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Aliens swarm Fort Roberdeau

SINKING VALLEY– The Mountain Lion Observatory at Fort Roberdeau has a permanently mounted telescope, but Saturday night, laser gun-welding aliens ran around on the grounds.

“I want to see a UFO in the sky abducting people,” said Leo Dangler, 11, as he waited for a haunted tour of the Revolutionary War-era fort. He was dressed as the Grim Reaper sans horse head mask because it didn’t come in the mail yet.

His sister, Nora, 9, dressed as a candy corn witch, also waited with excitement to begin the Aliens versus Colonists Haunted tour of Fort Roberdeau.

“It’s alien-themed. Last year was zombies and it was pretty fun, so this one will be even better,” she said.

Aliens was a fitting theme for this year’s tour because the event benefits the Mountain Lion Observatory that opened at the fort in July, thanks to thousands of dollars in donations coordinated by Altoona Area High School teacher Jim Krug.

The observatory is a student learning tool and has made the fort a centerpiece for public stargazing events.

Krug and his Astronomy Club students teamed up again with Fort Roberdeau directors for the return of Fort Roberdeau’s Haunted Trail and Fort.

Last year, the Haunted Tours project received a statewide award from the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society as it attracted 1,200 people to the fort, which is a replica of the structure that protected lead miners during the Revolutionary War.

Saturday night’s aliens versus colonists was another success.

Krug was part of the action Saturday, dressed as a mad scientist and one of the first victims in a battle between the aliens and the colonists.

“We are expecting more people this year,” Krug said after practicing the battle stunt with his students. “We have more actors, over 60 astronomy club students, and this year we also have a trick-or-treat trail for kids who might be too afraid to go through the fort.”

Mirror Staff Writer Russ O’Reilly is at 946-7435.

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