Jubilee Lake

This page last updated on 01/26/2019.

October 1979

Willy, Zach, our dog Mac, and I decided to go on one last overnight camping trip to Jubilee Lake before winter set in. We hiked about half a mile from the car, through some trees, and set up camp near the eaves of the forest and the far end of the lake. We hiked around a bit, ate dinner, sat by our campfire until the full moon rose, then turned in.

Several hours later I awoke with a horrible start. Willy and Mac were sitting up staring across the lake and listening to the most blood curdling sound I've ever heard; Willy said he had been listening to it for a couple of hours before I woke up!! Something was moving amongst the trees on the other side of the lake screeching at us. The sound began as a low bellow rising in pitch to sound like a woman screaming, a pack of dogs barking, and finally car tires screeching on asphalt. I asked Willy what he thought it was and if there was an asphalt road on the other side of the trees, realizing a second later that the only asphalt road in the area was 12 miles away. He said it was only a cougar and was probably after our dog, then laughed at me. Whatever it was continued screeching at intervals, and judging by the direction of the noises it seemed to be moving around the lake.

When the next screech came from the same end of the lake we were near, I realized the creature was approaching our campsite. I decided it was time to head for the car, and began stuffing things into my backpack with shaking fingers. I grabbed Zach, sleeping bag and all, and we took off for the car as fast as we could. As I ran through the trees I could still hear it screeching, and expected at any moment to feel claws tearing at me or see the creature bounding towards us.

We all piled into the car and peeled out of there spraying gravel and fish tailing on the corners. A herd of elk grazing by the side of road nearly caused a wreck when the headlights reflected off their eyes; I remember thinking when I saw them that they must have heard that screeching but weren't afraid of it.

Was it a cougar, Bigfoot, a hunter playing a practical joke? We wondered about placing a tape recorder up in a tree and leaving it for a day or two, but never did.

Lest you think I'm making this up, in 2001 there was an article in the newspaper about a man who was in the Jubilee Lake area alone and heard something screeching horribly. He said the noise scared the stuffing out of him and he got out of there as fast as he could! I believe we all had a close encounter with a Sasquatch/Big Foot.