Ghosts 'N Bears Podcast

They guard us from the land, and yet are dependent on constancy. The people who kept the light lit were often either stalwart and commtted often at the cost of their physical or mental health and all those on the ships going by had no idea the drama that was behind the light that kept them safe.  Join as we head to the ocean on the East and West coast of North America and hear a few stories of ghosts that have stayed on duty long beyond their allotted time. Including two lights that we have been to personally!  Join us for this lit up episode of Ghosts 'N Bears.     

Imagine you find the perfect hotel where you enjoy a quaint (but odd) meal and spend the night in your comfortable (but very rustic) hotel room.  "What a delightful theme hotel", you think, and then you get up in the morning, pay your  bill, which seems insanely cheap and go on your way.  Two weeks later you go down the same road to stay there again as it was so great and......it's gone.   This happened to two couples at the same time and no one has ever  been able to explain it.  Join us as we dive in to the world to Time Slips.  It's a very interesting (and unsettling) place to find yourself! Have you been in one? Maybe you didn't even know it.  Find out on this episode of Ghosts "N Bears.  

Theme parks; fun rides, great snacks, scary ghosts? These stories are only a few that are out there about most of the theme parks we love to go to.  Even an abandoned one in Japan.  Grab your backpack and water bottle as go for a day of fun and scary stories and hit up all the best Haunted Theme Parks.

In our ongoing series for Summer Holiday themes, we talking about National Parks!  They aren't all forests and valleys, sometimes they're caves, canyons and old homes or historic sites, but most have something haunting going on.  Get in the car with us as we head down the road to talk about one of my favourite locations to visit anytime of the year, National Parks and the ghosts within. 

Have you ever gone to Summer Camp? I went as staff, but never as participant. I did get to go as staff.  However many of our listenrs have and we have some amazing ghost stories for you from Summer Camps all over the US and Canada!  Join us on Ghosts 'N Bears for this special episode in our Summer Holiday Series of Ghosts of Summer Camps and the last story in the bunch is amazing, it's a haunted ranch, but it's way to good to leave out!  Enjoy the summer, enjoy your vacation and come grab a place by the campfire as we tell stories from camp. 

As our summer theme progresses, we thought you'd find such comfort in hearing stories about haunted hotels. Jason and I have certainly experienced our share of them.  Theser stories come from all over the world to find themselves in your ears.  I have a favourite one, which you will get to hear, and Jason and I discover and agree upon one of our future adventures! Hello Niagara-On-The-Lake!   Enjoy these scare tales of haunted hotels on the episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

School - most of us HAVE to go there and some people never seem to leave.  With school winding down for the year we though it would be fun to do a whole series of "Summer Vacation" episodes and this is the first one!  This collection of stories has plenty of ghosts and encounters with ghosts in the many many haunted schools around the world.  Enjoy the ghosts, enjoy the summer and there may be more going on in the summer at school than you will ever know, or want to know. 

If you have ever read any of my books you know that I truly beleive hospitals are like airports.  They are there for arrivals and departures. And like some people miss their flights, some energy sometimes, gets left behind.  Join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we talk about some haunted hopsitals, seniors homes and any other facility where death might be a frequent flyer - so to speak and we learn some more about the paranoramal that hangs out where we go to - hopefully - heal. 

If you do down to the woods today, you're in for a big surprise.....and by surprise we mean terrifying!  Join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we share stories from around the world and the one thing they have in common? The forest, the woods, the trees, the wilderness. You don't mess with nature, especially not when it's full of the unexplained and really, really scary. Camping anyone? 

If you've ever had a pet who has gone on before, you know that sometimes, if you're lucky, they come back for a visit.  Not all visits are from your pet however, and some of the see stories of ghostly animals are a little surprising.  As someone who has had a lot of pets, I know that there are times, usually just after they pass, that they have come back for one last visit, and that's comforting, but unfortunately we don't get to choose what animals come through.  So join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we check out Ghostly Pets....and others.

Not very often we repeat this quickly, but we so enjoyed doing that Third person episode, we just couldn't wait to do another one!  As T.S. Eliot said in his poem The Waste Land: Who is the third who walks always beside you? When I count, there are only you and I together But when I look ahead up the white road There is always another one walking beside you Gliding wrapt in a brown mantle, hooded I do not know whether a man or a woman — But who is that on the other side of you? And that my friends is the point of this episode as we dig up more stories about the Third Person who is there and sometimes in very unexpected ways. It's fascinating and we hope you feel the same on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

Sometimes we rent a house and get a lot more than we bargained for.  Join us as we talk to friends and patrons Kyle and Charlotte as they share the ongoing events in their rented home, that have gotten so bad, they don't watch, listen or talk about anything paranormal while inside the house, because things get worse for a few days. That's intense!  You will enjoy this fascinating conversation about the ghost or very possibly in this case ghosts in my house episode. You'll want to not only check out the rooms, number of bathrooms and location next time you have to rent a place, maybe walk through and see if it feels weird as well!  

Here's where it all began, I read this caption on the attached picture and thought, wait what? I had heard of this, even experienced it but I had no idea what a wide spread phenomenon it had become and so I knew we needed to talk about it. Are they angels? Spirits? Ghosts?  Our own mind manifesting soothing comforts?  We really hope you enjoy it and would love feedback as we veer a little off format for this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears.

*DISCLAIMER*: Due to the latest updates on the studio laptop, the system had reverted back to different mics.   This episode was recorded with bad mics, there's no way to pretend it wasn't I did what I could to save the audio and it was too late to re-record so please enjoy and sorry.  ​A Long time ago in October 2022 Jason and I were invited to be on an episode of  a show called The Other Side that airs in nine countries around the world but is based on the APTN (Aboriginal People's Television Network) it was going to be an episode of the ghosts of the Yates building in Victoria, BC.  We had no idea when we said yes what a profound impact it would have on our lives.  ​Because we wanted to share this experience with you we have done a bit of a weird episode.  You will need to find the episode and I've posted a link below, or you can search for it yourself on the Lumi App or on Google.  The show as I mentioned is called The Other Side and we are Episode 13 of Season 9.   We have tried to record it as if you and Jason and I were all hanging out together and we're super annoyingly taking over the episode like a "directors commentary" on old fashioned DVD's . We hope you like it and we hope you watch the episode.   If you don't well then this particular podcast episode is going to sound very weird.  ​Please enjoy the episode and we will tell you when to push play so that our commentary and the episode sync up, we then talk about what you DID'NT see in the episode so stick around.  ​This is going to be a great season and we're excited that you're with us.  We hope you enjoy our episode of The Other Side on Ghosts 'N Bears.  ​Here's the link you're going to need: ​ https://aptnlumi.ca/#/videoDetails?videoId=MjoxXzV0dmw0NjZ5&type=video&sid=MTI6MjE4Njg2MDUxMzg2ODE3MC0x&sName=Season%2009&epNo=13

It's that time of year again my little Christmas angels!   We jump back in to the time when ghost stories were a "Christmas Only" kind of thing.  The nights were dark, the houses cold and full of shadows and at a rare time of year when the family was together and not working for just one day of the year, there was nothing better than to get the magazines and find the newest and scariest ghost stories in the style of Charles Dickens, at least that's what you did in the 1860's.  Join us as we hear two terrifying tales of ghosts, loss, treasure and mayhem that occurred at Christmas's long past, the authors long dead, but their words live on to hold the tradition of making Christmas bright, by making it just a little bit more spooky.  Merry Christmas or any other winter festival of your choice and we will see you for the start of Season Four of Ghosts 'N Bears when we come back in February after our break. 

The City of Coeur d'Alene isn't just hard to spell, it's also beautiful, and very haunted.  After the military base was started there, the silver rush soon followed along with the rail road and all the rough, edge of the Wild West with them.  ​The spirits of soldier's, prisoners and even playful children join us on our trip around town. and now you can join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we head down to one of Jason's favourite cities and take in the views, the sights and the hauntings of Coeur d'Alene. 

Fear.  We've all felt it.  Sometimes it's paranormal, sometimes it's not but we all know the emotion.  On this very special Halloween episode of Ghosts 'N Bears we talk about our top three most terrifying experiences and what occurred  that made us so terrified.  THE episode we had planned on doing was a whole OTHER episode but that was taken from us beyond our control and  I feel it was very offSIDE.  If you listen to the episode you'll totally get the joke in here.  So sit back, relax and reflect as we discuss Fear, and the times in our lives we felt it the strongest. We will be back next episode with our usual blend of history and hauntings, but for this episode we're simply going to say....... Happy Halloween! 

In our wanderings we stumbled across Wallace, Idaho. Charming, antique, historic and haunted.  Wallace was the product of the silver mines in the valley and it has not let go of its past. With most of the orginal buildings intact including the hotels and brothels, Wallace will never disspaoint ghost hunters or people who simply enjoy history.  The terrible, terrile disaster movie Dant's Peak was filmed here.  Thankfully the town survived.  Join us on this episode as Jason and I take a jump in to Wallace and the ghosts who call her home. 

Haunted Helena is one of the most charming haunted locations we've ever explored. The historic, stunning homes and of course the State Capital buildings make this town one you don't want to miss.  Join us as we talk with our guest April about her time living there, the ghostly girl from the graveyard that April had a winter coat for, Reeders alley, where you could buy a lot of interesting things, the hanging tree and the poor people who ended up living in a home near by that was still very much part of the past.  We were lucky enough to spend some time there and even luckier to talk to April who used to live there, so join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we explore Haunted Helena, Montana. 

  From a murdering hostess on the Gold Rush trail to bodies dumped in a lake, 108 Mile has it all! Including a ton of Ghosts.  Join us as we head in to 108 Mile House historic site and experience the energy for ourselves and learn way more about the ghosts who still haunt and perhaps wait with murderous intent on the old gold rush trail of the Caribou  Region in North-Central British Columbia. 

The old house sits quietly on main street, almost invisible for some strange reason and yet once you know it's there you're compelled to go in!  Inside you'll find a lovely shop owner, beautiful, gems, stones, incencse and other metaphysical gear and......ghosts.  Find out what's happening in Corliss Hosue and what's been happening in OUR house since the big move!  Catch up with us as we return with this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

Started life as a Beauty School with boarding, but if that was truly the way things started, its not how they ended up.  Rum running, prostitution, Mob activity and murder all ended up being absorbed by the walls.  So what now? Join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears for not only the story of Maxine's but also a few stories that we know that relate to this odd story and building's that no longer exist, but the ghosts seem to linger. 

Grab your flashlights, cause we're heading in to some gloomy places.  The Vancouver Art Gallery (Former Vancouver Courts Building) and the Vancouver Police Museum (The Former Coroners Court Building) are hotbeds for paranormal activity.  Having had eye witnesses in one of those buildings and a full on paranormal investigation in the other, both museums have lots to share in terms of ghostly presences and remaining energies.  Join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we head down the dark hallways of museums and discover a tiny piece of who got left behind. 

"If you go down to the woods today, you're in for a big surprise......" ​It may not be a GOOD surprise, but it's highly likely that something out of the ordinary will happen once you lock your front door and head out in to nature.  Don't drop your guard, nature is often trying to do us in, and in this episode we hear the story of a place that is really "Nature-lite" as it is a popular Urban hike up a mountain that is not without it's own ghosts.  ​Just because we build trails, give cute names to mountains, lakes and rivers, doesn't mean they can't hurt us.   The wilderness claims thousands of lives every year and does that energy just "disappear"?   We don't think so.   Neither do the people who spoke up about the Grouse Grind and the Ghosts of Grouse Mountain, this story can also be found in "Vancouver's Most Haunted" from Touchwood Editions  

Our second annual Victorian Ghost Story Christmas Extravaganza is here! As an added fun side to this episode we filmed it, and you can see the whole thing on our Youtube channel.   We dressed up and everything! Join us for stories of ghosts long ago, cursed trees, vanishing villages and wrong made right,  give aways and the sheer joy of spending time together in this wonderful time of year. This is our last episode until Mid-January as we take our annual end-of-season break, so we will see you again in the New Year! Happy Everything! 

If you have ever been to Las Vegas, you might think that with all the lights, crowds, people, shows and buffets, there would be no room for ghosts!  Great news!  We found some!  We talk to the friend of the show Patrick who calls Las Vegas home, as he shared not only his favourite Las Vegas stories but also a few of his own.  These stories will make your next trip to Las Vegas a little more creepy as you may not be as quite alone in your hotel room as you thought you were when you checked in! Join us on this episode all about Las Vegas on Ghosts 'N Bears. 

It sounds pretty, Strawberry Vale here in Victoria BC - and it is, with lovely views of the water and homes perched up on rocks and ridges -  but it contains one of the most haunted houses I've ever heard about.  Join us as we are invited to chat with the homeowners, Brad and Deanna as they share with us the twenty years of ghost stories they've experienced in their beautiful, but very haunted home.  Are they looking for something? Trying to communicate? Just living their best un-dead lives? What do you do when it starts communicating with your kids?  Join the conversation on this compelling episode of Ghosts 'N Bears.

When you think golf courses you probably don't think ghosts, but if you were in fact murdered on one....well all of a sudden it makes more sense.  Join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we chat with Anna who ran in to the ghost first hand, twice and we share the sad history of the woman who haunts the Victoria Golf Course where Bob Hope and Bing Crosby used to place the 18 together. 

Join us for Community stories sent in by YOU the community as well as a very special and very personal story that Jason and I had just last month.  It was shocking, heartbreaking and healing in a profound way that we just did not see coming.  You are not going to want to miss this episode that has everything in it!  Lot's of Ghost stories form all over the world AND our very own ghost story as well on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

The Stanley Hotel may be the most famous Mountain hotel in the world.  Thanks to it's natural beauty, it's elegance and it's terrifying reputation, both real and enhanced.  The famous setting and source material for Stephen Kings terrifying novel The Shining it has it's very own ghost story that are a lot more real than any novel. Join us and our guest Brooks Fisher as he talks about his OWN experience at The Stanley as well as some other spots around Fort Collins, Colorado on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

A modern day living museum is not REALLY where you expect to find multiple houses of ghosts, but that's where we are!  Heritage Park in Calgary has more than one ghost story tied to it and certainly more than one haunted place.  Join us as we head there on this episode. Listen to the soothing train go by, discover Jason's love of Cinnamon Bread and hear about the four different buildings that are known to have ghosts remaining. On this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

At the turn of the century, downtown Victoria was still a hot bed for all kinds of adult activities.  Including several establishments where you could, for a fee, spend some quality time with some very friendly ladies.  The Brothel on Broad street was one of those places and the brothel owner we are focusing on is Stella Carroll.  Is it her ghost who remains at the Duck building on Broad street or is it the previous owner who Stella may have "gotten out of the way" so that she could be the new owner, Marvel Conn?  The names are almost as good as the stories in this episode! We once again welcome Brynn Croy our master story teller, to share with us the story of Stella Carroll, Marvel Conn and the rest on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

Tucked away in the Rocky Mountains we hear a few ghost stories from the town of Banff, the most impactful one for Ian is the one that happened to him. The other story involves the iconic Banff Springs Hotel which could certainly be the inspiration for far more than one ghost story. Which version do you think is the real one? We also welcome Chris Cunes on this episode, a long time Patron and supporter who was kind enough to not only take us to Banff and tell us stories, but also took us all over Calgary so that we could get pictures for the upcoming Calgary's Most Haunted book. ​Join us for this very intriguing episode on Banff, it's history and it's ghosts.

This piece of land has a rich and storied history and there were certainly some bumps in the road before it became the site of the Laurel Point Inn.    Join as we venture back through time to when Dead Man's Point was a First Nations burial ground, a factory, another factory - that murdered twice - and finally a hotel in the shape of a cruise ship.  What energy remains? Join us on find out on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

Just after midnight on January 21st, 1906 the S. S. Valencia met the beginning of her end.  In what is still known as the worst maritime disaster in the Graveyard of the Pacific off the coast of Vancouver Island, over a hundred people lost their lives.  No women or children survived and only a handful of men survived.  She still returns today, to people on land as well as in the water.  Join as we explore the last moments of the Valencia and the poor souls who had the misfortune to set sail upon her from San Francisco that fateful January. 

Thought to be one of the most haunted graveyards in BC, Ross Bay Cemetery has a colorful past and present and is no stranger to former and current residents showing up in all kinds of places.  We also discuss the book "Michelle Remembers" as it was in the Ross Bay cemetery the satanic rituals supposedly took place and we look back at how much impact that book had on the religious world of the 1980s.  

The old St. Anne's academy and nunnery was used for many years to pursue education and a life of piety.  Now it's been turned in to a government office, historic site and is chock full of ghosts.  Come with us as we listen to guest story teller  - and fellow Ghostly Walk guide - Brynne Croy tell us about the uncertain times the nunnery went through and the consequences that were there for those trying to protect it.  Learn some early pioneer history, but also find out how the ghosts show up today!  Those nuns were  a tough bunch, that's for sure, on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears. 

Two buildings down on Wharf Street in Victoria, BC are pretty well known for the energy that seems to saturate both of them.  The former pub, The Guild (The Yates Building) and the building that houses the Keg restaurant both have plenty of stories. Ian had his own encounter with the energy in the basement of the Guild, but don't worry, there seems to be energy on every level of this large wharf-front building.  As far as the Keg goes, there's stories in both the dining room area and the kitchen area so at least the ghosts don't only bother the customers.  Join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as we head down to Wharf street and visit two of the oldest buildings still in use in Victoria. 

One of the oldest large buildings in Victoria, the Young Building has seen itself through many purposes.  A training school for teachers, a military hospital during world war one, a college and finally the oldest building on campus for a much larger college.  It is no wonder that with this much history, some of it's residents have stayed behind.  Every time we talk about this building someone else has another story to add, it's just that kind of place.  Join us on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears as Jason and Ian fill you in on the history as well as our very own experiences (and guesses of who they are) in this building that is both rich in history as well as the paranormal. 

Cathedral Hill in Victoria, BC is home to many buildings, many stories and many ghosts.  Not only does it have the cathedral itself, it also has two houses used as offices, a private chapel and a church hall, oh and of course a graveyard next door.  Join us as we share the tales, some of them first hand, of the ghosts of Cathedral Hill. 

Point Ellice was not only the scene of one of North  America's biggest disasters that actually to take place in Victoria, BC  It's also the current home of one of the most haunted houses.  Join us as we head to the Point Ellice Bridge to  meet the spirits left behind and head over to Point Ellice House to meet the spirits who never left.  On this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears we go and spend some time re-living a terrible tragedy and the house that is linked not only to the disaster but also has it's own spirits who protect and love it. 

Waaaaay, way back in the early 1990's Ian lived in a very haunted house, that for some reason he tried to convince himself was NOT haunted for the longest time.  Turns out the house decided to take on the challenge.  Join as Ian tells the full tale of his time in rural New Brunswick, recording his album and realizing when it was time to leave.  Jason hears the full story for the first time with his own insights and comparisons on this episode of Ghost's 'N Bears. 

On our second part of Government Street Ghosts,  we're talking about the buildings that now house The Bard and Banker Pub and the building that has ALWAYS housed E. A. Morris Tobacconist as well as an assortment of ghosts.  Government Street in Victoria, BC was the first actual street West of the Rockies and you get a street that saturated with history.  Throw in an architect who seemed to build ghost trap buildings and Victoria's passion for trapping energy and you have quite the nest of stories! There's also a follow-up from a listener regarding a previous episode and Ian's ghostly encounter in the house overnight!

Government Street in Victoria, BC was the first actual street West of the Rockies and you get a street that saturated with history.  Throw in an architect who seemed to build ghost trap buildings and Victoria's passion for trapping energy and you have quite the nest of stories! On this episode we're talking about the buildings that now house Munro's Books and Murchie's Tea, some of the history of Government Street and Victoria itself.  We also discuss an bonus story that came across the desk last week and of course the latest at Ian and Jason's house. 

The oldest residential neighbourhood in Victoria holds it's secrets and ghosts close.   On this episode we explore two ghost stories from James Bay as we jump in to the history and stories of The Laurel Point Inn (former Dead Man's Point) and The Bent Mast Pub - a former brothel and very odd property. Join us as we jump in to James Bay and scratch the surface of two of the ghost stories it contains. 

Next up in our Ghost in My House series: We go back to our roots....and see a REAL Bear!  Jason's story about the ghost in HIS house takes us back to Prince George, BC and what he went through as a child.  In further investigation, we find out it is STILL going on and has for the last two tenants.  What else will we find out on our journey? Listen to this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears to find out! 

Former Mental Health Facilities or "Lunatic Asylums" as they were known,  are never short on ghosts and large amounts of chaotic energy! The Historic (1913) Riverview Hospital is no exception and that's where we find ourselves with Gina from HauntedHistoryBC .  Join as we talk stories, experiences and even about a ghostly biter!  This episode has it all, large gothic buildings, rain and ghosts in the hospitals graveyard.  Join us and hear the tales! 

You can find ghosts everywhere if you know where to look! Jason and I set out across Vancouver and pluck two stories directly from Vancouver's Most Haunted on this episode.  We're going to talk about the Georgia Cannery National Park in Steveston, BC with workers that don't seem to want to quit. Then we head across the Greater Vancouver Area over to The Grouse Grind that starts at the foot of Grouse Mountain and heads straight up.  I wonder who is still waiting for us on the path?  Find out on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears! 

Not one, not two but three different locations have their stories told on the Season Two opener of Ghosts N Bears.  We talk about The Fort (Petter House), Sandwick Manor and HMCS Quadra and has first hand tales from Jason!  Come with us as we head UpIsland to discover the ghosts tucked away in the Comox Valley just waiting to be revealed in the quiet towns of Courtney and Comox. 

It was the Victorians who popularized ghost story telling at Christmas and we wanted to end the first season of Ghosts 'N Bears in the same tradition.  Join us as we travel back to the 1800's where we've handpicked two Victorian ghostly tales that would have been found in magazines specifically printed for Christmas.  Why? Listen to find out.  Can we revive the tradition? We're sure going to try and we hope you enjoy this Christmas present and season finale from us on Ghosts 'N Bears. 

Recipe for a haunted building? We might just have one here as we head on down to Victoria's most haunted building.  The old Supreme Court of British Columbia situated in the very haunted Bastion Square is home to several different ghosts including a couple of Judge's - one known as the "Hanging Judge", as well as several former clients of the Gold Rush justice system.  Join us as dig a little deeper in to the history and current residents of what is easily one of the most active buildings in the whole province on this episode of Ghosts 'N Bears.