Twice the fright

This year's Grimes Castle Haunted House is going to be so scary and gory, the owner recommends small children stay away.

"This is going to scare the hell out of people," said Michael Grimes. "This is just going to freak people out. I would say no kids under 10, maybe not even under 13."

But the littler goblins will have their own house of horror. For the first time in the four years Grimes has been building the haunted houses in Carson City, there will be two this year.

The 6,000-square-foot "Dungeon" will be about 50 percent bigger and more frightening than last year, Grimes said.

The 3,000-square-foot "Labyrinth," while plenty scary, will have "no blood, guts or gore," Grimes said.

Still, "It's no slouch," Grimes said. "It will scare the heck out of you."

Grimes began planning in April for the spook house at 1809 N. Carson St. and was, for the first time, set to finish ahead of schedule.

Then the owners of the Carson Mall contacted him about building one there as well.

"It was just too good of an opportunity to pass up," he said. "Now we're way over budget and way behind schedule."

But he and his volunteers were working double time this week to get both houses ready for Saturday's opening.

Although he has an aversion to haunted houses and scary movies, saying he prefers "to get his adrenaline rush off the slopes at Kirkwood," Grimes decided in 2005 to try his hand at building one after going through one with his niece and nephew.

"When they came out they were so excited," he recalled. "I thought how cool that would be to get to help make people have a really good time."

Retiring in July 2006 from his video production company, Grimes's background helps in creating a realistic scenario.

"It's not necessarily a whole lot different than prepping and shooting a commercial," he said. "It's just a little more labor intensive with a hammer and nails."

It's not just the customers having a good time, though. Several of his actors and other volunteers return year after year.

"Two of my guys told me the reason they work so hard is because you're letting us build the biggest fort ever."

Still, "It's no slouch," Grimes said. "It will scare the heck out of you."

Grimes began planning in April for the spook house at 1809 N. Carson St. and was, for the first time, set to finish ahead of schedule.

Then the owners of the Carson Mall contacted him about building one there as well.

"It was just too good of an opportunity to pass up," he said. "Now we're way over budget and way behind schedule."

But he and his volunteers were working double time this week to get both houses ready for Saturday's opening.

Although he has an aversion to haunted houses and scary movies, saying he prefers "to get his adrenaline rush off the slopes at Kirkwood," Grimes decided in 2005 to try his hand at building one after going through one with his niece and nephew.

"When they came out they were so excited," he recalled. "I thought how cool that would be to get to help make people have a really good time."

Retiring in July 2006 from his video production company, Grimes's background helps in creating a realistic scenario.

"It's not necessarily a whole lot different than prepping and shooting a commercial," he said. "It's just a little more labor intensive with a hammer and nails."

It's not just the customers having a good time, though. Several of his actors and other volunteers return year after year.

"Two of my guys told me the reason they work so hard is because you're letting us build the biggest fort ever."