Researchers Hear Chilling Howls During Sierra Mountains Bigfoot Investigation

Posted Monday, August 17, 2026

By Squatchable.com staff

So I just stumbled across this wild video over on the Absolute Sci-Fi YouTube channel, and honestly, it's one of those that gives you chills. If you haven't seen it yet, you're going to want to carve out some time because this one packs a lot in. The footage dives deep into California's Sierra Nevada Mountains, which, for anyone who doesn't know, is basically Bigfoot country. We're talking about one of the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48, and researchers have been documenting activity there for decades. The Sierras consistently rank right up there with the Pacific Northwest when it comes to credible sightings, and this video really leans into why. One of the most compelling parts features Alan Thomas, a guy who grew up in those mountains hearing the old stories but didn't really buy into them until 1987. He was out on a hunting trip, spotted what he thought was a bear bent over in a bush, and when he and his buddy moved in closer, that "bear" stood up. Covered in shiny black fur, massive, and definitely not anything from the known animal kingdom. Thomas tried to get it in his rifle scope, and the thing started yelling and swinging its arms. He says he felt like if he took one step, it could leap all the way back to town. That kind of stuck with him for six years before he went back into the mountains. But what really got me was the segment with archaeologist Kathy Strain from the US Forest Service. She works with tribal historical sites and has been told by elders about a full-blown war that supposedly happened in the Sierras between Native Americans and Bigfoot. According to the stories, a Bigfoot crossed into tribal territory, stole a child, killed it, and ate it. That kicked off a massive conflict where the native people, armed with spears and bows, went after the Bigfoots with sticks and stones. Eventually a peace was forged, and certain areas were reserved for Bigfoot to roam. It's wild how consistent these oral histories are across different tribes in the region. Then there's the modern-day investigation. Jeff Gonzales, Thomas, and their crew set up surveillance gear in a valley the Native Americans had warned them about. They got night vision cameras, motion detectors, the whole setup. Everything was normal until a massive storm rolled in. Their tent started leaking, they were soaked, and then the howling started. They captured audio that they say will make your skin crawl, and it was getting closer and closer. The next morning they tried to leave and got their truck stuck in the mud, stranded for hours. A couple days later they went back to retrieve the vehicle, and that's when things got really strange. They found barricades made of tree limbs placed across the dirt road, and there were no tracks anywhere. No tire marks, no footprints. Nothing. Whoever or whatever put those there covered their tracks completely. The title of the video mentions a Bigfoot face print in the Sierras, and while the discussion cuts off before getting to that part, it's worth checking out the full video because that kind of physical evidence is exactly what researchers have been searching for. Face prints, when genuine, can show dermal ridge patterns similar to fingerprints, which would be hard to fake. Honestly, this is one of those videos that reminds you why people keep going back into those mountains. The combination of historical accounts, modern encounters, and unexplained phenomena is hard to dismiss. If you're into the Sierras or just love a good Bigfoot investigation, do yourself a favor and give it a watch.