Prepare to experience a scare like no other as long-time elementary school PE teacher Michael Fletcher, or as many might know him, Snoopy, hosts his legendary haunted maze on Halloween night. He has hosted the maze for the past 14 years. The maze, which has previously been open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m, has brought in two to three thousand people every year. Seeing as the maze winds through the entirety of Snoopy’s backyard, a substantial amount of time and preparation has gone into creating the most notable haunted maze in Claremont.

Fletcher invites people to help build and work the maze, many of whom are returning members who enjoy being an important part of constructing this remarkable creation. He bases the sections of his haunted house according to current scary aspects of popular culture, like zombies from the Walking Dead. Sometimes, but not every year, Fletcher and his workers center the maze on a certain theme. The group begins building weeks before Halloween in order to transform Fletcher’s backyard into a creative maze of pure horror. The walls and roofs of the maze are usually constructed of painter’s tarp, allowing for an entrance on the side of Snoopy’s house that leads into his backyard where the maze twists and turns. Snoopy and his workers create niches and hidden spaces to allow for optimal scares.

“After you get through the line, it is worth it. People come out of nowhere, wearing different masks and costumes. I’m always looking forward to see what Snoopy can do with the maze every Halloween,” freshman Joe Berke said.
On Halloween, Fletcher opens his maze to the public at 6 p.m. Fletcher advises that to avoid a long wait, arrive around 6 p.m. or around 9 p.m. Lines usually last about 30 minutes, as Fletcher lets small groups, of five or less, in every minute or so. Because the maze is different every year, it is difficult to predict what will happen once inside, but attendants can be sure they will experience blood-curdling scares. For example, last year’s maze featured Dr. Giggles’ insane asylum.

Fletcher and his wife Debbie pay for this festivity out of their own pockets and allow anyone to experience the maze free of charge. Motivated by his experiences of taking his little brother to haunted houses on Halloween, Fletcher strives to provide the residents of Claremont with the same feelings of joy and excitement that he felt as a child.

“I still do the haunted house today because I get a kick out of people getting scared and enjoying it,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher plans on making this year’s haunted maze extraordinary, taking his creation to the next level. Halloween night from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., Snoopy’s legendary haunted maze is something that cannot be missed.