In the years that I’d written for the Plano Star Courier I got several invitations to go on adventures and expeditions into the unknown due to the nature of my column “Unexplained Mysteries”. UFO’s, Sasquatch, hauntings, the future of scientific development, all typical subject matter that I covered. Through a friend I’d met at one of my accounts and a former NPR employee, I got an invitation to attend an expedition to Ape Canyon near Mount Saint Helens. This was after the big eruption in 1980. I jumped at the chance while my editor encouraged me to gather what I needed to make an interesting article or two.

We chartered a flight that would land at Cougar Mountain Airfield in Cougar, Washington State about 11 miles from the Mount Saint Helens crater. There were six of us. Three production crew for the documentary film shoot, the producer, my friend, and a guy named Mason, who was a hired mercenary in charge of security. He was pretty intense. Mason was quite incensed when he found out that we had no forearms what so ever! In all the rush to prepare on such short notice, I hadn’t thought of it myself.

“We need to get to a sporting goods place or an outfitter,” he muttered in a disappointed voice. He looked a place up on his cell phone and we were in luck.

“Anybody here have any experience at all with forearms,” Mason asked.

“I’ve fired a 25 caliber and a 38 revolver,” I replied.

“Good, you’ll be the second gunman in the bunch. You’ll get a handgun. I’ll be buying a 45 caliber lever action with a magazine feed.

Brad Fuller, the film producer spoke, “I didn’t budget firearms into the documentary.”

“Well, you have now friend. We’re going up in altitude through cougar and maybe bear country! You’d be a fool to lead your crew through Mt. Saint Helens National Park without protection!”

“Okay-okay!” Brad smirked.

“Look,” Mason said, “They claimed there wouldn’t be life in and around the volcano for decades and yet grasses began to grow within months after the eruption, and within 5 years wild life began to repopulate the region! Don’t kid yourselves, and we’re going into Ape Canyon where a known attack by creatures that resemble ape and man attacked a miner’s cabin? Wake up people. This aint no Picnic!”

“You seem a little melodramatic, Mason,” Brad muttered.

“Okay, I’m in charge of security and we’re going into the wilderness! If you want to go in halfcocked I’ll leave you to it, and I’ll catch the next charter flight back!”

“No-no-no! Mason. I got it! You’re right! “Brad relented.

I’ll admit that even I thought of this expedition as being more of an adventure than a possible threat, but Mason was right, and he took his job seriously! I had a gut feeling that this trip was going to wind up being more than I had bargained for. I think my threat radar just increased after listening to the former mercenary’s assessment.

“Mason, you were a mercenary at one time?”

“That’s right!”

“Where did you serve?” I asked.

“Middle East, security for diplomatic attaché’s, and suppressing insurgents,” he grunted. “I’ve seen what happens to people who are unprepared!”

Everyone there were dressed like flannel shirted bums in a mosh pit, but Mason who wore khakis and a boonie hat and stood out like a sore thumb. My Buddy John and I just wore casual clothes. John was the one who had invited my on this little soiree. John’s dad had been part of the NASA team who had handled the Mariner Space Program. The scientists there suspected that there were anomalies that NASA kept hidden from the public so John was always poised for investigating unusual activity. Working at the NPR desk he had witnessed one Bigfoot incident so this Ape Canyon excursion was right up his alley, but maybe we were all in for more than we anticipated.

We got dropped off by a tour guide who was instructed to pick us up at the drop off point in 3 days. Our target was the location of the mining camp cabin where there had been an alleged attack by ape creatures in the 1920’s. Mason issued me my pistol and I carried it in a holster on my belt while he packed the rifle. Mason stayed ahead of the group scouting out the trail for possible dangers. He strongly emphasized everybody remaining together and within eyesight of each other. This was years before David Paulides wrote his first 4-11 Book series on disappearances in the nation’s national and state parks. Even though he had been investigating and keeping missing persons files by then. Reading the books by Paulides, he too warned people out in the wilderness to remain within eyesight of one another especially with children.

We entered the canyon and slowly climbed in altitude until we were at the foot of the St. Helens crater on a level area where the cabin was originally built. Strangely, when we got  there, we found the old cabin amazingly intact, which I commented on.

“Uh, it’s been rebuilt! There was another film done about the incident years ago and they had to do some work on reconstructing it so they could re-enact the scenes, “Brad explained.

But, I noticed that the front door had been ripped off its hinges so for us to stay in the cabin was probably out of the question. Who did that, I wondered? I noticed that the afternoon was fast upon us. Darkness wasn’t far away. Mason gathered everyone around.

“Okay, listen up! We need to gather up rocks and firewood for the camp tonight. We’ll set up our tents all around the campfire for lighting and safety. So, as I said stick close and don’t go wandering off.”

We fanned out and began gathering kindling and branches. We’d need rocks too. The floor of the forest was covered with small limbs, pine needles, and pine cones. Mason placed a circle of stones to contain the fire once we started it. Everyone was dutiful and, I think, a bit urgent in their efforts to secure our camp before nightfall. Brad had one of his cameramen shooting stock footage of the cabin and the immediate area to be edited later.

Suddenly Brad called out, “Jim! Hey Jim!”

No answer.

“What the hell happened?” Mason growled.

“Ah, Jim was just here a minute ago,” Brad frowned. “Jim! Are you out there taking a dump? Jim!”

“Ah, shit!” Mason muttered. “What did I tell you people?”

“Everybody spread out!” Brad called.

Mason countermanded that order,” Hell no! All of you stay put! We don’t need to lose anybody else! Keep calling out to him. There’s a rock ledge about 50 yards further up where I can see over the area! Stay put until I get back!” Mason grabbed his rifle and jogged further up the trail.

I walked over to the cabin and looked around. I noticed what looked like huge bare foot impressions in the dusty soil. “Hey,” I said to the camera guy. “Did you leave these tracks?”

“No, I didn’t. Let me get a few shots of them. Damn my feet aren’t near that big and I wear a size 13.” He replied thoughtfully.

“Well, it looks like we may not be alone.”

He glanced at me and shot a worried look in my direction, maybe he just thought that this trip would just be all fun and games. Just as I had not taken it too seriously myself. Now, I was starting to get concerned!

“Jim! Get over here you dumbass!” Brad called out again.

Just then, there was a reverberating wood knock! It was a powerful clatter that echoed through the forest! Again and again another knock! It was ominous! John and Brad looked over at me and swallowed looking like they’d seen a ghost! Then I began to wonder. Just what in the hell had I signed up for? Mason came jogging back.

“Did he show up?”

“No,” we nodded.

“I didn’t see shit!” Mason frustratedly sighed. “That dumbass could have fallen into a ravine not far from here! It’s getting too dark now!”

“Then what do we do?”

“I took the liberty to call the park ranger office and told them what happened. They said it’ll take them 24 hours to put together a search party. They told me to call them if he showed up! Who knows, maybe he will.”

“Can I show you something?” I motioned for Mason to follow me to the cabin.

I pointed to the huge barefoot tracks around the cabin as Mason crouched down and examined them. “You sure one of us didn’t leave these?”

“Yeah sure! We have been walking around barefoot and we got 18 inch feet! I don’t think so!”

Mason sighed, “Just great! The making of a freak show!”

“Did you do any tree knocks?” I asked him.

“Nope! That wasn’t me!”

“Shit!”

“Well, that’s what you have a hand gun for and that’s why I have a rifle,” Mason grimaced.

“Don’t a lot of researchers advise against shooting one in case of a backlash?” I asked him.

“Would you rather die at the hands of some cryptid beast or live to tell the story?” Mason stared at me.

I didn’t answer.

Mason ambled over to Brad, “If you’re missing man doesn’t show up by morning I think we should call this off. The search and rescue will take over and you’ll have your story for your documentary anyway. One of your crew disappear, foot prints around the original cabin, and you’ll have a nice mysterious documentary to distribute.”

“Hey! I can’t leave Jim! He’s my right hand man! “Brad whined.

“He should have listened to what I said then, “Mason replied, “We’re not going to jeopardize everyone else for one man who didn’t follow instructions!”

“Damn! You are a mercenary aren’t you?” Brad huffed.

“You go off looking for your buddy, and you’re on your own!” Mason stabbed at him with a finger. “Something is going on here and it stinks!”

“Jim! Damn you!” Brad called out frustratedly. He hung his head dejectedly.

Mason stood in the midst of everyone. “Okay people. You were instructed to bring your rations so you better start eating now so we can dispose of the packaging in the campfire before we settle down to sleep tonight. We don’t want to attract predators at night!”

A voice rang out, “What do we do about Jim now?”

“Jim knew what the hell he was supposed to do! I’m not trying to be a tyrant. My job was to keep the crew safe. You want to go looking for Jim. Knock yourself out, but you’re on your own! If he doesn’t show up by the morning the search and rescue will take over!” Mason barked.

“I think Mason is right guys. Wood knocks, huge foot prints around the cabin, the door ripped off its hinges, and one missing man! Connect the dots!”

“Alright, alright!” Brad relented. “Damn, I can’t believe this!”

“Well, believe it,” Mason replied indifferently, “This was a calculated risk and you should have realized it!”

“You’ve got ice water running through your veins, Man!” Brad said to Mason.

“No, I’ve seen too many good men die because they didn’t follow orders or they were careless! I’ve tried to save lives! “

“You’re right,” Brad sighed, “I’m just upset, but what if he was snatched?”

Mason stared at him and paused, “By who or what?”

“You know what I’m talking about,” Brad ominously replied.

“That’s why we’re armed! Can you imagine if we hadn’t brought any arms for protection, Brad?”

“We’d be toast!’ Brad admitted.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Mason replied.

The mood among everyone was somber to say the least. Sundown quickly turned into a very black curtain of stars and abysmal darkness. There wasn’t much conversation only the occasional noise made by someone loading more fuel into the campfire. No crickets, or the sound of a breeze disturbing the vegetation, just the crackle of the campfire. The red glow of the campsite was the only source of illumination as the moon was down to a sliver in the night sky.

After everyone had tossed their wrappers into the fire, Mason stood up and announced, “I think it’s time to turn in now. I’ll take first watch. Get some rest everyone.”

 

Everyone was just as exhausted from frustration over losing a man from the crew as the hike and having been up since early in the morning haven taken our charter flight out of Love Field, Airport in Dallas. There was no argument over when to fall asleep. Everyone sank into unconsciousness. Even Mason ended up dozing off as he leaned against a stump and dozed off.

I’m not sure what time it was! Maybe it was two or three in the morning when there was a rustling coming from the woods. Two feet running right toward the camp! Suddenly a man with shredded clothing ad bloody scratches all over his body burst into the camp! He was in hysterics! He was hyperventilating and in sheer terror! It was Jim! Mason grabbed the writhing man twisting like a shark pulled out of the water on the end of a fishing line!

“They’re here! They’re all around us! “Jim gasped!

Mason grabbed Jim and wrestled him to the ground! He shook him, but Jim was in another world. He stared out at nothing like a crazed animal! Mason had seen this before. Jim was going into shock! Brad moved in with a camera to film it.

“Now whose the mercenary you son of a bitch!” Mason snarled. “Somebody bring me some cold water if you have it!”

Mason took a thermos and emptied it into Jim’s face! It seemed to sober the thrashing crazy man. He finally began to calm down. “They grabbed me when was picking up firewood! Picked me up like I was baby and muffled my face so I couldn’t scream! They took me to the cave where they live!” He regained some composure and drank some water but sputtered. “I ran from them when they thought I was asleep! I ran and hid for hours as they tried to find me! Then I saw your campfire and that’s how I found my way back, or I never could have found my way back, but they’re coming, they’re coming!”

Mason had to think fast! From all around there was a massive shaking of trees! Asif the entire forest was alive with motion! As though a hurricane had assaulted the branches of the trees and the brush. “Get that lighting equipment of yours on!” He told Brad. “Get that light in their faces! “

“Let’s get that damn door reattached to the cabin entrance!” I yelled. “We can barricade ourselves in the cabin!”

“Good idea!” Mason agreed.

We all ran for the cabin while two of us grabbed the door, pulled it into the entrance and wedged it back onto the threshold. They locked it from the inside with the door knob hoping it would hold! Jim crawled up into a corner cringing at every sound that came from outside as the pounding of feet outside and powerful bodies of primitive humanoids banged against the walls! From outside the screeching howls of the Sasquatch chilled the desperate members of the crew! It was a nightmare come true!

They beat at the door from the porch! “Bring your handgun here and get ready to shoot!” Mason screamed as I ran over to face the door. Mason aimed his rifle as if expecting the door to be ripped away any second. It looked as if the door would give way at any moment!

“Get ready damn it!” I heard Mason’s voice above the battering and howling that enveloped my ear drums until my they rang! “If the door goes I’ll fire first then you open up while I get reloaded! That way we can maintain continuous output! Got it?”

“Yeah!” I said, not knowing if you could maintain that kind of coordinated discipline. Then I remembered something. “Go for the head! They reportedly have a boney plate in their chest that bullets can’t get through sometimes!”

Mason just looked over at me with amazement, “Where the hell did you get that?”

“I read about it somewhere!” I gasped!

“Just great!” Mason just shook his head.

Suddenly, all the noise stopped! An eerie silence prevailed. No clawing at the door or beating against the walls, and especially no screeching at ear splitting levels. Has they read our minds? Did they know we were about to shoot? The absence of ruckus was almost as unsettling as the threatening sounds of the monsters outside. All that could be heard now was our breathing. It was almost unbelievable. I was almost convinced we were goners. Jim was curled up in a ball in one corner of the cabin locked in his personal zone of fear.

“Render some aid to your own crewman, will yuh?” Mason said disdainfully to Brad.

We continued to wait. Opening the front door could be a trap. So, we remained silent and tense, wondering what had happened. The windows of the cabin had been boarded up. Only a table remained in the structure. Finally, Mason signaled to me to help him pry the door back open again. We swung open the door and laid it against the wall. Outside the tents were all trampled and whatever rations and supplies had been ravaged. The campfire had been kicked and scattered. Dusty footprints were all over the porch. The scene was terrifying, but easily could have been even worse with our bloody bodies strewn all over the scene.

“We need to get extracted from here! Jim needs medical attention too! Somebody give me a boost so I can see if I can get a cell phone signal and get the park rangers out here!” Mason ordered.

Mason used my back as a ladder and pulled himself up to the roof. I tossed him his rifle. First he scanned the immediate area, “So far so good,” he said. He looked down at me,” I got a signal!”

Mason was able to get a park ranger on the phone at the office, “I called you guys earlier this evening! The missing member of our party found his way back, but he’s injured and going tonto shock! We’ve been attacked! I have six people here who need emergency evacuation! We’re at the old cabin in Ape Canyon. We need extraction. A.S.A.P. okay? Hurry! Make sure your people are armed too!”

It took an hour for the park rangers to arrive. Two SUV’s, white, clearly marked, and showing their insignias alongside of their vehicles. They got out wearing side arms on their belts. Their blue emergency lights were flashing. They were a sight for sore eyes! We loaded Jim in who though breathing was unresponsive. Brad sat alongside him.

“What in the hell happened here?” Park Ranger, Samuels asked.

“We got attacked by those non-existent Bigfoots you people are always assuring us are just a product of myth and legend!” Mason replied sarcastically.

“Wait a minute now,” the park ranger said,” I don’t tell people that shit, but we are ordered by our superiors that under penalty or immediate dismissal, we are not to acknowledge their presence in the parks. We don’t like it any more than you do.”

“How many people disappear in these parks due to what just happened to us, but weren’t that lucky?” I asked Samuels.

“God only knows.” The Ranger replied. “Every time something like this happens a federal agent confiscates our files! “

“Well,” Mason muttered, “Let’s get the hell out of here before anything else happens. Do you want us to clean this mess up?”

“Leave it for now,” Samuels replied,” We need to get your buddy to the hospital! Let’s load up.”

In the days that followed, I returned to Dallas and met with my editor. Mason returned to his work, and Brad went to work on his disturbing documentary that I would have thought would have been a smash hit on A&E, the History Channel, or Animal Planet or all three. Jim, as I heard recovered from his injuries but would probably never be the same again. Hell, none of us would ever be the same again!

As the weeks rolled on and I published two articles on my experience I heard some unfortunate news. Brad’s documentary film was confiscated by the government for examination with no date of release or determination under the cloak of “National Security”. Brad reportedly has a nervous breakdown and was admitted to a psych ward in Dallas where I later visited him. My editor later informed me that a federal agent had demanded to see my journalistic sources for the articles that I’d created with the possible retraction of all that I’d written to be required if so determined. I was livid! My editor said he’s get the newspaper’s lawyer to work on the case, but when dealing with the feds it’s only a matter of money that will decide the outcome, right or wrong! These days I spend more time than I should wondering just how much of my work or my time is under scrutiny or surveillance by the government.

 

THE END