A Visit To The Stanley!

After I hiked around Rocky Mountain National Park Saturday afternoon, I decided to stop at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park and have  look around.  I have never been to the Stanley before, although I have been to Estes Park (the Wisconsin Dells of the West) many times.  The Stanley is just outside of town, on a hill overlooking the mountains.  The views from the porch are fantastic, but it's major claim to fame is that it was the setting for Stephen King's ghost story The Shining.  I read the book a few years ago, and have had the Stanley on my mind to visit, but never have until now.  In the book the hotel was located on an isolated mountain, and the family that went there to take care of it in the winter had to stay until spring, a bad thing once the ghosts there started making their presence known.  In reality, since it just outside of town, if they were truly staying at the Stanley, they would have been able to make it down to a cotton candy or tee shirt shop once the spooks were after them.

Because I read the book and liked it so much, I had to stop in at the bar where the main character in the book would drink with the ghosts in the evening.  He was quite psychic, and could easily see and communicate with them, to the distress of his wife and young son.  In any case, I am not psychic, and did not feel any ghostly presence while I was there.  Perhaps if I had a few more beers, the ghosts would have made an appearance, but like Coors Field in Denver, the Stanley discourages over consumption by charging $7.00 for a beer (Coors Field charges 8, by the way).  I have no problem paying $7.00 to see the place, but above that is a little too much for this cheapskate.  The Stanley has a tourist office in the basement, by the way, for people who want to take a guided tour of the place.  They also have a "resident psychic," but the door was closed when I was there. I think you have to call to make an appointment if you want to communicate with the other world.  Maybe next time.