Researcher Follows Bent Saplings, Discovers 13-Inch Footprints

Posted Monday, June 29, 2026

By Squatchable.com staff

There's something genuinely compelling about fieldwork footage that captures the methodical process of following potential evidence, and a recent upload from the Cascade Mountains Sasquatch channel delivers exactly that kind of raw, in-the-moment documentation that keeps researchers coming back for more. The video follows an investigator returning to a location where they had previously encountered snapped saplings and bent stick structures. For anyone unfamiliar with this type of sign, these formations have long been discussed within the research community as potential communicative markers. The investigator references the theory that an alpha male might snap larger saplings to signal presence in an area, with the direction of the snap potentially indicating travel routes. When multiple snapped saplings appear in one location, it raises questions about whether they might be pointing toward water sources, bedding areas, or simply marking territory boundaries. What makes this particular footage stand out is the combination of elements that researchers dream about finding in a single outing. The investigator identifies what they believe to be old tracks measuring approximately 12 to 13 inches, with a stride length around 60 inches. While the prints are described as weathered and difficult to confirm definitively, the methodical approach to documenting them is worth noting. The investigator explains their tracking technique: finding two impressions in line, measuring heel-to-toe, then using that stride measurement to locate additional prints in sequence. It's a practical approach that anyone conducting field research can appreciate. Then comes the moment that elevates the entire video. While working through the area, the investigator hears a whoop in the distance. That sound, described as coming from a direction they hadn't previously explored, adds an entirely different dimension to the investigation. The investigator notes that they had never been to that particular section of the ridge before, suggesting the subject travels along this elevated terrain in patterns that connect different areas of their range. The mention of a pig-like odor in the vicinity is another detail that seasoned researchers will find noteworthy. Various field investigators have reported unusual scents in areas where physical evidence has been discovered, and this adds another data point to that ongoing conversation. The investigator concludes by acknowledging that more work needs to be done in this newly explored section, which is exactly the kind of responsible, ongoing research approach that builds credibility over time. Rather than making grand claims, the video documents the process of returning to a site, expanding the search grid, and following leads wherever they point. For anyone interested in the practical side of field investigation, this video is worth the watch. It demonstrates the patience required, the attention to detail necessary for documenting ambiguous evidence, and the importance of following up on auditory encounters even when visual confirmation isn't possible. The Cascade Mountains continue to produce interesting terrain for this kind of work, and this footage adds another piece to the larger puzzle.