Sasquatch: New Expedition

[Queso]

___I encourage the mushroom eaters to work magically to promote a succesfull expedition by the technique of visualization.:eek:

 

I will see our path before me

with inorganic eyes :hihi:

Shaman's don't wish luck,

we hope for the best though, Sometimes.

[Racoon]

Whats the dilly with the expedition Turtler??

 

I know things have been flip-flopped around with your sit-rep.

 

We can't let down the Hyporaphers who have been on pins and needles since the plans conception...:hihi::kiss:

 

Or can we?

 

weather is getting warmer and better.--->>>:shrug:

I hear Sasquatches...

 

Weird Science :computer: :kiss:

[Turtle]

Whats the dilly with the expedition Turtler??

 

Currently the dilly is dally. The word is that this is of interest to a number of people outside our little circle. Well...they're in the circle now.:cup: As if everyone isn't already in one circle.:eek2: :eek2:

Dally if you know is to postpone, & that is all we have at hand. I most assuredly intend to go up to the region of the reported Bigfoot siting & have a good scientific look around at the situation & circumstance of the flora & fauna whether crypto or not.

That is all I know about that.:)

[Turtle]

Yesterday I spirited Racoon away in the morning & drove us up to Silver Star Mountain in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a look see for Sasquatch evidence as well as ascertain the condition of the forest in that area.

While a drive on Earth Day seems perhaps contrary, I rarely drive more than twice a month & under 10 miles at that. I have to wonder how many folks drove how many miles to attend all the festivities held yesterday?

We have a lot to report, so this is the first brief. We arrived at our destination about 11:00 am after a 1 2/2 hour 33 mile drive.

Location from Gizzmo Point Setter (GPS):

45deg 43min 01sec N Latitude

122deg 10min 57sec W Longitude

Elevation(GPS): 2,378 feet above geoid

Weather:Clear & Sunny

[Turtle]

During our outing, a hummingbird flew into the car through an open window while we sat outside it. Hard to say how long it fluttered in there against the closed windows before Racoon noticed it. As Racoon went about opening the doors & windows to afford the bird an escape, I took some video of the little visitor. In the Birding thread I have a montage of the as-of-yet unidentified hummingbird.:)

Earlier, an unidentified raptor circled on the thermals rising from the flanks of Silver Star Mt. Possibly an eagle, but I haven't nailed down the ID yet.

Here is a Wicky on Silver Star Mt. that gives good background on the area & its troubled past with fire beginning with the Yacolt Burn of Sept. 1902.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_star_mountain

[Turtle]

Yesterday I spirited Racoon away in the morning & drove us up to Silver Star Mountain in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a look see for Sasquatch evidence as well as ascertain the condition of the forest in that area.

 

Location from Gizzmo Point Setter (GPS):

45deg 43min 01sec N Latitude

122deg 10min 57sec W Longitude

Elevation(GPS): 2,378 feet above geoidWeather:Clear & Sunny

The attached photo is looking up onto Silver Star Mt, where a Bigfoot is reported to have been sighted & photographed. (Earlier link in this thread.)

 

Errata: Reviweing my map & GPS reading from our daycamp noted in Orange, I see we were outside the forest boundry South by about 1/2 mile. The ridge in the photo is not Silver Star Mt..

Several conditions led to my error.

*A new Atlas/Gazeteer of Washington with topographic maps that I have no experience with in the field.:phones:

*more roads in the field than on the new map(s):eek:

*lack of attention to detail in the field.:naughty:

*general forgetfulness:lol:

 

More photos to come from the expedition, and including my partially-correct notes & recollections.:phones:

[Turtle]

While lesurely lounging in our leisure lounge chairs,

and listening to radio but watching for bears,

up in the forest like nobody cares,

a van of four men down the road on us tears.

 

We stood from our seats the better to see,

and gave forest waves that said 'it's just we',

the immigrant fellows returned them with glee,

as past us they drove their bales of grass free.

 

Further research reveal they were harvesting 'Bear Grass'.

 

Xerophyllum tenax - Beargrass - Liliaceae

 

SPECIES: Xerophyllum tenax

SYNONYMS :

Xerophyllum douglasii

Helonias tenax

COMMON NAMES :

beargrass

Indian basket grass

Squaw-grass

soap-grass

Quip-Quip

bear grass

bear-grass

 

 

http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/xerten/all.html

OTHER USES AND VALUES :

Native Americans in the Rocky Mountain region traded this plant to tribes from other areas. Eastern prairie tribes used the boiled roots for hair tonic and as a treatment for sprains. Coastal tribes bleach and dye the leaves for decorative designs woven into baskets [58] and Southwest tribes use it in basketweaving. New beargrass leaves produced the first year after a fire are preferred for basket weaving because they are stronger, thinner, and more pliable [53]. In recent years florists have discovered that beargrass leaves make sturdy long-lasting greens, and some National Forests are issuing permits for beargrass harvesting [24]. Beargrass rhizomes may be toxic to people [58].

 

GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :

Beargrass is a perennial, evergreen herb from the lily family with basal leaves that form dense clumps or tussocks [81]. The linear leaves arise from a short, woody rhizome and are scabrous, tough, and wiry [51]. If pulled or stepped on, the grasslike leaves easily slide out of their sheaths [58]. Any particular plant may not bloom for several years but when it does it will produce a leafy flowering stalk that may be up to 6 feet (15 dm) tall with numerous small white flowers [51]. The sequence of bloom is from the owest flowers to the upper flowers resulting in a knob of tight buds on top of the flower cluster [42].

[Turtle]

Here we have some scat photos taken on a little used logging road which we hiked along for a mile before returning. We found this type of scat in various stages of freshness, some little more than a pile of whitish gray ashy piles. All contained a lot of hair & small bones as seen in the photos.

I'm no scatologist so I can't narrow it down to anymore than a medium to large sized predator/scavenger that left the leavings. Possibilites from black bear, coyote, cougar...I just can't say for sure. Tasted minty though.:naughty: :phones:

[Racoon]

Holy Skat! :cup: >>> nice attachments Turtle :)

 

Looking for Sasquatch we did not yet find,

Perhaps he was present hiding from behind,

Our comfortable lounge and observational perch,

during our scientific investigative search!

[Tormod]

Fantastic topic guys. You fellows rock! :cup:

[Cedars]

Here we have some scat photos taken on a little used logging road which we hiked along for a mile before returning. We found this type of scat in various stages of freshness, some little more than a pile of whitish gray ashy piles. All contained a lot of hair & small bones as seen in the photos.

I'm no scatologist so I can't narrow it down to anymore than a medium to large sized predator/scavenger that left the leavings. Possibilites from black bear, coyote, cougar...I just can't say for sure. Tasted minty though.:eek: :evil:

 

I dont know why I am doing this but...

 

Next time put something on the ground for size reference. Dollar bill, quarter... something.

 

If it was minty, I would guess bear :cup:

[Turtle]

I dont know why I am doing this but...

 

Next time put something on the ground for size reference. Dollar bill, quarter... something.

 

I suspect you just understand one must sometimes scarifice some dignity for science.:evil: I promise to take a ruler on the next outing & research scatology a bit more.:evil:

Fantastic topic guys. You fellows rock!

That is just enough of a tug on my string to prompt my planning of the next excursion.:lol:

 

Perhaps we will later regail you all with the failing-brakes-on-the-way-down details, but for now suffice it to say we did manage to get almost completely stopped to take photos.:thumbs_do

[Turtle]

I suspect you just understand one must sometimes scarifice some dignity for science.:) I promise to take a ruler on the next outing & research scatology a bit more.:omg:

 

On the subject of the 'Tao of Poo' so to speak, I find we best refer to our investigations of scat as 'coprological', inasmuch as 'scatalogical' has a context outside my interest. I found this book on the subject(s):

Merde: Excursions in Scientific, Cultural, and Socio-Historical Coprology

by Ralph A. Lewin

 

I found some pages for review at Amazon, but any ol' smelly book cellar will do.

Amazon.com: Merde: Excursions in Scientific, Cultural, and Socio-Historical Coprology: Books: Ralph A. Lewin http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375501983/002-3088245-8606468?v=glance&n=283155

And so we advance.:cup: :shrug:

[Tormod]

This is like reading a popup book, where each page has a new wonderful little thingy. :shrug:

[Racoon]

Here is a Google Map snapshot of the immediate vicinity of our exploration. The pin marked 'Camp 1" is where we went; the road we wanted is in the valley to the West between Camp 1 & Silver Star Mt.

 

I see we were 1 mile off as the crow flies!

Excellent work Turtle-san :shrug:

[Racoon]

Another expedition is in the planning phase,

Hoping for a glimpse of a Bigfoot's gaze,

The animal spirits and mountains we praise,

In respect, cold beers and cheers are raised!

 

:D :hihi: + :hihi: :D = :shrug: :hihi:

[Racoon]

Turtle has posted some great links. Here are a couple more. :shrug:

 

On the November 2005 hiker photos, a review of its possible authenticity!

 

http://www.hmds.ws/is_it_real.htm

 

And a geographic location of where abouts of the Expedition. Last Chance Mine being very near that vicinity.

Gives you a good idea of where we're from, and where we're going; You can zoom in and out!

 

http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnis/MapServer?f_name=Last+Chance+Mine&f_state=WA&f_latlong=454324N1221214W&f_ht=.5&server=TIGER