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Although the gold rush was technically over, a handful of prospectors — Fred Beck, Marion Smith, Roy Smith, Gabe Lafever, and John Peterson — believed there was gold to be found in The Siege of Ape Canyon. This area near Mount St. Helens was still relatively unexplored in the 1920s; little did these men know it was also home to creatures of legend. Mass sightings of Bigfoot did not begin in earnest until after their encounter. And even after the eruption of the volcano, speculation remains rife about how many survived—or whether any did.
While Indigenous lore regarding the Sasquatch receives little emphasis in this documentary, what director Eli Watson presents is a focused examination of how the legend has gained notoriety. Producer Seth Breedlove (Small Town Monsters) backs a production that privileges storytelling and folklore over rigorous anthropological framing.
When these men fled and came to their senses to tell their story, they volunteered far more than vague hints. Whether that stems from the crescendoing chaos of stones hurled at their cabin or from the media frenzy, what’s truly fascinating is the attempt from Marc Myrsell to help distinguish fact from fiction. One suggestion that the events were nothing more than a gang of teens from a nearby camp pulling a prank. If that were true, we’d hear about the fatality that one of them—a supposed Bigfoot—suffered.
Revisiting the actual site presents yet another challenge the documentary must explore. I’m glad the edit doesn’t simply look back but also poses the question of what comes next. By now, the homestead these miners stayed in has been swallowed by forest. Wood decays, only metal remains, and perhaps the gold this group left behind is still buried.
Through interviews and reenactments, I enjoyed this take on a piece of regional lore I’ve heard countless times. The film reminds viewers the conflict started because one of the miners shot first. They were not being reluctant heroes, but defending themselves.
I’d have been even more unnerved if the film leaned into spirits instead—both entities would generate the kind of poltergeist-like activity we see here. Although Spirit Lake is farther afield, the lore tied to that body of water and to Crater Lake (many miles away) still connects back to local First Nations legends. With none of that backdrop, I feel a point is missing.
When the threat is clearly visible, I’d be beating a retreat into the hills too. In this case, knowing where the nearest civilization lies is vital. While Cougar isn’t exactly a stone’s throw away, it is the nearest community of note. Established with a post office in 1902 near the gateway to Mount St. Helens, the town wasn’t widely known for the incident until the Ape Canyon story thrust the region into the spotlight.
What I appreciate most about this documentary is how Watson and his team have tracked down descendants of the original prospectors to get direct accounts. Rather than relying purely on tertiary reports, they’ve gone second-hand at best — a generation removed but still connected. The crew visits what may have been the cabin, and notably, during filming they mark the centennial of the 1924 incident. (Last year was the 100th anniversary of that event.)
Today, Cowlitz County — of which Cougar is a part — hosts an annual sQuatch Fest each January to celebrate all things Bigfoot. The two-day festival even has a “Kids Cave” activity area. The popularity of this event underlines how the legend has been woven into local tourism and cultural memory, particularly recalling the Ape Canyon incident from a fresh angle. Although the documentary doesn’t highlight that festival explicitly, that omission seems intentional: Watson isn’t trying to spotlight promotional hype, but honour the narratives that need remembering.
4 Stars out of 5
The Siege of Ape Canyon Trailer
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