Thanks to its commitment to the pseudo-documentary format,Horror in the High Desertis terrifying. The story of Gary Hinge (Eric Mencis) just feels too real for the audience to take their eyes off the screen, and once the credits roll, we can’t help but wonder what secret horrors hide in the most desolated corners of the world. However,the pseudo-documentary formatforcesHorror in the High Desert’s story to be told exclusively through fictional interviews andfound footage. The result is a non-linear investigation that purposely leaves some gaps for the viewer to fill with their most disturbing nightmares. Not everyone likes to put all the pieces together alone, so we prepared a handy guide to explain the main plot points and what happened atHorror in the High Desert’s disturbing ending.
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Who Is ‘Horror in the High Desert’ Missing Hiker?
Gary Hinge is described by friends and family as an extremely intelligent young man. Unfortunately, Gary’s brilliance made it harder for him to connect with other people. Everyone who knew Gary felt he had difficulty in crowds, which explains why he became so absorbed in his hobbies. When he was at the apartment he shared with roommate Simon (Errol Porter), Gary was working on his train models. However, more often than not, Gary was spending several days in the wilderness. Because he enjoyed solitude, Gary became fascinated with wilderness survival while trekking through the High Desert of Nevada. His interest in exploring the outdoors even landed him a job charting unexplored territory for hunters. That means Gary was often camping and getting paid, with only hisfaithful dogTuca by his side.
Gary Is Forced Back to the Unknown by Online Bullies
During one of Gary’s excursions into the High Desert, he finds something unlikely: a makeshift cabin with smoke coming out of its chimney. During his walkabouts, Gary was used to stumbling upon abandoned mines and cemeteries, relics from an era long gone. Yet, the cabin seems more recent, put together with whatever material its mysterious architect managed to find. Gary was also used to the dangers of the High Desert, including snakes, scorpions, the prospect of getting lost, and the lack of food. So, we can assume he was not a coward. Still, something inside his brain triggers an intense fear reaction when he first approaches the cabin, as if his sixth sense told him to run away. Gary gets as far as he can from the cabin before camping for the night, feeling he is being watched all the time. In the morning, Gary discovers barefoot footprints around his tent, proof that he was indeed being followed by someone, probably the cabin’s owner.
On that particular trip, Gary didn’t have his filming equipment with him, which is why he doesn’t have any proof when he returns home. Still, Gary describes his bizarre experience in his blog, only to be met with disbelief and hateful messages. Gary’s followers, whose support helped the young man to stay afloat, now accuse him of lying and fabricating a ghost story. People demand that he disclose the cabin’s location, which Gary refuses to do, as he doesn’t want to be responsible for unprepared hikers getting lost in the High Desert. After weeks of online bullying, Gary decides to buy his followers' love back, promising to go back to the cabin and gather film evidence of his discovery. It’s an unwise decision that ultimately seals his fate.
What Did Gary Find in the High Desert?
Before departing on his adventure, Gary asks Simon to take care of Tuca. The request raises a red flag for Simon since Gary always takes his dog with him when going to the High Desert. Still, since Gary and Simon don’t usually discuss the young man’s survivalist journeys, Simon dismisses the sign until it’s too late. It takes Gary three days to get back to the cabin in the desert. During the day, he sets markers on the path to help guide him in the evening. When the sun sets, Gary uses his night vision camera to sneak closer to the cabin, filming everything. Gary hopes to gather enough evidence so people will stop bullying him online, but the survivalist finds something worse. Waiting for Gary in the cabin, there’s a disfigured, human-like man holding a machete.
The man tracks Gary in the desert while the young man tries to remain hidden. The twisted cat-and-mouse game is caught on camera, with Gary counting on his equipment to stay alive. Unfortunately, the man eventually finds Gary but Gary’s body is never found. At first, it seems like the human-like figure wants to hide his existence since he takes Gary’s car far away from where the survivalist parked before his three-day excursion. However, once the search for Gary leads hundreds of people into the High Desert, the hermit decides he needs to send a message.
The man at the cabin hides Gary’s severed hand in the camp of innocent tourists, who find the bloody souvenir when they wake up. Gary’s hand holds his camera tightly, indicating the amputation happened while the young man was still recording. Maybe the shady figure hoped Gary’s hand would discourage people from finding his cabin. Or perhaps he wanted more people to come for him and his machete. Whatever the person intended, once the footage from Gary’s deadly encounter is released, dozens of influencers vow to find the cabin and reveal the truth to the public. They think they are brave, but the man at the makeshift house is waiting to claim their lives.
