You don’t believe me? Just take a look to the right (coming in) or the left (going out) of the Village of Harrison Hot Springs. There, next to the welcome sign you will see him, usually with some visitors around who want their picture taken in his company. This is only a carving, mind you, but close enough to tell you what we think he looks like.
There was a time when the real Sasquatch was more visible and no wonder – after all Harrison is believed to be his original birth place!
Phil, my son-in-law, as well as my grandsons, Aaron and Andrew, believe to this day that they have seen one! About 20 years ago they were fishing in the Chehalis River which was their favourite fishing ground in those days. Coming towards the bridge over Morris Valley Road, they saw a tall, large figure crossing the river further up, a figure far too big and tall to be human. All three saw it and steadfastly claim the truth of what they saw to this day.
I, myself, have never seen one but often, hiking through areas known to be “Sasquatch Country” would have sworn that he was present. One such hike was a “clean-up hike”, which we had organized covering the stretch from Mahood Creek to Ruby Creek. It was there when I felt a very strange sensation, strong enough to make me think that Sasquatch could step out of the woods any minute. This never happened, instead we met an elderly lady with two young children leading a horse along the trail. We greeted her and explained what we were doing. She thought that this was very admirable and asked us to follow her to her house for a cup of tea. The house was situated a short stretch into the woods. We were sitting outside, sipping tea and eating the sandwiches we had brought along. The lady told us that she was helping to bring up the two little girls and that it was a long way from the house in the woods to the school. But she managed by putting both girls on the horse when she was leading them there. When I told her about my feeling that Sasquatch was in this area, she was not surprised in the least. In fact, she asked our group to come back on a week-end when the children’s father would be home, because, she said, he did have a “sighting” as they call it and could show us the place and tell us about it!
The next weekend we went there again and he did show us the place and tell us what he saw, but strangely enough all I remember is the place but nothing else. I have to say “strangely” because I actually have a very good memory, except for this meeting! And, though our hiking group put this trail on our list of “hikes to do”, as far as I know none of us ever found the house, the people or the place again.
Many years later, my husband and I gave it another try. It was not a good idea: from the Sasquatch Park the trail was closed off and there was serious road building going on in the Ruby Creek area to accommodate logging. We nearly got lost and left in a hurry. Surely Sasquatch, too, would have gone away in search of more natural surroundings.
As far as I know there was never an attempt to substantiate either the story of my fishermen or the experience I remember of myself and the Harrison Hikers, and so I will have to leave it up to you to decide what to think about it. But then, some things are better left alone – how dull would life be without mysteries!
