[@adampender2482]

Your favorite metal bands? We just got back from seeing Iron Maiden in Charlotte Wednesday night

[@DeliveryMcGee]

"Hell, she could've hidden behind that rock up there--" [pan to Amanda sprinting toward the rock to test this] "Can you see me?" 🤣

[@CamBoone]

Friendly heads up, around here in WNC “the smokies” is basically a colloquial identifier of the specific part of Appalachia being in TN. Woods/Mountains in NC are the Blue Ridge. It’s a _thing_ & kind of a tell around here… similar to how people pronounce Appalachia.

[@TheLoreLodge]

That makes a lot more sense now

[@nickrogers1124]

@@CamBoone maybe to some, I’ve never heard that and have lived in Franklin, Bryson city, and Asheville. Have been in western NC since 2001. I’ve always known the smokies as that area bordering NC/TN - swain/jackson/haywood counties The blue ridge is south and east of that

[@CamBoone]

@ weird, born and raised here.. heard it that way all my life but maybe it’s changed a bit as the areas gentrified the last couple decades. I’ve got a map of Appalachia that belonged to my dad and it’s labeled that way, makes me wonder if that’s changed

[@nickrogers1124]

@@CamBoone I get what you mean and it makes sense!

[@GreatWonderMoose]

We just call it "the mountains" 😂 Granted, I grew up in the Piedmont, so it may be different for proper locals.

[@cloudystxrr5536]

31:54 she could’ve gone to use the bathroom and heard something that sounded like a wild animal/saw a wild animal and decided to move away from it and that’s how she got lost.

[@randallcraft4071]

Growing up in Nashville and spending a majority of my weekends hiking anywhere from the foothills all the way up into the smokies to Asheville every time you say a different place it strikes me as: this is a place you shouldn't be by yourself, or this is a place that is so dangerous. These people hurt my heart. And the thing is I also know this fear because I've been lost in the smokies and the foothills of the Appalachians. So much of these issues could be avoided by just not being a dope. And that's not to say that I haven't seen weird things In the smokies because I have but still...

[@CGingRun]

I haven't showered in 2 days. Not bragging. My depression kicked my ass the last few days

[@MapleHillMunitions]

Seek help my brother in Christ. People are out there willing to talk and cheer you up.

[@CGingRun]

@MapleHillMunitions oh trust I am. I've got my friends and therapist. I know I'm not alone, just had been harder than normal recently

[@MapleHillMunitions]

@@CGingRun it's holiday time my friend so it's common. My liminal dreams are picking up as well. Don't be afraid to reach out.

[@CGingRun]

@@MapleHillMunitions holidays have always been hard for me. Lotta trauma 'round em. But ya know, I take it one day at a time and still make it outside. Even just down to the corner store.

[@komikbookgeek]

1. (Polly) There's 20 cigarettes in a pack. A 2 to 2.5 pack a day snooker would have absolutely taken them with her, I wonder if they mean her extra smokes? I can see her friends bitching at her about the smoke and her walking off annoyed. If she was injured, she's prey. 2. (Trini) Oh... this has a feeling of "date rape gone BADLY" with that added info about the boy. 3. (Jeff) Yeah it makes sense he slipped and fell and yeah. Also hypothermia makes you clumsy and slow so accidents are even more likely. 4. (Dennis) I'm pretty sure Dennis ran over an edge and just didn't survive the fall, and there's enough wildlife to scatter a body quick, especially in June when winter weight gain would have been IMPORTANT at that point of the year. But this is really weird and I suspect a child serial killer was at least suspected to be in the area. Also I can't remember but are we sure itc was REALLY the FBI that approached him to convince him to change his story? 5. (Conclusion) There's still some weird with Polly and Dennis but in general...I don't find these to be supernatural. Michael though yeah. It's weird.

[@AshesAshes44]

The headstone might be new. My grandpa is on his third now, and he's only been dead 25 years

[@polishedcryptid8212]

With Polly, maybe she stepped off the trail, waited for her friends to walk past. If she wanted to disappear, then that might be a good way to shake people off.

[@blood6hound]

I have been very excited for this video. Good on you boys for all the hardwork, time, effort, blood sweat and tears you put into each video. I have to thank Wendigoon for introducing me to your channel!

[@xephorce]

My thinking would be this. try searching with a metal detector. Might find jewelry or other things from clothing.

[@travismosier4936]

I dont comment alot but pretty stoked to see you go to a place i regularly went to growing up! Deep creek campground and that trail are very familiar to me, it looks much the same as is did to me in the in late 80s and 90s. The trail looked a tad wider than i remember but it may because of the video recording making it look bigger than usual. The place was gorgeous and never new thats where Polly Melton disappeared from. Love your content and watch nearly every episode.

[@gaileth8761]

Given the width of the trails running alongside the creek, it would not impossible if you felt faint, stumbled, had a knee give way, or were startled by a snake or animal, to have fallen off the cliff, but, I would expect the dogs to have been able to follow Polly's scent along the trail... even if she deviated from the original route the friends were taking. If she went off trail to take a toilet break, or even stopped to have a cigarette, I would still expect the dogs to pick up her scent. Leaving the food on the stove, taking the walk, etc., may all have been red herrings, as part of her normal routine, to divert attention from the possibility that she was meeting someone, and they left the area together by vehicle, but still, if a proper search was conducted with dogs, I would still expect them to have been able to follow her scent, even of they lost it at a road. I personally am leaning towards the possibility that she left the area, although, if the reports that dogs were used is false, or that they didn't search very well, then I think it's more likely that she fell of one of cliffs... unless her friends, with or without help harmed her, or failed to help her if for example, she had a stroke or heart attack, and they hid her body. Even if she didn't like certain trails, if she wanted to leave the area, she would use that trail.

[@kilroywashere9343]

I can’t wait till winter break when I’ll finally have time to dive back into the show.

[@brandonsexton1915]

Wow! In my neck of the woods aye? Born and raised in the smokies... I know the woods there like the back of my hand.

[@nickrogers1124]

I’m guessing you filmed this last winter or previous? I imagine these trails are hard to access right now after Helene if not closed. I wonder how they have changed and what the terrain looks like now. I live in Asheville and have been wanting to get out in the woods but not even sure where to go Good video!

[@TheLoreLodge]

We filmed it last week actually

[@nickrogers1124]

@thelorelodge oh wow! That’s awesome! I guess that makes sense though. That part of the region wasn’t as heavily impacted as the Asheville area

[@TheLoreLodge]

@@nickrogers1124 the recovery is looking pretty remarkable in the area. We barely saw any signs of damage in Bryson City or Cherokee either. The people down there are incredible.

[@gemz172]

haven’t had time to watch the video yet but thank you for long one ❤️

[@wendychavez5348]

When you said "57 year old women aren't usually in vogue," I laughed because it's true enough. I'm a 52 year old woman, dating a 57 year old man, and while that's younger than it was whenever the first woman you discussed vanished, I'm not particularly attractive anymore, & my partner is gassing some weight (as men tend to do when they're happy) and showing his age some. A stranger is unlikely to have abducted unless they had some very specific requirements.

[@willnolan7040]

Absolutely love when you guys do stuff like this, some of my favorite content from yall

[@CrypticVulpix]

Can confirm, the hoodies are amazingly comfy!

[@Myles.World.1]

19:35 cigarettes come 20 per pack.

[@peadrianlastname]

Marlboro has a pack with 25, cloves are 12, lots of cigarillos are 12-15, but everything else is 20

[@Myles.World.1]

​@@peadrianlastname Considering the context, my statement of 20 per pack was all that was needed. Marlboro didn't have a 25 pack back then, and neither cloves nor cigars/cigarillos were ever mentioned.

[@wintren101]

How high was the water though?? I feel like a kayak trip along that River might actually give you an answer.

[@John-w6v2z]

Thanks for covering all the awesome stuff you do

[@fandommaniax9179]

two hour video??? LETS GOOO!!

[@girltalk08]

20 cigs in a pack, each one last 5 - 10 mins. it’s almost constant smoking during your 16 waking hours to finish 2 packs.

[@atomf9143]

31:22 This is an amazing coincidental joke, well played!

[@Dio.]

Where's your waterproof gear, smart man.

[@Mulepetter-y1t]

No kidding! I kept yelling at the screen, "Cotton kills!"

[@repsol6198]

When you were doing the boots on the ground walk for the Polly Melton case the camera was jumping around so much it was hard to watch.

[@martinharris5017]

1:18.36 regarding climate in the 1970s Europe experienced the hottest year on record in 1976. I remember it well, and a quick but of research confirms this still stands as a record hot year for the Northern hemisphere. "Climate science" in the popular media uses records beginning in 1979 as figures from earlier than this kinda don't fit the narrative ;) As far as the US goes, Berkley says rather obscurely "The 1970s were a period of rapid transition in the mean of the Heat Wave Index over the contiguous United States. "