Geographical Index > United States > Washington > Lewis County > Report # 25976
(Class B)
Submitted by witness on Sunday, May 17, 2009.
Fishermen at boat launch hear monkey-like vocalizations near Salkum
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YEAR: 2009
SEASON: Spring MONTH: May DATE: 17 STATE: Washington COUNTY: Lewis County LOCATION DETAILS: Looking down from the barrier dam boat launch you will see a cedar tree just above waterline on the right about 200 yrds downstream. The sound came from the dense brush directly above that tree between the two landslides and just below the cliff face. NEAREST TOWN: Salkum NEAREST ROAD: Spencer Rd. OBSERVED: May 17, 2009
Tonight at the cowlitz barrier dam Myself and two friends where sitting in a drift boat on the south side of the cowlitz river about 150 yrds below the boat launch. At about 8:15 PM On the North side of the river near the top of the cliff A sound very much like a chimp screaming began wailing high on the steep face in very dense brush directly across the river from us. The sound carried on wailing and screaming intermittently for a minute or more and then stopped.
We could not see anything at all making the noise. My partners said they had never heard such a thing before. However I heard the exact same thing a few years ago back behind the Salkum graveyard. At that time I was sure that the only thing that would make a noise like a chimp screaming would be bigfoot and I cannot imagine what else it could be. ALSO NOTICED: The area in question is extremely steep and would be very difficult to get into or out of. The thing making the noise may be trapped there. Immediate exploration may be a good idea. However difficult that may be. OTHER WITNESSES: [Names Omitted] OTHER STORIES: Several years ago, maybe 5 or 6 I heard this exact same screaming coming from behind salkum graveyard late in the evening, it seams like maybe 10:00pm in summertime. TIME AND CONDITIONS: Approx. 8:15 PM about an hour before dark ENVIRONMENT: Thick brush on a steep hillside above the cowlitz river and between two landslides
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Scott Taylor:
I called the witness and we talked about what he heard. He was positioned along the south bank of the Cowlitz River, about 150 yards downstream from the boat launch. He and his partners heard what he described as chimpanzee-like screaming coming from the thick brush near the top of the slope.
I was unable to meet the witness at the location, but did make an on-site survey. From what I could see from the boat ramp, there is a faint trail that follows the river, parallel to the road, and about 20 feet down from the top. The slope is too steep for safe travel by a human, but game animals could use it. This trail would provide cover for an animal to move unseen in the narrow area of the slope between the river and the road. I was also fortunate enough to be able to fly over the area with fellow investigator John Callender, who is a pilot. This provided me with the opportunity to get some aerial photographs.
This is a view of the site from the air.
This is a view of the site from the boat ramp.
The vocalizations came from the steep slope to the right. The witness was on the left bank when he heard the calls.
The witness is a life-long outdoorsman, as is his brother, who is also a witness (see Report #24772). He says that he has heard the same vocalizations near the graveyard where his brother had a Class A sighting. It is unlikely that this witness would not be able to identify this vocalization if it was from one of the common animals or birds that inhabit the area.
The similarity of the sounds from two separate events, the Class A sighting nearby (only about a mile distant), and the persistent sightings and encounters in the area, lead me to the conclusion that the witness most likely heard a sasquatch.
About BFRO Investigator Scott Taylor:
Scott Taylor is a retired aerospace manager. He lives in Mason County, Washington. He had his first bigfoot encounter in October 2005 where he was stalked and later heard vocalizations.
Scott has attended official BFRO Expeditions in the Washington Cascades in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. He also attended 2007 Central Oregon Cascades and 2007 Utah. He now organizes BFRO expeditions in Washington and has participated in bigfoot conferences over the past 17 years.
Scott will be leading a Washington BFRO expedition in 2025 (July 17-20) which is open to non-members. For more details and registration information for that trip click here.
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