Sasquatch Sightings

Account

Five men were working on a prospect in a canyon on the headwaters of the Muddy River, ever since known as Ape Canyon. They were Marion Smith, his son Roy, his son-in-law Fred Beck, Gabe Lefever and John Peterson. They had occasionally seen large barefoot prints by creek beds and springs while prospecting in the Mount St. Helens area, the largest 19 inches long. Prior to the first sighting they had been hearing shrill whistles in the evening for about a week, with answering whistles from ridge to ridge. On July 10 Marion Smith and Fred Beck went to a spring for water and Smith spotted an ape about 100 yards away on the other side of a little canyon, standing by a pine tree. It dodged behind the tree and poked its head out. Smith fired three times, grazing the bark. The creature ran off down the canyon, seen again 200 yards away, where Beck fired at it three times. That night the cabin was attacked from outside. It had no windows, so the attackers were not seen. Many rocks were apparenty thrown at the cabin during the night, some coming down the chimney into the fireplace. At the start a wooden strip used for chinking was knocked out. At one point a hairy arm reached through the gap left between the logs and grabbed an axe, but the head jammed and Smith shot along the handle. The axe was retrieved. The following morning the men planned to get out, leaving all their supplies and equipment. Beck saw an ape standing about 80 yards away near the edge of the canyon and shot at it three times. It fell into the gorge, about 400 feet down. At the Spirit Lake ranger station Marion Smith told the story to the ranger, and at home in Kelso he told some friends. Many people went to the site, and large four-toed prints were found. (Two incident entries, for July 10 and July 11.)