BFRO #30051: Vocalizations and tense sighting reported by couple hiking and camping near Trout Lake

📍 Location

📝 Description

This is a compilation of experiences over a period of years in the same area (1988- 2009) - feeling of being watched, wildlife silenced, tree breaks, strong smell once, numerous late night vocalizations, rock knocking, things being thrown near our tent and an actual daytime sighting. Some of the things I mention here I didn't know were typical when I was experiencing them, but now do, since I've read other sightings on BFRO's and other sites.My husband and I have been camping and caving in the Trout Lake, WA area for about 20 years and are both very experienced in the outdoors, particularly in the Northwest. We've gone primarily to this area for caving for many years.The first encounter with something unusual was in 1988-89 on a caving trip in this area as we penetrated the forest, heading toward Mt. Adams through some old clearcut to visit a familiar cave. Birdsong of various types is always present, but as we made our way toward the tree line, the birdsong and even insect noise seemed to cease. I looked up, no indication of foul weather or damp wind, indicating rain. Our group ( I think 7 or 8 of us) was familiar with the deep woods and a couple people noted that this was strange. For some reason, we all stopped in our tracks, even though no one had heard anything; everyone was looking around at each other and listening. Something seemed wrong. Then, I had a very strong sense of being watched from further in, not too far away, but did not tell anyone else. I have a feeling the others sensed this as well, and we all pushed quickly on to get to the cave, sticking close to one another. This happened on several caving trips over the years, but not in the same location; the proxmity, however, was fairly close- all within about a 5 mile radius.Another time, around 2002, my partner and I were dispersed camping alone, right next to a very seldom-used forest road in the same area, east of the main forest road. We got out of our vehicle to begin setting up camp as we had done several other times in this area and noticed an almost vomit-inducing stench. It was not the smell of something dead, it was like a combination of sun-baked garbage and feces. We decided that perhaps some local had driven back here and dumped their garbage, but then about 5 minutes later, the smell just went away?? I had no idea about the smells encountered by others at this time, so I blew it off. We walked, sniffing around the area a little and there was nothing, so we decided to camp there anyway, thinking that something must've just been carried on the wind, but it was still strange as to how strong it was.We've also heard some late night sounds when camped at Peterson Prairie many times. Some dismissed them as coyotes. These sounds were like whoops, with several animals at once. I remember silently filing through the animal sounds that I'd heard in the wild: (elk, coyote, deer, cougar, wolf, owls, marmots, bear, human) in my mind and came up blank. Nothing matched. Still we tried to dismiss them as coyotes and went to bed. But it was like something was making the initial sound and the coyotes were answering.But then later in 2003, another type of sound in this area made my blood turn to ice water. It was August, about 11:30 at night at Peterson, as we wanted the "luxury" of camping at a site, instead of dispersed, where there was running water and outhouses. We were dousing the fire and about to head into the tent when from the north, about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile, it seemed, there began a howl. Not a wolf or coyote howl, but it almost reminded me of those emergency sirens you hear in rural towns. The pitch was quite low and then it raised to a higher tone and was held there for about 6-10 seconds, but was still low in tone. I thought about Pavarotti and some very skilled baritones that I'd heard in concert. I came to a sickeningly horrifying conclusion that in all the years of voice I'd studied and heard, not one human had ever uttered something at this tone, nor could they do it at this volume. The lungs of whatever was doing this had to be absolutely huge, and as in the forest, it echoed a lot, but it was *not* echoes that made it sound strange. I looked at my husband, who was also startled and looking at me, and then we looked at some of the other campers across the scrub from us. They had stood up and were motionless, looking back at us, then looking in the direction it was coming from. I asked, "What IS that?" to my husband, who said he didn't know. We remained standing and it continued for about 2 minutes, then ceased. In all the years we have camped and caved in that area, (or anywhere, for that matter) we had never heard anything like that. No human lungs were capable of that power.I have pretty much always been a die-hard tenter/backpacker, but that night I couldn't sleep in the tent. I was too frightened with the realization that what I had just heard was impossible- impossible! No creature existed that could make that sound-- unl

🔍 Circumstances

My husband was many yards away to the west, in the vine maple.

🌤️ Weather Conditions

Actual sighting was at midday. Sun was directly overhead, it was hot and no wind.

ℹ️ Additional Details

Actual sighting was at midday. Sun was directly overhead, it was hot and no wind.

🔗 Sources (1)

👥 Community Contributions

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