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Creating the Ultimate Haunt
  
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By Chris Michlewicz
Candy is perhaps the biggest perk for kids on Halloween, but for mischievous adults, it’s all about the thrill of putting a little fright in their night.
One house in Cottonwood, a subdivision of Parker, is a shining example of how a love for Halloween can be taken to the extreme and create a win-win situation for children and adults. Chris and Julie Wolf, who have lived in Parker since 2006, are in their eighth year of building the “Howling Wolf Haunt,” a haunted house right in their own front yard.
They begin planning Labor Day weekend, thinking out every last detail, right down to the placement of the fog machine and designing hiding places with the most scare potential. Each play a role in the haunted house, and oftentimes, neighbors get involved and are assigned a part in the production.
Julie Wolf estimates they have spent more than $5,000 over the last eight years on props, costumes and storage for the dozens of accessories. They rent out a storage unit at $100 per month just to store the Halloween paraphernalia throughout the year. Despite the expenses — and the fact that no children live at the home — the one-night-only haunted house is worth it and the Wolf’s are happy to provide the annual event free of charge.
“To me, it’s the satisfaction of knowing the same people come through every year and they appreciate the work we do,” she said. “Even though it costs us some money, we just want to hear kids and adults scream and have a good time.”
The full-size candy bars that are given out sooth any tears at the end of the haunted house, which drew about 300 people last year.
It takes weeks to meticulously set up the maze of two-by-fours and plywood. New props, like this year’s two-headed latex baby monster, are added every year. The effects can be frightening for children, and some adults, but it’s all in good fun, and visitors are given hot apple cider to warm up. However, some people can get agitated at the spookfest.
“We have had parents threaten to call the cops because we’re scaring their kids,” Chris Wolf said. “If you don’t want your kids to get scared, don’t bring them to a haunted house.”
But most people enjoy their dedication to making the holiday a fun one for all ages. Those who are interested can visit the Howling Wolf Haunt at Blue Bunch Court and Bluegrass Circle at dusk on Halloween night.
One house in Cottonwood, a subdivision of Parker, is a shining example of how a love for Halloween can be taken to the extreme and create a win-win situation for children and adults. Chris and Julie Wolf, who have lived in Parker since 2006, are in their eighth year of building the “Howling Wolf Haunt,” a haunted house right in their own front yard.
They begin planning Labor Day weekend, thinking out every last detail, right down to the placement of the fog machine and designing hiding places with the most scare potential. Each play a role in the haunted house, and oftentimes, neighbors get involved and are assigned a part in the production.
Julie Wolf estimates they have spent more than $5,000 over the last eight years on props, costumes and storage for the dozens of accessories. They rent out a storage unit at $100 per month just to store the Halloween paraphernalia throughout the year. Despite the expenses — and the fact that no children live at the home — the one-night-only haunted house is worth it and the Wolf’s are happy to provide the annual event free of charge.
“To me, it’s the satisfaction of knowing the same people come through every year and they appreciate the work we do,” she said. “Even though it costs us some money, we just want to hear kids and adults scream and have a good time.”
The full-size candy bars that are given out sooth any tears at the end of the haunted house, which drew about 300 people last year.
It takes weeks to meticulously set up the maze of two-by-fours and plywood. New props, like this year’s two-headed latex baby monster, are added every year. The effects can be frightening for children, and some adults, but it’s all in good fun, and visitors are given hot apple cider to warm up. However, some people can get agitated at the spookfest.
“We have had parents threaten to call the cops because we’re scaring their kids,” Chris Wolf said. “If you don’t want your kids to get scared, don’t bring them to a haunted house.”
But most people enjoy their dedication to making the holiday a fun one for all ages. Those who are interested can visit the Howling Wolf Haunt at Blue Bunch Court and Bluegrass Circle at dusk on Halloween night.
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