Legends & Tales Of Mount St. Helens

Screams In The Wilderness

CASE 1--August, 2004

Location Details: The location is the campground for hikers on Mt. St. Helens known as climbers bivouac. Campground is located at mouth of St Helens trail.

Observed: At approx. 2am, (clear skies & full moon) 35 campers in all were awakened to the most god awful screams in the woods. They sounded like a wounded animal and we thought maybe a wounded cougar. Others in the campground thought it may be a bear. 6 of us went to try and determine the source of the noise. We entered the woods to the east of the campground. We used flashlights to light our way and I was in lead and went towards the noise. It seemed fairly close to us.

By this time the screams had gone on for 5-10 minutes already. As we drew near the noise, which was emanating approx. 200-300ft from the perimeter of the campground, we smelled a foul odor. It smelled like animal droppings mixed with other odors. The forest around us sounded very loud with brush movement and cracking wood. We decided quickly that we needed to retreat back to the campground. I personally didn't want to have to come face to face with a bear or whatever it was.

We got back to campground and had a general agreement amongst us that it may be something unexplainable. The noise continued for maybe 20-25 minutes total. It faded off to the east with what sounded like another similar noise coming from the south. After these particular screams stopped, we could hear the coyotes howling for another 20 minutes. It was a very strange and weird experience. I have never heard anything like this in my life. I have spent a lot of time outdoors and I have never experienced anything like this.

The next day was nice and we ascended Mt St Helens with no incidents or sightings to report.

BFRO Investigator Tom Yamarone report: I spoke with the witness and have the following details to add: These 'screams' were unusual and unusually loud. A group campground experienced this occurrence 'en masse' and people from various geographic locations and backgrounds were upset and perplexed by this experience. So much so, that a group of seasoned outdoor adventurers went into the woods to try to determine what animal was making this noise.

Although they initially attempted to associate the sound with an injured mountain lion or bear, they were not convinced these assumptions were correct. Many debated this and soon determined that they were hearing a sound that no one had experienced. Thus, they made an effort to find the source of the screams.

After ten minutes in the woods near the perimeter of camp, they neared the source of the screams. At that moment, the animal making the noise abruptly retreated through the woods, crashing through the underbrush and trees in a very loud manner. The witness how has hunted elk and has heard an elk retreat from his presence 'crashing through the brush, and this sounded heavier than that.'

One other thing to note: All the dogs in camp were 'dead quiet' during this event. Whereas we have many reports of unusual sounds and smells, this one is fairly unique in that everyone in this campground was awakened, and came out of their tents during this event.

CASE 2—June 25th, 2003

Location Details: You take the 90Rd. west from Eagles Cliff to the 25Rd. follow the 25Rd. to the 93Rd. across the Muddy River. Follow the 93Rd. about 14+ miles to the end where it forks, take the left fork (40Rd.?) and go about a quarter to a half mile our camp was on the left next to Wright Creek just before the road crosses it just before a trail head on the right. It has been used for elk camp for 15 years and is set up as such.

Observed: My wife and I were on a family camp out with my in-laws. I stayed up after everyone had gone to bed to let the camp fire burn down. I had noticed earlier that day the dogs would go nuts barking into the woods. Since there were no other campers within miles of us I figured it was deer or some other critter they were barking at. It was after midnight and was quite dark; the fire was down to coals. I got this intense feeling that I was not alone, I put it down as over-active imagination; that feeling you get when you are alone but feel like someone is watching you, so I decided to head for the tent.