- Horror in the High Desert is a found-footage film that blurs fact and fiction, inspired by the real-life disappearance of Kenny Veach.
- Kenny Veach, an avid hiker, claimed to have found a strange “M” shaped cave in the Nevada desert, but was unable to enter due to strong vibrations.
- The disappearance of the Vitch has led to wild theories, including encounters with aliens or stumble upon military secrets.
No wonder so many horror fans are wondering Horror in the High Desert based on a true story. In the end, the film perfectly combines found footage and interviews, creating what looks like a low-budget documentary. It doesn’t help that the film begins with a disclaimer warning viewers of shocking images to be made public, supposedly released by the police department to invite people to share information that could lead to the arrest of Gary Hinge (Eric Mensis) murderer. A young man disappeared into the Nevada High Desert only to find his severed hand holding a camera with disturbing images. It’s a horrific story, but how real is it? As it turns out, Horror in the High Desert was based on the actual disappearance of Kenny Veach, who disappeared in Nevada, allegedly while making a YouTube video.
“Horror in the High Desert” - true or fake?
Kenny Veach was a Las Vegas resident with a passion for hiking and caving. In 2014, Veach commented on a YouTube video called Area 51 Technician’s Son, no longer available online, to share a strange experience he had while camping. Under the username “snakebitmgee”, Veach described his eerie discovery of a cave with a large M-shaped entrance. Kenny liked to present himself as an opinionated person with a lot of experience when it came to exploring the High Desert. However, he claimed that he could not enter the M-shaped cave as his whole body pushed him away from the place. Vic says:
“One day during one of my hikes to Nellis Air Force Base, I found a hidden cave. The entrance to the cave was shaped like a perfect capital M. I always go into every cave I find, but when I started going into this particular cave, my whole body started to vibrate. The closer I got to the entrance to the cave, the stronger the vibration became. Suddenly, I was very scared and rushed out of there. It was one of the strangest things that has ever happened to me.”
Veach’s comment went viral, with hundreds of people asking him to find the cave again and make a video. In October 2014, he finally convinced himself to head out into the desert again, taking with him a gun for protection and a camera that could capture the evidence needed to corroborate his story. Unfortunately, Veach did not find the M-shaped cave. Instead, he posted a video describing his location, the region where the cave was supposed to be. In the video, Vych is standing near an abandoned mine, which could play a crucial role in the investigation into his disappearance. That’s because Veach went to the High Desert again after his video was heavily criticized and people called him a liar.
Veach told his family that he would go on a “short overnight trip” on November 10, 2014. That day he left the house for the last time. After his family reported Veach missing, his disappearance became the headline of every news station in Nevada. People organized extensive searches in the desert, hoping to find clues to Vych’s whereabouts and possibly learn more about the mysterious M Cave. On November 22, police found Vych’s phone near the same mine that appears in his video. However, despite their best efforts, the officers were unable to find Vech dead or alive.
What happened to Kenny Veach?
The disappearance of HIV has spawned dozens of crazy online theories. To this day, many people still believe that the traveler found M’s Cave and uncovered a dark military secret that ended up costing him his life. Some claim that Veach may have found the fabled Area 51 or encountered aliens. Others say that he may have encountered supernatural threats in the wilderness. However, a comment on Veach’s M Cave video from a woman who claimed to be his girlfriend suggests that Veach may have met a more tragic end. According to Sherion Pilgrim, Veach suffered from depression, and the negative reaction to his video may have pushed him to commit suicide. As she explains, Veach didn’t bring a camera with him when he left home on November 10, meaning he wasn’t going to record his trip to Cave M. Finally, he could have left his phone in the shaft so the police couldn’t trace his location. using GPS. As Pilgrim says:
“There are a lot of posts. I had no idea until a friend informed me. So many people wonder what happened and assume different things. You sympathize with the sadness around what happened to Kenny. He hasn’t been found, and I feel like he probably won’t be found for many, many more months, if at all. I want to share what I know and feel about what happened so that you can bring some clarity and understanding to your own life. Kenny was very fond of hiking in the desert. It was his very, very favorite pastime.
We hiked and slept together across the Nevada desert…sometimes 9 hours a day. We found many abandoned mining towns, commonly referred to as “ghost towns” by Nevada tourists. We explored many caves and mine shafts. We were always careful about how we explored them, but Kenny was a little more daring than me. We wore snake protection, sun protection clothing, used walking sticks, brought enough water and food with us for hiking, and we had extra water/food in the car…I want you to know: I don’t think Kenny got in an accident. I believe he committed suicide.
He struggled with depression for many years, did not take medication and did not see a doctor. He quit his job a little over a year before he disappeared… His search began just a couple of days after my call. More than 30 members of the search and rescue team were searched on foot three times. One overflight of the helicopter was made and there was no sign of Kenny or any of his camping items. They found his car in the area where I told them. In the video, they found his mobile phone near the mine. The mine was only 4 hours away from his car. I have a feeling that he left it so that it could not be tracked by the built-in GPS. On this solo trip, he also did not take a video camera with him. He stayed at his house. So he wasn’t going to film anything.”
‘Horror in the High Desert’ plot is similar to the disappearance of Kenny Veach
As we learn more about Kenny Veach’s true story, it’s impossible not to draw parallels between his sad disappearance and Horror in the High Desert. The film is about a young man who struggles with his mental health and puts himself in danger after being bullied online. In addition, Gary’s disappearance is also motivated by his desire to prove skeptics wrong after he describes the eerie experience of finding a makeshift rampart that caused him to have a strong fear reaction. Long story short, like Vych, Gary is a hiker who disappears in an attempt to show the world that he was honest about his supernatural experience in the High Desert.
Of course, in real life, there is no evidence of Veach’s claims about Cave M, and no footage has been found that reveals what happened to him in the High Desert. So, Horror in the High Desert takes a lot of liberties with how the story unfolds. However, even if the horrifying end Horror in the High Desert The entirely fictional, mockumentary side of the film is apparently inspired by Nevada’s most famous urban legend.
Horror in the High Desert available for streaming on Tubi.
Source: Collider
I have worked as a journalist for over 7 years and have written for many different publications. I currently work as an author at Daily News Hack, where I mostly cover entertainment news. I have a great deal of experience in the industry and am always looking to learn more. I am a highly motivated individual who is always looking to improve my skills. I am also a very friendly and personable person, which makes me easy to work with.
