Under Siege

Summary

Sightings: "Under Siege"
Podcast: Sightings (REVERB | QCODE)
Episode: Under Siege
Date: September 15, 2025
Hosts: McLeod Andrews & Brian Sigley

Episode Overview

In this episode, "Under Siege," Sightings plunges listeners into one of the most iconic and harrowing American cryptid encounters: the Battle of Ape Canyon. The hosts dramatize a first-hand account from Fred Beck, a gold prospector, who—alongside four companions—claims to have survived a night-long siege by mysterious, towering, hairy creatures near Mount St. Helens in 1924. After the dramatized retelling, McLeod and Brian unpack the original story, examine evidence, alternative theories, local folklore, and the place of this event in Bigfoot mythology. The result is a gripping blend of supernatural storytelling and skeptical discussion, all delivered with the hosts’ signature approachable banter.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Storytelling: The Battle of Ape Canyon

[04:49–23:44]

• Dramatic Reenactment: The episode devotes nearly 20 minutes to an atmospheric narration as Fred Beck.
  • Five prospectors working a gold claim become unnerved by gigantic, human-like tracks (up to 19 inches).
  • Strange whistling and hollow thumping sounds begin at dusk.
  • Beck and Marion Smith spot a massive, hairy figure: not quite ape, not quite man.
  • They fire rifles at it; later, during the night, their cabin is violently besieged by multiple such beings they dub "mountain devils."
  • The attack escalates: rocks hurled onto the roof, arms reaching into the cabin, desperate return fire, and ultimately daylight delivering a tense, battered exodus.
  • The next morning, Beck claims to shoot another creature, which falls into the canyon. The men flee, vowing silence that quickly dissolves.
• Atmosphere: The segment leans into classic campfire horror, emphasizing mounting dread, primal survival, and a deep sense of the unknown.

Notable Quote:

“If a man is bound to carry a thing, he may as well set it down plain… but what happened to me and my partners this past July in the shadow of Mount St. Helens… I didn’t know these mountains quite as well as I thought I did.”
— Fred Beck (Narration), [04:49]

Memorable Moment:

“If you ever find yourself in those mountains and hear a strange whistling from the ridges, then, friend, you’d best head back the way you came. And whatever you do, don’t wait until dark.”
— Fred Beck, [23:42]

2. Historical Context & Fact-Checking

[25:26–27:45]

• Era & Place: The real encounter occurred in July 1924, near Mount St. Helens, Washington, before the volcano’s famous eruption.
  • The group came from Kelso—a rough logging and mining town.
  • The name “Ape Canyon” and the association with “apes” or Bigfoot emerged after the fact; Beck and the others called them “mountain devils.”
• Newspaper & Ranger Reports: After the prospectors’ account, park rangers and journalists visited the site and confirmed:
  • A cabin badly damaged (holes, rocks, broken furniture)
  • Large footprints around the area
  • Yet, rangers remained skeptical and suggested the miners could have staged the scene (“made those prints with their knuckles and palm”), fueling suspicion of a hoax.

Notable Quote:

“These rangers thought it was kind of bunk… They said it looked like they were able to make those kind of prints with their knuckles and palm.”
— Brian, [29:13]

3. Theories: Bigfoot, Hoax, or Hoaxers?

[27:45–37:09]

• Skeptical Takes:
  • Did prospectors stage the cabin attack themselves to cover up a failed claim or other misadventures?
  • A 1950s claim by former YMCA campers purported that they, as children, threw rocks at the cabin—an explanation dismissed for the scale and violence described.
  • Rangers alleged the miners were “all drunk,” further suggesting unreliable perception.
• Fred Beck’s Perspective:
  • Beck never recanted, publishing pamphlets throughout his life.
  • He became known for proposing the creatures were “interdimensional beings,” linking the Pacific Northwest’s hairy monsters with yetis and global legends.
• Hoax Motivation:
  • No clear personal gain, as the men neither profited nor sought fame.
  • Discussion around the lack of evidence for outright fabrication.

Notable Quote:

“He also became relatively infamous for evangelizing the idea that these creatures… were interdimensional beings.”
— Brian, [31:11]

• The “Scooby Doo” Theory:
  • Alternative: min ers attacked by pranksters in costume or as a practical joke—a possible but undercut explanation given the physical damage.

4. Local Legends & Cultural Roots

[34:55–36:41]

• Native American Lore:
  • Regional tribes’ stories of the “Siatco,” described as tall, hairy beings with magical powers—hypnosis, animal mimicry, nocturnal hunting.
  • Legends hold that the Siatco had mostly “gone extinct” by the early 20th century, though some link this lore to the supposed events at Ape Canyon.
• Aftermath and Modern Bigfoot Culture:
  • A “Bigfoot body” allegedly found after the 1980s Mount St. Helens eruption (unconfirmed), stoking ongoing regional legend.
  • Reports of similar encounters in the Pacific Northwest remain an enduring facet of American cryptid folklore.

Notable Quote:

“Among tribes in the Pacific Northwest, a lot of them have stories about this strange race of hairy beings… the Siatco… between 7 and 8 feet tall with bodies covered in hair, which admittedly sounds a lot like a Bigfoot. However, these Bigfoots had magical powers.”
— Brian, [35:20]

5. Evidence & Legacy

[27:45–33:40]; [39:20–end]

• Physical Evidence:
  • Grou nd impressions, “weird-shaped” footprints up to 19 inches found and cast by rangers.
  • Episode image of one such print posted to the podcast Instagram.
  • However, hosts and investigators note the ambiguous, non-diagnostic shape—neither proof nor disproof of cryptid activity.
• Enduring Mystery:
  • The “Battle of Ape Canyon” remains one of the most well-publicized historical Bigfoot accounts, referenced in pop culture and paranormal lore.
  • No further, similar documented attacks in the area and no creatures found.

Host Reflections:

“I think at the end of the day on this one, I think I’m coming away as like the agnostic narwhal… Because there’s the footprints, and there doesn’t seem to be much motive to lie about this.”
— McLeod, [38:19]

“This is different than a lot of the Bigfoot stories… This is a group of aggressive beings attacking some guys. It kind of reminds me of the Kelly Hopkinsville encounter that we talked about.”
— Brian, [37:46]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Fred Beck Warning the Listener:

  “If you ever find yourself in those mountains and hear a strange whistling from the ridges, then, friend, you’d best head back the way you came. And whatever you do, don’t wait until dark.”
  — [23:42]

• Bigfoot’s Place in Lore:

  “Bigfoot wasn’t really in the cultural lexicon at the time. And the cabin was devastated, apparently… The rangers did take impressions of all the footprints.”
  — Brian, [28:33–28:45]

• Skepticism and Fun:

  “It doesn’t fully quite align with kids throwing rocks, but maybe… it could have been terrifying, and especially if they were drunk.”
  — McLeod, [33:40]

• Cultural Synthesis:

  “If I were to go all in on Bigfoot, I would say the Pacific Northwest would be the place for it to happen… That’s where most of the lore is.”
  — Brian, [36:27]

• Encouraging Listener Engagement:

  “If you guys are believer beavers on this one, we’d love to hear why… or leave us a comment on Spotify or Instagram.”
  — Brian, [38:56]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:49 — Dramatized account by "Fred Beck" begins
• 13:07 — Intense cabin siege and survival details
• 23:42 — Beck’s advice to future wanderers
• 25:26 — Discussion: historical background & reporting
• 27:45 — Footprints, cabin evidence, and investigation
• 30:58 — Beck’s life after the event, pamphlets, Bigfoot theory
• 32:19 — The "interdimensional" theory
• 33:09 — Alternative theories (YMCA prank/confession, miner hoax, etc.)
• 34:55 — Mount St. Helens, missing hiker, legend connections
• 35:20 — Pacific Northwest Native American “Siatco” legends
• 36:41 — Extinction and plausibility of a hidden species
• 37:46 — Full-circle on motive, substance, and impact of the incident
• 38:19 — McLeod’s “agnostic narwhal” conclusion

---

Conclusion & Next Episode Tease

The episode blends immersive storytelling with a thoughtful, investigative companion discussion. The hosts highlight the enduring ambiguity and atmospheric allure of the Battle of Ape Canyon—was it myth, misperception, prank, or primal encounter with the unknown? They invite listeners to weigh in, and tease a future episode set in Brazil, promising another twist on true crime and the supernatural.

Tone:
Conversational, slightly irreverent, deeply curious—balancing skepticism and open-mindedness, always inviting the audience to join the investigation.

---

Transcript

[A]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.

[B]

Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game?

[A]

Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.

[B]

Hi, I'm Kristen Bell and if you know my husband Dax, then you also.

[A]

Know he loves shopping for a car. Selling a car, not so much. We're really doing this, huh? Thankfully, Car Carvana makes it easy. Answer a few questions, put in your VIN or license and done. We sold ours in minutes this morning.

[B]

And they'll come pick it up and pay us this afternoon.

[A]

Goodbye, Truckee.

[B]

Of course, we kept the favorite.

[A]

Hello other Truckee. Sell your car with Carvana today. Terms and conditions apply.

[B]

When did making plans get this complicated?

[A]

It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the.

[B]

Secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans, send.

[A]

Event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Learn [e-mail].

[B]

The wilderness can feel endless, untamed and indifferent to man's ambitions. But what happens when the forest itself begins to stir? When strange calls echo across the ridges and unseen eyes study your every move? And when night finally falls, what do you do if the darkness outside your cabin walls isn't empty at all, but alive and closing in? Welcome to Sightings, the series that takes you inside the world's most mysterious supernatural events. Each episode brings you a thrilling story that puts you at the center of the action, followed by a discussion that dives into the accounts that inspired the story and our takes on them. I'm McCloud.

[A]

And I'm Brian. And welcome back from our final break of the summer. Because that's right, McCloud sightings us back to new episodes every week.

[B]

Every week. Woo.

[A]

Party time it is. And what What a better way to kick off the fall season than with a spooky, twisty, action packed encounter that pits five men against a group of mysterious creatures.

[B]

It's the infamous event known as the Battle of Ape Canyon. But did the men encounter apes, Bigfoot or something else entirely? Find out on this episode of sightings.

[A]

Hey, McLeod, guess what? What? It is our favorite time of year. Spooky season it is, but it's also fall, which is my favorite time of year. Aside from spooky season. So the leaves are turning. We're getting ready to layer up.

[B]

I love a good sweater guys.

[A]

Though, if you are still rocking old beat up boxers under those flannels and jeans, it is time to upgrade to me undies.

[B]

They're just like so soft, so breathable. Perfect for crisp fall mornings, chilly nights and everything in between.

[A]

Oh, McLeod, you should become their new spokesperson. I'm serious though, and I got some as well. And I love the really cool patterns on all of them. And this is something that I'm sure that Sightings listeners will love. Meundies has a limited edition Halloween line just in time for spooky season with fun prints. The cloud, some that glow in the dark. Are you serious?

[B]

Well, good. Now I won't need nightlights when I get scared from our stories.

[A]

So take it from us because we wear them. Meundies is your new fall essential.

[B]

And right now, Sightings listeners, that means all of you can get cozy and spooky for less. With deals up to 50% [e-mail] sightings and enter promo code sightings. That's meundies.com sightings sightings promo code sightings for up to 50% off me undies comfort that's made for fall.

[A]

Thanks Meundies, for sponsoring this episode.

[B]

My name is Fred beck, and I'm 41 years old. I've been prospecting in these mountains for the better part of six years now. And I'd like to think I know every trail, creek and ridge like the back of my hand. But what happened to me and my partners this past July in the shadow of Mount St. Helens? Well, let's just say I didn't know these mountains quite as well as I thought I did. And I'm not proud of that. But if a man is bound to carry a thing, he may as well set it down plain. The whole thing started with gold, like most of the trouble these days. Five of us were working a claim we called the Van Der White, about two miles east of the mountain near a deep canyon. Marion Smith was the leader of our outfit, a tough old bird who'd been hunting and trapping these parts since before I was born. His son Roy was with us, too, and of course, John Preston and Gabe Lefebvre. All good with a pickaxe and not too bad with a bottle of hooch. We'd been having decent luck with the claim. Not strike it rich luck, mind you, but enough to keep us coming back. We built a cabin out of what the mountain gave Us. Nothing fancy, just a single room with a fireplace and no windows. We cooked outside, slept inside, and hoped it worked to keep out the weather and the bears. Course, we had no idea we'd soon be needing it to keep out something else entirely. The first sign something wasn't right came earlier in the spring. We'd been finding tracks near the creek. Tracks that honestly were too big to be of anything we'd ever encountered before. Marion claimed to know every animal in these woods. But These prints, some 19 inches long by my own measure, were just plain unnatural. So we'd keep our rifles close and hope we never came face to face with whatever made them. And for a while, we didn't. But then the sounds started and, well, once that happened, it was about a week before everything went to hell. Every evening, just as the sun was starting to dip behind the mountain, we'd hear this peculiar whistling. Not like a bird, mind you, this was too loud and deliberate. It would drift across the timber from one slope and sure as noon follows 11, an answer would come from the opposite side. Later, the whistles were joined by a hollow thumping as if something were beating its chest. Slow and deliberate, it would echo across the canyons and put an itch right between my shoulder blades. Roy joked that maybe we had ourselves some mountain gorillas up there. But nobody was laughing because the way those sounds carried whatever was making them had to be enormous. For my part, I tried to carry on as though nothing had changed. But my anxiety was compounded by a toothache that had settled in at the worst possible time. And I know what you're thinking. It's just a toothache amid all these other distressing elements. But there are some inconveniences a man can bear and some that grind him. This toothache fell into the second category. It hammered my jaw with a steady, mean pulse. And I told Marian one afternoon we ought to run back to town for a dentist before the pain turned me into something unpleasant. But Marian was dreaming of gold, and neither God nor the Devil could get him off that mountain before we sunk more holes. So I was stuck with an aching tooth, an annoying sense something very bad was coming our way. And sure enough, it did. That evening, the whistling sounds started up again, louder and more frequent than before. Marion suddenly stood up and said he needed to get water from the spring. It was only about a hundred yards from the cabin. But he asked me to come, and something in his voice made me nervous. I saw he had his rifle at his side, so I grabbed mine and followed him into the Gathering dusk, we were halfway to the spring when Marion stopped dead in his tracks and raised his rifle. I tracked his gaze, and that's when I saw it. A massive, hairy creature standing about a hundred yards away on the other side of a small canyon. At first my mind tried to make it into something normal. A bear standing on its hind legs, maybe, or a man in a fur coat. But this was no bear or man. It was massive, at least a head taller than me and covered in blackish brown hair from head to toe. And though it had a human shape to it, it seemed wrong somehow. The arms too long, the shoulders too broad, the head sitting strange on its neck. It ducked behind the tree when it saw us looking, then poked its head out again, like it was studying us. Marion, meanwhile, didn't hesitate. He fired three shots in quick succession, and I saw bark fly off the tree with each one. The creature recoiled, and I thought for a moment the Marion had hit it. But then we saw it running. And I mean running faster than any man could move down the canyon and away from us. I raised my own rifle and fired three shots of my own before it disappeared from view. Though I could have sworn I saw it stumble. Marian was certain we'd wounded it. But when we went back to tell the others, they laughed at us. They thought we'd seen a bear and let our imaginations run wild. But Marion insisted. We'd encountered what he called mountain devils, and after some discussion, we all agreed to pack up and head home the next morning. I'd have insisted we leave right then and there, but it would take us several hours to hike back to where we'd left the truck. And I don't think any one of us wanted to embark on that journey in the dark. So we decided to spend one more night in the cabin. One last night that nearly killed us all. Dark fell heavy on the canyon, with clouds covering the stars. We sat in the cabin smoking our pipes and trying to act normal. But everyone kept glancing at the door. Marion had his Remington automatic close at hand, as he always did. I had my. 3030 Winchester within easy reach. The others had their weapons ready, too. We sat around talking about the trip home and trying to convince ourselves that everything would be fine. And eventually, thanks to the hooch or exhaustion, we fell asleep, only to be woken up around midnight when Marion suddenly started yelling and kicking. At first we thought he was having a nightmare. But then we heard what had awakened him. A tremendous thud against the cabin wall. The impact was so powerful that some of the chinking between the logs and the wall knocked loose. All of us were up, weapons ready, trying to make sense of what was happening, and as we listened more we heard sounds outside. Footsteps and lots of them rattling over the pile of roof shakes we'd left stacked near the cabin. Marion pushed past me and squinted through the gap where the chinking had fallen out, and I saw his muscles tighten as he stared out into the dark. He said there were at least three of them out there. Three of those mountain devils. Massive hair covered humanoids that moved with disturbing intelligence. And now they were coming for us. Foreign.

[A]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile Now.

[B]

I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills. But it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial.

[A]

Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 GB of network's busy taxes and fees extra. See mint mobile.com@new balance we believe if you run, you're a runner however you choose to do it. Because when you're not worried about doing things the right way, you're free to discover your way. And that's what running is all about. Run your [e-mail] Running well I was down on my last dollar.

[B]

Then I started saving cuz the bank.

[A]

Said fiscal restraint is what you're craving.

[B]

So I put my earnings in a high yield account, let the savings compound and the interest mount.

[A]

I'm optimizing cash flow, put debt in.

[B]

Check now time is my friend and not a pain in the neck and we've got a little cash to rebuild the old deck. Boring money moves make kind of lame songs but they sound pretty sweet to your wallet. PNC bank brilliantly boring since 1865 it's funny, I don't believe I thought about my toothache even once that night. I was too terrified and charged with adrenaline to think about anything other than survival. It was past midnight and the things outside were still circling our cabin like they were sizing us up or waiting for us, and we thought maybe we could wait them out too. The cabin walls were thick logs and we were all armed. Did the things out there know that? Did they think at all? Based on their behavior, I presumed as much. They began their attack slowly and intentionally. First they'd circle the cabin, then throw themselves against it. Then they'd pull back and we'd have a few minutes of quiet before they came again, each time with just a bit more force. Soon enough, the whole structure was shaking and we were desperately firing our rifles through the walls. The bullets scared them off for another few minutes, but they kept coming back, always coming back. Then they found the door. They pushed so hard against it that we had to brace it with a pole from the bunk bed. We even drove two spikes through the brace into the floor, and that gave us a little confidence. Then they climbed onto the roof and began hammering at it with rocks. We responded by firing round after round through the ceiling, hoping to drive them off. The sound of gunfire in that enclosed space was deafening, but we had no choice. If we stopped shooting, they break through. Rocks started raining down on us through the chimney. Good sized ones that could crack a man's skull if they hit right. We all huddled in the corner furthest from the fireplace, but we could hear them right above us, seemingly tearing the roof apart, trying to get in between the impacts and sounds of movement. I could hear them making noises, not speech, but clearly some form of communication. Soon one of them managed to get an arm through the gap in the chinking and grabbed our axe by the handle. The arm was massive, covered in dark hair, and had fingers far longer than any man's ought to be. I managed to turn the axe head sideways so it would catch on the logs, and at the same moment, Marion fired his rifle right at the thing outside. The creature let go with a sound that was part scream, part growl, and snatched its arm back. This went on for what felt like hours. Marion and I did most of the shooting while the others pressed themselves against the far wall, clutching their guns with white knuckles. Roy, bless him, looked like he might faint. Gabe muttered prayers and French. John stared at the door like he was waiting for death himself to knock. At some point, I don't know when exactly, Marion started singing. If you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone and we'll all go home in the morning. Over and over he sang it, his voice cracking with fear and exhaustion. But it didn't quell the attack. If anything, it only intensified it. They kept coming, wave after wave. The walls shook, the door splintered. We began running low on ammunition and worried we might not make it through the night. Then part of the roof caved and cold air rushed in, followed by a shadowy arm. Roy swung the axe like a man born to it, and Marian's Remington cracked the arm Recoiled, but rocks began to rain down through the hole. One of the big ones clipped me at the back of my head and took me down in a brief, ringing dark. When my witch returned, I was under the table with blood sticky in my hair. The others had gathered in close, shouldering their barrels up towards the roof's hole. Outside, I could see the first gray light of dawn stretching across the sky, and I prayed, possibly for the first time in my life, that it would all end soon. And then, as if God himself were answering my call, everything went quiet. The pounding stopped. The footsteps faded. We waited, hardly daring to breathe, listening for any sign they were still out there. But there was no sound to be heard. Slowly, Marion rose and pulled open what was left of our door. The morning mist hung heavy in the canyon, making it hard to see very far, and we crept out into the light, half expecting to be grabbed at any moment by those hairy hands. The area around our cabin looked like a war zone. The pile of roof shakes had been scattered everywhere. Rocks and chunks of wood lay strewn about. Deep scratches marked the logs where those things had tried to claw their way inside. But more disturbing than the physical damage was the footprints. They were huge and pressed everywhere into the earth. My own boot fit cleanly within all of them. We gathered what few supplies we could carry and left behind probably $200 of equipment and provisions. And as we began our long march back to the truck, I caught movement near the canyon rim. One of those creatures was there, staring at us. It made no attempt to hide or flee. It just stood there, as if evaluating whether we were still a threat. In the morning light, I could see its features more clearly than I wanted to. The massive chest, the powerful arms, the intelligent eyes beneath heavy, brooding brows. Without thinking, I raised my rifle and fired three quick shots. The creature toppled backward and disappeared over the edge of the cliff, falling some 400ft in into the gorge below. It took us three hours to reach Marion's truck, and I don't think any of us drew a full breath until we were bouncing down the road back to town. When we finally reached it, we stopped at the first tavern we found. We must have looked a sight. Five grown men, dirty and disheveled, our eyes wild with fear and exhaustion. We huddled around the back table, and after a few stiff drinks to calm our nerves, we made a pact. We wouldn't tell anyone what happened up there. People would think we were crazy or drunk or both. We'd make up some story about the claim not panning out and leave it at that but secrets like that don't keep. Especially when five men share them. So within a week, the story had leaked out. Someone had never found out who told their wife or their drinking buddy. And before we knew it, reporters were showing up at our doors asking about the Battle of Ape Canyon. If I'm being honest, I hate the name. Because those things weren't apes. No, sir. Park rangers went up to investigate our claims and found the cabin exactly as we left it. They even took plaster casts of some of the footprints and measured them carefully. 19 inches long, just as we'd said. But for all their investigations, they couldn't explain what made those tracks or attacked our cabin. But I know what those rangers were thinking. Same thing everyone else was thinking. That five grown men had let their imaginations run wild and turned an encounter with a bear or two into something fantastical. They figured we'd panicked and started shooting at shadows, then convinced ourselves we'd been fighting monsters. But the truth is, there's something in those mountains. I know it as surely as I know my own name. And I know that whatever they are, they don't belong in our world. I've never gone back into those mountains and I never will. Neither have the others, as far as I know. So go ahead and call us liars. Call me a fanatic. I've heard it all. And I always say the same thing. Believe what you will. But if you ever find yourself in those mountains and hear a strange whistling from the ridges, then, friend, you'd best head back the way you came. And whatever you do, don't wait until dark.

[A]

Sightings will be back just after this.

[B]

Olivia loves a challenge. It's why she lifts heavy weights and likes complicated recipes. But for booking her trip to Paris.

[A]

Olivia chose the easy way.

[B]

With Expedia, she bundled her flight with a hotel to save more. Of course, she still climbed climbed all.

[A]

674 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

[B]

You were made to take the easy route. We were made to easily package your trip. Expedia Made to travel flight inclusive packages are atoll protected.

[A]

This message is sponsored by Greenlight. With school out, summer is the perfect time to teach our kids real world money skills they'll use forever. Greenlight is a debit card in the number one family finance and safety app used by millions of families helping kids.

[B]

Learn how to save, invest and spend wisely. Parents can send their kids money and track their spending and saving while kids.

[A]

Build money, confidence and skills in fun ways. Start your risk free Greenlight trial [e-mail] Spotify that's greenlight.com Spotify this episode is.

[B]

Brought to you by LifeLock. Between two factor authentication, strong passwords and a VPN, you try to be in control of how your info is protected.

[A]

But many other places also have it.

[B]

And they might not be as careful.

[A]

That's why LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions.

[B]

Of data points a second for threats. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it, guaranteed, or your money back.

[A]

Save up to 40% your first year.

[B]

Visit lifelock.com podcast for 40% off.

[A]

Terms apply.

[B]

Welcome. Welcome everybody from the Battle of Ape Canyon. They're coming for you. I don't know, I guess it's just Halloween's approaching and I'm in that place.

[A]

Brian, you're right. It is almost spooky season, but not quite yet. McLeod, you're jumping the gun here. But what'd you think of this story?

[B]

I like going back in the past like this and the prospector vibes you.

[A]

Did bring us the. What's the guy's name from There Will Be Blood.

[B]

I'm an oil man.

[A]

There you go. That's it. Yeah, this story was really cool and I didn't think I was gonna like it going in because I was like, oh, it's a Bigfoot story, but is.

[B]

It a Bigfoot story?

[A]

That's a good question. Exactly. Before we dive into that though, let me say that the story that you read was the account. Everything that happened in the story happened to these guys, allegedly.

[B]

And tell me more about the account. Like, is it written or is it like. Cause it's from so long ago. How did it reach us now here?

[A]

Well, there's lot newspaper articles about it that you can go and find.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So yeah, just to set the scene Again, like July 1924, this is Washington state in the shadow of Mount St. Helens, basically, I guess before it blew its top. But yeah, these guys were from a town called Kelso, which was known in the early 20th century as little Chicago, basically. And I guess the reason they called it that was there were a ton of brothels there. So lots of miners, lots of loggers.

[B]

Lots of houses of ill repute.

[A]

That's it. A lot of rough and tumble stuff going on, I guess, in that area.

[B]

Like the quintessential Old west, maybe.

[A]

Seems like it, but I imagine more tall pine trees and.

[B]

Right. It doesn't have that dusty desert vibe. It's.

[A]

No, no. But I think the point is, one day these five prospectors drive out of the wilderness and stumble into this tavern early in the morning, apparently. And it's kind of unclear of how exactly the story got out, but it sounds like they started talking as soon as they got into the tavern and started drinking. Even though in the story I remember him saying they all made a pact to not talk. That seemed to have lasted about five minutes and then they just started talking. And ironically, the guy who was talking the most was the guy who you read, Fred Beck.

[B]

Fred Beck, Motormouth.

[A]

Yes. But I guess the gist of it is that eventually word started spreading or there were some park troopers who were in the bar at the time or showed up later. It's kind of really unclear. But the point is that there's these two rangers, troopers, whatever you want to call them. So these two park rangers got the prospectors drunk basically and convinced them to go back up the mountain with them. I don't know how many of the prospectors went back up. I know that Fred went at a minimum, and they went back to the site where it happened. And what do you think they found at best?

[B]

My guess is they found like a roughed up cabin. Like, did they find footprints everywhere?

[A]

They did find footprints everywhere, yep. And they found a devastated cabin. No trace of the monsters, though. Remember that they called these a race of mountain devils.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Because Bigfoot wasn't really in the cultural lexicon at the time. And the cabin was devastated, apparently. You know, the furniture inside was shattered. The room was littered with boulders.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

There was like a hole in the roof. And these park rangers did take impressions of all the footprints that were in the area. And just so you can get a gist of what I'm talking about here, and I'm going to put this on Instagram as well for everyone, but we got a picture of one of these footprints.

[B]

Oh, interesting. I mean, it's huge for one.

[A]

Kind of weird shaped, though. Does it not look weird to you?

[B]

It is weird shaped. It's like the toes extend kind of along the outer ridge of the foot.

[A]

It's very strange.

[B]

It's very strange.

[A]

The gist of this is, though, that these park rangers thought this was a load of crap. Okay. They thought that, oh, these miners could have roughed up the cabin themselves and scattered the boulders around and stuff. And they said that it looked like they were able to make those kind of prints with their knuckles and their palm. Do you think that picture right there, that print could have been made with knuckles and a palm?

[B]

Well, the first thing that came to my mind, just given the kind of slightly odd shape, was it somebody who's not very good at drawing a foot, making an impression.

[A]

A four year old made a foot.

[B]

Like being like, all right and get those toes. But. But there's nothing that immediately screams hoax to me. Looking at this footprint, it looks like a big weird foot.

[A]

But yeah, I think the point is these rangers thought it was kind of bunk. But the story did get picked up by local and national media. And that's where the name the Battle of Ape Canyon came from. Because remember, these guys did not mention apes or Bigfoot or anything like that. They're like, they are mountain devils. And I guess from the descriptions of big hairy creatures attacking, attacking them, people kind of ran with it and Ape Canyon was born. And in the wake of that, though, I think people started swarming the area and kind of camping out all over the side of Mount St. Helens looking for these things. And wouldn't you know it, no one ever caught a glimpse of the mountain devils again.

[B]

Right, Right.

[A]

So that's kind of the background and the gist and that's how we know about it, obviously.

[B]

So it seems to me the next step in trying to figure out how true this account may or may not be is getting to know these guys a little bit better. Can you tell me more about the backgr of these people who claim to have had this experience?

[A]

The one who I know the most about is Fred. And the reason that we know most of his account and his thoughts on the whole matter is because he wrote little pamphlets.

[B]

I feel like at that time, pamphlets were a pretty big deal.

[A]

Yes. So he never backed down from his story, even after people were claiming it was a hoax or it was made up or whatever. But that said, as steadfast as he believed all of this, he also became relatively infamous for evangelizing the idea that these creatures, and eventually, I guess Bigfoot in general, were interdimensional beings.

[B]

Okay, based on what?

[A]

I think the idea that, well, number one, that, you know, they kind of popped up when we never saw them again.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You know, they got attacked in that night and they weren't there. He also started to spin a whole narrative that linked Bigfoot or the creatures that he encountered. Cause I don't really know when Bigfoot became part of the cultural lexicon as a name, but. But the idea that these hairy beings in the Pacific Northwest were related to the yeti in, you know, the Himalayas and things like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I think what he decided was, well, the only way that we could have beings in the Pacific Northwest and in Himalayas that are Very similar. That there's no explanation for how they got there. Where they live or anything like that is they must be interdimensional beings.

[B]

You know, they can just portal around the planet.

[A]

They just portal around the planet? Yes. So was he ahead of his time? Maybe.

[B]

Is there anything to indicate it could be the Scooby Doo theory that he was genuinely attacked by a bunch of people masquerading as something to scare him.

[A]

Spoiling all the fun already, McLeod, you're being such a Velma or what?

[B]

Velma. Yeah, it's Velma.

[A]

Is Velma the one? Yeah, yeah.

[B]

What else? Velma.

[A]

Yes. So we're going to jump the gun a little bit here, but in the 1950s, the Seattle Times reported that the former members of a child YMCA troop basically that was camping nearby said that they were the ones who actually attacked this cabin.

[B]

That's like right off the bat. Sounds like. No, a bunch of kids couldn't do this. A bunch of kids couldn't hurl giant boulders through a cabin.

[A]

Valid. They did say that the miners were all drunk.

[B]

Okay, that's. I mean, I assumed this.

[A]

That they were throwing the rocks from an elevated position onto these. This cabin, basically, and the miners and making a lot of weird noises and things like that to scare these miners. And they were drunk enough that it worked.

[B]

Gotcha.

[A]

I don't know. What do you think of that? You seem to scoff at children right off the bat.

[B]

It doesn't fully quite aligned with kids throwing rocks, but maybe. I mean, if they literally had a vantage point almost directly over this cabin and were hurling really big, dangerous sized rocks onto it, it could have been terrifying. Yeah. And especially if they were drunk. So it's possible.

[A]

Well, then let's move on to this was some kind. They encountered some kind of creature, perhaps. Be it Bigfoot, be it something else, it's worth noting before we actually talk about the creature aspect. This isn't the only weird thing that's happened in this area. In the middle of the 20th century, there was a experienced mountaineer and skier who pretty much vanished off the face of the earth right near that same canyon. No one knows what happened to him. They never found a body. Are they related? I don't know. But it is something that's popped up in a lot of the talk about this particular event because it did happen so close to it. Also, my mother would kill me if I did not mention this because she really likes Bigfoot and has told me you need to do an episode on Mount St. Helens. After Mount St. Helens Erupted. There are reports that bodies were discovered.

[B]

Bigfoot bodies.

[A]

Bigfoot bodies were discovered. I think I would like to do an episode on this. So I don't wanna spoil it all, but let me just say Mount St. Helens and Bigfoot stories go way back and just kind of keep popping up over and over and over again. So does that mean there's Bigfoot on the side of that mountain? I don't. But let's take a step back from Bigfoot and just talk Native American lore more broadly. Maybe. Because there is a foundation for all of this.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So among tribes in the Pacific Northwest, a lot of them have stories about this strange race of hairy beings. The most famous of these legends involves creatures that are called. And I'm probably butchering this. They're called the sciatic, who were said to be between 7 and 8ft tall with bodies covered in hair, which. Which admittedly, sounds a lot like a Bigfoot.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

However, these Bigfoots had magical powers. It sounds like. Okay, kind of. So they could hypnotize those that they encountered. They could make the sound of any animal in the forest.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

It's thought that they lived deep in the mountain caves and they really only came out at night to hunt.

[B]

Oh, okay. Well, that kind of squares with the story. Cause our guys got attacked at night.

[A]

That is true. But the thing with these psiatics are that the legends and the lore and any evidence of them, I guess seems to have died off before or by the time that the Battle of Apianion happened, since a lot of the tribes in the area thought that they basically went extinct. So does that mean that there were a few remnant survivors who teamed up on a bunch of miners? I don't know.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know.

[A]

I personally, if I were to go all in on Bigfoot, I would say the Pacific Northwest would be the place for it to happen. Cool.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's where most of the lore is. And I feel like this Native American legends were onto something maybe.

[B]

Yeah. And I guess extinction is plausible. You know, it's hard to. You know, it's a vast landscape. To, like, find some bones is sort of just happenstance and luck. And if they went and, like, tucked themselves away in caves to die or buried their dead or whatever, like you'd never find them.

[A]

That's totally valid. So could the Battle of Ape Canyon been the last legitimate Bigfoot encounter?

[B]

You know? Right. Maybe.

[A]

Maybe so.

[B]

I think we've kind of covered if there was actually an event, if there was actually an attack that I think we've kind of covered the possibilities. The possibilities are like it was a prank from some kids or it was an animal of some sort, or it was actually a tribe or pack of Bigfoot type creatures that had actually just happened. Now the other possibility is he made all this up and he generated the hoax. He made the footprints, he made up the. Is there any background on this guy or actions he took that would indicate maybe it was all fake?

[A]

Not that I could find.

[B]

Gotcha.

[A]

But if it was a hoax, to what end? Exactly. But yeah, I find it really interesting because it is different than a lot of the Bigfoot stories that we've heard in popular culture, which is the lonely hairy creature wandering through the forest. This is a group of aggressive beings attacking some guys. It kind of reminds me of the Kelly Hopkinsville encounter that we talked about. Except these Bigfoot seem much better organized and aggressive and competent than the aliens did, who are just like, let me touch your hair.

[B]

You know, it's like, I think at the end of the day on this one, I think I'm coming away as like the agnostic narwhal.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Like. Cause there's the footprints and there doesn't seem to be much motive to lie about this. So, you know, something, it seems to me, happened.

[A]

I'm shocked that we got you to an agnostic narwhal.

[B]

Well, yes, because I can't say. Obviously there was nothing in those woods that attacked. Like I can't say that.

[A]

Wow. Well, that's good. No, I think that's a step in a good direction.

[B]

Is that the ultimate arc of our show is like making a believer out of McLeod.

[A]

It's harder for you than it is for me, I think. But. But listeners, if you guys are believer beavers on this one, we'd love to hear why. And if you have any other cool information we might have missed on this one, please send it our way or leave us a comment on Spotify or send us a message on Instagram. Also, if you want to see those footprints, go on Instagram. You can see the pictures and all the things we talk about in all the episodes.

[B]

All right. Well, this was a blast. I truly love imagining this kind of race of beings out in the mountains. An ancient noble race of ape like creatures, mountain devils. But it's time to climb down from the mountains and I'm excited to get to ask you, Brian, where we're going next week.

[A]

That's right. We're back to weekly and next week is going to be a incredible mystery story. It's kind of a mystery story with a supernatural bow on top. It's really cool. All I'll say is we're going to Brazil for this one.

[B]

Brazil.

[A]

Brazil. It's our first time and exciting. It's a doozy, so I think you're gonna really like it.

[B]

So, all right. A little true crime.

[A]

Yes. So see you all next week, everyone. Same time, same place, right here on Sightings. Sightings is hosted by McLeod Andrews and Brian Sigley. Produced by Brian Sigley, chase Kinzer and McLeod Andrews. Written by Brian Sigley. Story music by Jack Staton. Series music by Mitch Bain. Mixing and mastering by Pat Kicklater of Sundial Media. Artwork by Nuno Sarnatus. For lists of this episode sources, check out our [e-mail] Sightings is presented by Reverb and Q Code. If you like the show, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you're first to hear new episodes. And if you know other Supernatural fans, tell them about us. We'd really appreciate it.