First Day of Filming Done!
I arrived at the Devil's Gate Dam late in the morning and found it pleasantly empty. After shooting a few takes of the introduction, talking about the location and its haunted history, I began exploring the area, trying to locate the actual site of the infamous Devil's Gate. While searching, there was a moment that sent chills down my spine: a fire truck drove by with its sirens blaring and seemingly in response, there was a blood-curdling squealing/howl erupting from the woods in the area of the dry watershed. Supposedly, this very sound was one of the ominous omens that kept the Native Americans away from the site. It certainly made me think twice about being there alone!
After a few wrong turns, I finally found the entrance to the dam. There were some construction barriers set up with No Tresspassing signs, but I walked past those and went down to the floor of the watershed at the base of the dam. Finding nothing, I then followed the drainage channel and went under the dam. It was here that I was able to get a look down into the creek on the north side of the dam and found the Devil's Gate.
After jumping over a locked fence, following a steep set of concrete stairs, and climbing two metal ladders, I was finally at the Devil's Gate. It was a pretty creepy place, but I never felt like I was in danger at any time. If I had gone during the night, it might have been a different story!
The gate protecting the tunnel was locked with a huge, heavy chain that looked very old. The edges of the gate were surrounded by concrete, so getting in through the gaps was impossible, because there were no gaps big enough for a person to fit through. Unable to get through the gate, I explored the woods around the creek instead.
Overall, it was a great day, and I was able to complete the first 10 minutes of the film (edited from 30 minutes of raw footage). Looking forward to going back at some point to get some more shots of the area at night, but I won't be going alone.
