Never Hike Alone Fan Film Series

Location Undisclosed

Camp Crystal Lake from the amazing independent film, Never Hike Alone, created and directed by Vincente DiSanti. This film is so much better than a lot of the studio entries for the Friday the 13th series. Three years ago I saw Never Hike Alone free on YouTube. It’s still there, along with Never Hike in the Snow and Never Hike Alone 2.

Almost three years ago, I was on a podcast for Death Curse Society were I mentioned this location as my second most sought after location ever. The thing about this location is that it’s only a hour drive from where I live. But the area is so remote it’s almost impossible to get to.

I even had the opportunity to possibly go up to the location with the director, but that fell through. Then I met up with Vincente last October who gave me a very detailed map on how to get there, but Vincente then hit me with a crushing blow — there was a really good chance that it was wiped out by a recent landslide/ avalanche. I was devastated! For three years, I’ve been looking for this place and that news knocked the wind right out of me. I’ve been up in the mountain three times trying to find that place – talking to the area police and Rangers but they had no clue where this place was. I absolutely had no luck. I pretty much gave up.

Until I met Kyden.

I was working at the costume shop about three weeks ago when this couple walks in. The guy was wearing an awesome Michael Myers shirt and the girl had incredible makeup. We started talking and I was really surprised to find out that he was part of the film crew for Never Hike Alone 2. Kyden Ritchie and Dahlia are amazing people. Kyden also had a huge passion to revisit the site as well. After about an hour of hyperactively jumping up and down – not believing each other’s luck – we quickly made plans to drive up the mountain the following week.

Remember guys I had given up five months ago of ever seeing this place. So, on a Monday, we drove to the marker (this little road marker on which the numbers were rubbed off was the only way you could tell where to turn off the main road). Our 1.5 mile hike up a mountain in the snow began. Kyden, since he worked with special effects and with props, actually brought a Ghost Jason costume with him, along with an axe, machete, and sickle. My guide up the mountain literally was Ghost Jason!

Because of the landslide, these giant trees were everywhere. They were totally uprooted and the landscape had totally changed. I really felt sorry for Kyden because not much looked familiar to him and he kept commenting on that. At certain points he would have Dahlia and I sit down as he ran ahead trying to figure out where our next move would be. As we walked the snow got deeper and deeper. At one point, it was waist deep!

Then the next thing I knew, we were crossing streams of gushing water! We had to cross on logs and rocks, and we all still managed to get our feet totally drenched by stepping in the streams and rivers. Sometimes, the water was underneath the snow and we had no idea that we were stepping into the stream. They were wearing steel-toed boots while I was wearing tennis shoes.

The cliff! One part of the road had totally disappeared, and all that was left with the small edge over a huge cliff. If we fell over that thing, it would’ve hurt. All of us slipped at one point but lucky for us none of us went over. Then the worst thing happens, I drank way too much coffee before hand and it upset my stomach and now I know the answer to “does a bear crap in the woods?” All I’ll say about that: ice cold snow is a poor excuse for toilet paper!

We continued on our mile-and-a-half journey up the mountain. Literally up the mountain! Straight up the mountain! Not knowing what was up there because of the devastation around us the entire hike. When we reached the top we were in shock! The entire camp was in pristine condition. Untouched! A hush fell over all three of us, for just a second, then we started jumping up and down and going crazy. We were at Camp Crystal Lake!

We made it to Camp Crystal Lake, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. It looks identical to what we saw in the movie! I had tears in my eyes as I entered the recreational hall of the main cabin. Again, I never thought I would ever see this place. I truly thought it was lost forever. I knew exactly what areas Kyle was in when he was hiding from Jason, and I knew what happened this corner or that corner.

We went upstairs and we were shown where Jason’s mom’s remains were. The blood all over the sheets was still there! We went across the way from the main cabin to another cabin — Jack and Marcy’s death cabin from part one. Vincent did an amazing job In copying and re-creating the bunk beds where Kevin Bacon got the arrow through his neck; blood was everywhere still.

Then we went into Marcy‘s shower where she got the axe in the middle of her head. Down to the light that Pamela Voorhees accidentally knocked just before she chopped Marcy in the face, to the bloodstained shower itself. You felt like you walked right into the original 1980 classic. Seeing this in person and spending the night in New Jersey where they filmed the original was incredible! My God, Vincente, you were amazing with all the detail that you put into re-creating this. It’s this attention to detail that us Friday fans love you for.

I had a blast stage fighting with Kyden as we posed for pictures. My brother Anthony and other people have said that the pictures that we took together makes it look like the Jason’s going on vacation. Papa Jason and son Jason.

The one thing that I saw that was very sad was, to my surprise, the Camp Crystal Lake sign from the movie. It was leaning against the wall in the main cabin. At first I thought it was cool until I realized that people who wanted a souvenir from the site picked off pieces of the lettering. Those of you who know me, know I always say, “If you go to a film site leave the location alone. Take tons of pictures but don’t take anything else that doesn’t belong to you.” That thrilling feeling that I felt stepping into the filming location should be felt by anyone who steps in there, not just you or me. I am very big at preserving film sites, not destroying them!

It was starting to get cold and it was time to start heading down. The walk down the mountain was much easier because all we did was follow our footprints. I also think that we all were on some kind of high because of everything that we experienced up there. It was a beautiful day, with wonderful people, and an experience that I will never ever ever forget.

Vincent, Kyden and Dahlia — thank you!