Expedition Bigfoot (2019) s01e02 Episode Script
Did You Hear That?
Narrator: Previously on
"expedition bigfoot"
Man: This is the perfect place
to start.
Something up here.
Game trails? Oh, we definitely
want to get eyes on that.
We have sasquatch's
freeway system.
Something about 30 miles
outside of the target zone,
I will be there,
eye in the sky.
I'm really hoping to get some
images that lead us to bigfoot.
There was a distinctive shift
in the smells in the air.
It went from wet ground
and earth
To something very, very nasty.
Large mammals use infrasounds
to paralyze their prey.
Push too far into
their territory,
You'll have one
of those experiences.
Rpg, he's in really bad shape.
Unfortunately,
I have some bad news.
We're not gonna continue
the expedition with rpg.
♪♪
Narrator: Bigfoot, sasquatch,
In the past 50 years,
There have been more than
10,000 reported sightings
Of this elusive creature
In the continental
united states.
From the ozarks
to the mojave desert,
From the new jersey pine barrens
To the pacific northwest,
every year,
Hundreds of eyewitnesses
log their encounters,
But where or when
this legendary cryptid
Will be seen next
has been a mystery until now.
For the first time in history,
A team of investigators is using
an advanced data algorithm
To analyze five decades
of bigfoot sightings to pinpoint
When and where to encounter
this elusive beast.
With the results, they now know
the time and place to search,
And the greatest bigfoot
hunt ever is on.
♪♪
♪♪
- Morning.
- How are you?
I'm all right.
Narrator: On the edge of
the 90,000-acre target zone,
World-renowned primatologist
dr. Mireya mayor
And bigfoot investigator
russell acord
Are still reeling from the loss
of a crucial team member.
I'm still in disbelief.
It's almost like he'd worked
his entire life for this moment,
And to have to leave
without that payoff, you know,
Or feeling like you made it to
the finish line, that's rough.
Yeah, what a blow, huh?
Narrator: With data analysis
showing just a three-week window
For the maximum probability
of a bigfoot sighting,
The pressure is on
investigator bryce johnson
To find a replacement
researcher for the team.
So the doctors still haven't
diagnosed a specific cause
For ryan's headache,
but either way,
We have a man out,
and I need to replace him.
This expedition was designed
for three field team members,
And we have a lot
of ground to cover,
So I'm gonna reach out
to bob gimlin.
He's a revered legend
in the bigfoot community,
And just about everyone
on the planet has seen his film.
Shot nearly 50 years ago,
It's the most famous 59 seconds
of bigfoot footage ever taken,
♪♪
And it really just kicked off
an investigation
Into the phenomena of bigfoot,
and bob gimlin has been involved
In the bigfoot community
ever since.
So if there's anybody I can
trust to give me a referral
Or a recommendation for somebody
to replace a guy like rpg,
That referral would come
from a guy like bob gimlin.
[ computer chiming ]
Hey, bob.
Hey, bryce, mighty nice
to see you again.
Likewise. How you doing?
Great, fine, thank you.
- Good.
-How's everything going, bryce?
I had to rush one of
my team members
To the hospital last night.
Oh, that's too bad.
What happened?
While he was there, bob,
He started experiencing
blinding headaches,
And he said they sort of
just came on pretty rapidly.
I don't know.
It's very strange.
I think whatever caused
the headaches
Could've came from something
like infrasound.
Have you ever had
any experience with that?
A couple years ago, a fellow
really got sick up there.
He had a direct encounter
with one.
- Oh, really?
-Yes, sir.
- What happened?
-It came right up to his tent.
He couldn't even move.
He just was incapacitated.
Yeah, that sounds exactly like
what happened to rpg, and, look,
Hey, that's one of the reasons
I'm calling you today, bob.
I need to find a replacement
for him immediately,
And I was wondering if you might
have anybody in mind.
Well, yeah, I can get you
some names
And get it sent to you
as soon as possible.
That would be great,
and these are people you trust?
Yes, sir, good,
trustworthy people.
Well, look, I don't want to take
too much more of your time,
And I know you're
a busy guy.
Okay, well, we'll get you
some names
And get it sent to you,
and I'll tell you what,
I'd like to be on it myself,
but I'm too damn old.
[ laughs ]
I don't know about
all that, man.
I wish you luck, and you're
gonna have success.
-I really know that.
- Aw, well, thanks, bob.
I really appreciate it, man.
And, hey, you know what?
I'll keep you in the loop
if anything should come up.
Okay, thank you.
All right. Bye.
Well, we need to make a new game
plan in the time being
While bryce works
to replace rpg.
Okay.
♪♪
- Here we are now.
- Okay.
Where were you in relation
to this?
Okay, I was on this bend.
I really want to investigate
that spot
Where I had got
that smell from.
Yeah.
Narrator: Last night,
survivalist and big-game hunter
Russell acord
caught the scent of something
He could not identify.
Deer, elk, bear -- they all have
their own distinctive smell,
But I smelled something
different,
Kind of a skunky smell.
- That sounds good.
- Okay.
Then I am going to head
back here.
Okay.
This is where rpg and I went.
This is where we saw
the game trails.
So we were able to basically
set up some trail cams.
There was lots of activity.
I mean,
we saw where it appeared
As if animals were
running down this hill.
I'm gonna check
on those trail cams.
Okay.
And then there's an area
right around here
Where I'm gonna try out
these speakers
That play out,
like, game sounds.
Among all the really cool stuff
That bryce brought in
were these speakers
That hunters use
to lure in predators,
And that's something that I have
personally used out in the field
When working
with wild animals.
I've recorded lemurs,
for example,
And then I've played
that back to make contact.
Bryce was actually able to load
a supposed bigfoot sound,
A recording, and I'm gonna
play that out there
And see if we get
any sort of sound back.
So I think it's worth a shot,
And I have a good
feeling about that spot.
Sounds good.
All right, thank you.
All right then.
- Safe travels.
- You, too.
♪♪
Russell:
I'm watchful for tracks,
Any movement
that might seem odd,
Anything that doesn't fit
in the forest.
Narrator:
Before investigating the site
Of his possible
close encounter,
Russell will first stop
at his campsite
To drop off
his 70-pound pack of supplies.
♪♪
Russell: If you look out
at on the side here,
Nice little game trail,
fresh elk tracks.
They were here just recently.
♪♪
[ groans ]
That's a tuft of elk fur, so
something has attacked this elk.
It's not just fur.
This thing has got skin
attached to it.
Another chunk of fur
down up here on the ground.
It's almost like something
was drug through here, maybe.
I don't know what attacked
this elk.
These things
are 700-pound animals.
Maybe a pack of wolves
could've done it,
But this isn't an area
where wolves are known to be.
Whatever took this thing down
was insanely powerful.
I can only imagine what it
would do to a human.
Tonight, I'm not taking
any chances.
Be sure batteries are
still good, excellent.
So I'm gonna tie my loop on
this tree here about that level.
Narrator: Russell sets up two
wires that create a perimeter
With a circumference
of 60 feet around his tent
And will alert him
if anything approaches.
Russell: All set up.
Anything comes through here
tonight, we'll know.
Narrator:
With his camp secured,
Russell continues
to the location
Where he experienced
the strange scent
In the hopes that whatever
gave off the smell may return.
♪♪
This is sort of
the twilight hours.
This is when the forest
really comes to life.
This is when animals start
coming out and moving.
Narrator:
Five miles north of base camp,
Mireya is closing in on an area
where, along team member rpg,
She discovered high levels
of animal traffic
And predatory activity,
but tonight, she returns alone.
Mireya: Most animals
are less likely to attack
If they're outnumbered.
Going in alone,
there's more of a risk,
And so, because there are a lot
of things that could go wrong,
You have to be really aware
Of all your surroundings
at all times.
I want to head over that way
and put out some calls
And see what happens.
Narrator: Mireya believes
this is the ideal location
To attempt a bigfoot call.
Some of the methods that bigfoot
researchers employ out here
Are actually not that different
from my own research.
I've often made gorilla calls,
and I've gotten a response back,
So based on ape behavior,
It's actually a really
successful method.
So bryce loaded up
a bigfoot recording on this.
♪♪
Making calls is a huge part
of bigfoot research.
In fact, some of
the best evidence
That we have
for the existence of bigfoot
Comes from vocalizations
recorded in the field.
Most people, when they
do it themselves, right,
They're pretending
to be a bigfoot.
Tonight is gonna be different.
We're gonna be playing back
a high-quality bigfoot sound
That was recorded
just last year,
And I am extremely hopeful
That when we play
this back over the foxpro
That we're gonna be
able to elicit a response.
Narrator: The speaker system
mireya is using
Has a top output
of 118 decibels
Or the same sound level
as a jackhammer,
Meaning anything
within a two-mile radius
Will be able to hear it.
Mireya: This is reportedly
the best time of night
To go hunting for bigfoot.
By me playing this supposed
bigfoot sound out there,
That should elicit
a response back
Because I'm an intruder
in its territory,
And the territorial species
will want to let you know
That you're on their turf.
You're facing an animal
that you know nothing about.
There's no manual telling you
that what you should do is stand
Still and hold your ground
or climb a tree
Or run as fast as you can
in the other direction.
It's an unknown,
but if we get a response,
I'm going in after it.
That's what I would do
in the field in africa,
And that's what I'm gonna
do here tonight.
[ button clicks ]
[ animal roaring ]
♪♪
We didn't get any response
on that one,
So we're gonna try it again.
♪♪
♪♪
Sometimes just because
we're not hearing anything
Doesn't mean there isn't
something out here.
♪♪
[ animal roaring ]
Hear that?
[ animal roaring ]
♪♪
Oh, my god.
♪♪
Hear that?
Oh, my god.
Narrator: After playing
a bigfoot howl into the forest,
Primatologist dr. Mireya mayor
Has just heard something
return the call.
I have no idea what that was,
but it sounded like snippets
Of the bigfoot recording
I just played.
You know,
I can't really tell for sure
Where that sound
is coming from.
It could really be
from any direction
Because it's bouncing back.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Not sure.
Sounded like it was coming
from that direction.
♪♪
Narrator: Mireya decides to
head northwest
Where she believes
the sound originated from
And where the animal
that made it may still be.
♪♪
Mireya:
So hard to see anything.
You really only see the next
tree up and nothing past it.
♪♪
This creature that
we're searching for
Is allegedly over 7 feet tall
and could be 1,200 pounds.
I've gone on many nocturnal
hunts looking for primates.
It's very different
when you're out there,
And you're searching
for something big,
And you have no idea
what its behavior is like.
I literally can't see anything.
♪♪
So I'm gonna head deep
into that forest.
♪♪
Narrator: Eight miles away,
Survivalist russell acord
has returned to the creek bed
Hoping that whatever gave off
the strange smell will return.
So far, I've tried to make
myself as quiet as possible
And see if anything comes up.
Last night, it smelled
kind of a skunky smell,
The same typical smell that
you hear through testimonials
Of what bigfoot
would smell like.
♪♪
Once you get settled in,
you learn the sounds around you,
And anything that is different
Than what you've gotten
accustomed to kind of give you
A cue that
there's something close by.
♪♪
I just sat up for quite a while,
and I smelled nothing.
I waited.
I think that trail went cold.
♪♪
Now I'm gonna head back
to camp
And shut down for the night
and get all my gear ready
So I can get an early
start tomorrow morning.
I got a long ways to go.
Here we go,
finally made it back.
[ snaps ]
Did you hear that?
♪♪
Oh, hey, look,
The light's blinking.
Something set off my alarm.
Something tripped my wire.
Look at that.
That's no accident right there.
Takes a lot to finally set
that thing off.
Something came through here.
It's too dark to really see,
So I'm gonna go ahead
and deploy the thermal imaging.
Narrator: Russell is using
state-of-the-art military-grade
Thermal-imaging binoculars
Which will detect
the thermal radiation
Given off by living things.
If any large animals
are nearby,
Russell will be able
to spot them easily.
♪♪
That's what it's about.
It's about patience,
discipline, waiting it out.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Russell:
There is something out there.
Narrator:
While away from his camp,
One of russell's trip wires
was activated.
Now, using his thermal-imaging
binoculars,
He has spotted something large
moving just 100 yards away.
Russell: Do you see that?
♪♪
Crap, just a deer.
Maybe something smelled my food,
got curious.
But if it was after the food,
it would've gone on
Into the tent after the food.
I'm gonna shut down
for the night.
Tomorrow is gonna be
really hard,
And I got to keep
going higher.
I got 6,000 feet elevation
to hit.
Narrator: Unable to determine
what gave off
The strange smell,
Survivalist
russell acord will continue
To his original target.
A 6,000-foot peak
so inaccessible to humans,
He believes it's the most
likely hiding spot for bigfoot.
♪♪
[ line ringing ]
Narrator: Dr. Mireya mayor
has returned to base camp
After exploring the forest
for the location of the creature
That responded
to her bigfoot call.
It's bryce.
Hey, it's mireya.
Hey, mireya, what's up?
I played the foxpro animal
callers couple times
And one of the times heard
a very weird response.
I'm not sure what it was.
Really?
Yeah, but the problem is,
because of the terrain,
I'm not really sure what
direction it was coming from.
I don't have anything here,
but let me research it,
And I'll get back to you.
- Thanks so much.
-Okay.
♪♪
I haven't solved mireya's
sound-localization problem yet,
But I want to know what
that sound may have been,
So I'm on my way to speak
with a bigfoot witness.
His name is bryan zemp,
and he lives nearby here.
Now he's never told
his bigfoot story before,
But he had a really
close encounter
With a bigfoot vocalization,
So I'm kind of dying to learn
everything I can
About the sound
that this thing made
And what he thinks
it might've been trying to say.
♪♪
Can you walk me through the time
you saw one of these things?
Bryan: Sure.
Growing up in the country,
there wasn't much to do,
So my brother
and I would swim and fish,
But one of the things
we also used to do was,
We used to climb alder trees.
So we were having fun and
♪♪
It's all right, man.
Listen, take your time.
Okay.
I know you haven't told
this story in a while.
No. No.
I haven't shared it.
I just didn't want to be made
fun of, but at my age now,
I don't care, so, yeah,
So we were
We're up on the trees,
and all of a sudden,
We just heard just
the breaking of these trees.
They were just, like
Whatever was coming
through the woods
Was coming through it to let
you know they were there,
And my brother looks at me
and goes,
"bryan, what is that?"
All of a sudden, we heard
this most guttural sound
Where it just projected,
And I just, you know, felt it,
Just like hey, and it just --
You felt it inside you.
You know if you ever hear a good
bass, and you could feel that?
My brother looks at me,
and I swear to god.
His look of terror on his face
was, like, unbelievable.
I said, "greg, we got to get
out of here."
We just dropped out
of the trees,
And we kept hearing
the sounds coming,
And we just went to our house,
slammed the door,
"mom, man, there's something
down there,"
And she just -- she thought
we were making it up.
- I'm sorry.
- No, man. Don't be.
I'm just -- I just remember
seeing my brother's face
And how scared he was.
I'm so sorry.
Bryce:
So I think a common factor
In these eyewitness testimonies
Is how real the encounter
still remains for them.
I could tell that he was
actually reliving that memory
As if he was there
just yesterday.
It was very visceral for him,
very emotional,
And very terrifying.
- [ sighs ]
- take your time.
It's all good.
♪♪
Narrator:
Back in the target zone,
Mireya has returned to the area
Where she heard the possible
bigfoot call just 16 hours ago.
If she's lucky, one of the trail
cameras she placed here
Snapped a photo of whatever
made the mysterious sound.
Here we go.
Narrator: Equipped with
a wireless mesh network,
This camera system sends images
From 15 cameras
to the home unit.
We got a lot of hits.
Here is some shots
of some deer coming in.
♪♪
♪♪
Well, that's interesting.
There's one shot at night,
And there's some
sort of figure in it.
It's silhouette-y.
I can't really see what that is.
It's big, and it looks like
it could have black fur.
It's not a deer.
But quite honestly,
I'm not sure what that is.
♪♪
♪♪
There's one shot at night,
And there's some sort
of figure in it,
But quite honestly,
I'm not sure what that is.
Narrator: Primatologist
dr. Mireya mayor
Has just spotted
a mysterious creature
In a photo taken
by a trail camera.
The photo was taken
within hours of
When she heard an unidentified
sound in the same area.
There are 15 cameras
each sending captured photos
To the home device.
This photo was snapped
by a camera just 1/2 mile away.
There are so many wild
animals out here
That we can't just assume
Because we're seeing
a visual image of a big animal
That suddenly, we've got
bigfoot in front of us,
But we also can't dismiss it,
so we need to investigate
And see if we can
figure out what it was.
So let's go take a look.
First, I want to scan the area
And look for prints.
Deer print there,
there's more there.
I don't think there's
any shortage of deer.
There's a lot of tracks,
Obviously a lot of animals
coming through,
Perhaps even being
chased by something.
It's just track after track
after track.
Here's another big one.
This one is big, but it just
doesn't have enough definition
Where it warrants
taking out the scanner.
As a scientist, I can't look
at a single piece of evidence
And draw a definite conclusion.
While this picture is very
interesting, it's not enough.
I need something
to corroborate it,
Something like dna,
hair sample, a footprint.
I didn't find anything
like that.
Russell: Looks like I'm almost
all the way on top.
Narrator: After a grueling
three-day climb,
Survivalist russell acord
is finally close
To reaching his target --
The top
of a 6,000-foot mountain,
The highest peak
in the target zone.
Russell: This is the top part
that I've been looking for.
Narrator: It's an area
so inaccessible to humans,
He believes it's the perfect
hiding place for bigfoot.
Russell: This is it.
This is my summit.
To see if there's any tracks,
any kind of evidence whatsoever,
I'm going hunting.
I've spent a lot of time on
my own in the mountains looking,
Seeking, hunting,
takes discipline.
It takes patience, takes time.
Narrator:
Russell will be performing
An inward spiral search pattern
To cover the 500-acre
mountaintop forest
Before the sun
sets in six hours.
Russell: I've stayed here
for quite a while.
Going to keep on trekking.
Can't get stuck in one place.
There's two things
we don't have,
One is absolute proof
that bigfoot exists.
Second thing I don't have
is time.
Not much left of that one,
probably a deer.
It's really small.
I've been searching up here
for a few hours
And really not finding
anything that's tangible.
These are not bigfoot tracks.
They're bear tracks.
♪♪
Here we go.
Several little game trails
all come into the same area
Here, here, and I see four.
Busy little intersection
right here.
♪♪
Ah.
My first reaction would be,
it's a bobcat,
But we're gonna take it.
There's no way to tell what this
is until we get it analyzed.
Researchers have found hairs
that don't match
Any other species out there.
Myself and other researchers
Think these could actually
be samples of bigfoot hair.
I really want to find out.
♪♪
There's game trails
all over this place,
Signs of deer and elk.
Narrator: As night begins to
fall over the forest,
Russell continues to survey
the summit
For any evidence that would
confirm his suspicion
That this mountaintop is
A likely hiding spot
for bigfoot.
Hey, there's a little
something.
♪♪
Birds make a nest
out of everything
In the local vicinity,
which would include mud,
Pine needles, more importantly,
Hair from the local animals.
Narrator:
Not only do many birds
Use animal fur
to form their nests,
But because that fur
is tightly woven,
It is often well-preserved.
For that reason, forensic
analysts will often search nests
For evidence to help
locate missing persons
Or to prove a suspect
was in the vicinity of a crime.
Want to see if there's any hair
in this nest
That we could actually
get ahold of.
I don't know if I'll be able
to see any hair on there or not,
But I want to be prepared.
♪♪
♪♪
The idea is to get your sample
without contaminating it.
♪♪
There we go.
♪♪
There's some hair right here.
♪♪
This is interesting.
It's definitely not deer,
not bear, certainly not elk.
I don't know what this is.
Narrator: Coming up
If we hear something, and we
can pinpoint its location,
I'm going in after it.
Russell: Racing against
the storm right now.
Here we go.
[ bleep ]
♪♪
Russell:
It's definitely not deer,
Not bear, certainly not elk.
I don't know what this is.
Narrator: Russell has acquired
what could be
Crucial pieces
of forensic evidence --
Two hair samples
that he cannot identify.
After finding no other signs of
bigfoot on top of the mountain,
The next step will be
to get these samples to bryce
To be analyzed
as quickly as possible,
But russell is at
a 6,000-foot elevation
And days away from base camp.
Russell: Eh, it's too late
to get this to bryce tonight.
That's a problem
I'll solve tomorrow morning.
♪♪
Hey, bryce, it's russell.
Bryce: Hey, russell.
I picked up two
really good hair samples.
I'd like to turn
those over to you.
Really?
There's an access road
near the southeastern quadrant
Of the hot zone.
If you could get it there,
I'd be able to grab it
And get it somewhere
relatively quickly.
The only thing is, is I'm
a little worried about time.
I mean, it took you a few days
to get up on that ridge.
Is there a faster way
you could get down?
I'll go figure something out.
So I was thinking a lot
about the situation
That mireya was faced with.
Sounded like it was coming
from that direction.
Bryce:
And it's completely frustrating
To be able to hear
a bigfoot vocalization
And not know where
it's coming from,
So I think I found a solution
In a high-tech
audio-engineering firm.
Narrator:
Bryce johnson has arranged
A meeting with ian gallimore,
Chief technical officer
of ctsi,
A cutting-edge
defense contractor
That specializes in observation
and location technology.
I understand that you guys
can help us pinpoint
Where a sound is coming from.
Well, you've come
to the right place.
We've build systems
for the department of defense
That locate the source
of sounds in real time.
Oh, wow.
How about I show you
what we have?
Yeah, that would be great.
What exactly am I looking
at here?
Some of the engineers
call them a dragon egg.
Oh, I could totally see that.
Can think of this
as being one of your ears.
These microphones, or the ears,
Can be spread hundreds
of meters apart,
And one of the applications
for this technology
Is soldiers on a patrol.
Someone fires an artillery shot.
It can be difficult to tell
what direction it came from.
- Right.
- With microphones distributed,
This system would be able
to help them pinpoint
What direction it's coming from
or what location it's at.
Can these pick up
low frequencies, too?
I mean, it's been purported
that these creatures,
These sasquatches,
use infrasound, as well.
Yes, everything gets recorded
from the lowest frequency range
To the highest
frequency range.
If he talks back to you,
you'll hear it.
You'll be able to visualize it,
And you'll be able to go
right to that location quickly.
Incredible.
Mm, we could send
some engineers out to work
With you to set them up
in the area of interest.
Yeah.
How much time do I have
with you guys?
We could support you for a day.
We're on a tight schedule
with a prototype.
Well, I want to put these
dragon eggs
Into the field
as soon as we can.
♪♪
Narrator:
Back in the target zone,
Atop a 6,000-foot peak
Russell:
A storm out ahead of me,
Going to mess things up for me
Unless I get down off
this hillside.
Narrator:Russell is looking
for a quick way
To the rendezvous point
Four miles away
in the valley below.
The long path he used
to get up took days,
And with about two weeks
left to find bigfoot,
That's time he can't spare.
♪♪
Looks like a lot
of drop-offs here.
There's no easy way
down that one.
My fastest way down
is gonna be off this cliff.
Narrator:
After surveying the peak
For an alternate path down,
Russell realizes
that the only way
He can make it down quickly
is to rappel off the cliff face.
Russell: [ sighs ]
I wish there was an easier way
off this thing.
This place is no joke.
That's for sure.
Narrator: Russell will attempt
to solo rappel
Down a 450-foot cliff face,
But it's not just
the forces of gravity
That he'll have to
contend with.
Russell:
Seems like the weather.
There's always changing.
You never know from one minute
to the next.
Racing against the storm
right now.
Narrator:
Thunderstorms in the area
Could be extremely harsh
and prolonged.
Russell will have to hurry
to safely rig his gear
And descend before
the storm rolls in.
Russell:
I'm out here by myself.
Medical, if I could
actually call for it,
Would be so far away.
♪♪
Send this pack
over the edge first.
♪♪
Easy.
[ thunder crashes ]
Here we go.
Rappelling when you're alone
this far up
Is a pretty risky business.
♪♪
♪♪
[ bleep ]
♪♪
Here we go.
Narrator: To save valuable time,
survivalist russell acord
Is rappelling off
a 450-foot cliff face on his way
To the rendezvous point.
Russell: [ bleep ]
I'm good.
♪♪
[ thunder crashes ]
The hazards out here are real.
It's just a good reminder that
the footing isn't always sure.
The terrain isn't always
comfortable,
And the elements are always
not gonna be in your favor.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: Once safely down,
Russell will
continue his journey
Toward the drop-off point
to hand over the hair samples
He collected
for immediate testing.
Eight miles away,
Mireya has met up with
the sound experts from ctsi.
They've brought with them
the dragon-egg
Sound-localization prototype,
And they've arrived
at the location
Where mireya heard
the mysterious sound.
So this is the spot
where I stood --
okay.
And I held it out,
And I first heard the response
come from my right.
Okay, so if you heard it
over there,
Our best bet would be
to put kind of a line of sensors
Up this draw here
to kind of get a nice baseline.
Narrator:
Based off mireya's description
Of where the sound originated,
The engineers place
the dragon eggs 15 meters apart
In a specialized arrangement
To best locate the source
of the sound.
Once set, the equipment
will start recording
Every noise in the area.
- Here is the sensors.
- Great.
- So we can wait for dark.
- All right.
Narrator: Mireya will now wait
until the same time of day
She heard the response,
just after sunset.
This is also the time that,
according to researchers,
Bigfoot sightings are
most likely to occur.
♪♪
All right. You guys ready?
- Yes.
- We're ready.
Narrator: With the dragon-egg
sensors in place,
If mireya is able
to elicit a return call,
Its exact location
will appear on the monitor.
If we hear something and we can
pinpoint its location,
I'm going in after it.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Let's try again.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Should we try one more time?
- Sure.
- Try one more.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Anything?
Well, what happens here is when
these sensors pick up the sound,
They measure
the difference in time.
Did you hear that?
Yeah.
You heard something.
- Yep, that way.
- Yep.
Mireya: That was it.
That was the sound.
Can you track it?
Reaching the sensors,
reached sensor two,
Seven, three, five.
It reached all the sensors.
Narrator:
The engineers run the software
To get the precise coordinates
of where the sound came from.
Oh, there it is.
We got the coordinates.
I'm just trying to make it
there before dark.
All right. Let's go.
I can feel you telling me about
how visceral it is for you.
Is the memory
still right there?
I can feel,
I can sense, and I could see
everything
In crystal-clear clarity.
There's something so powerful
about this bigfoot
That once you experience it,
And once you feel it
and hear that roar,
You know in your dna
This is something so powerful
It could just rip you apart
like a piece of paper, right?
There's just no way.
♪♪
Narrator: Next time on
"expedition bigfoot"
Mireya: I never thought
I would've heard something
That could be bigfoot.
What the hell
have we just found?
Russell: We actually found
this hair in a bird's nest
At the top
of a 6,000-foot peak.
It doesn't match any other
known species.
Oh, my god.
It was just here.
It can't be that far away.
Hey.
Mireya: It feels as if
this forest has eyes.
"expedition bigfoot"
Man: This is the perfect place
to start.
Something up here.
Game trails? Oh, we definitely
want to get eyes on that.
We have sasquatch's
freeway system.
Something about 30 miles
outside of the target zone,
I will be there,
eye in the sky.
I'm really hoping to get some
images that lead us to bigfoot.
There was a distinctive shift
in the smells in the air.
It went from wet ground
and earth
To something very, very nasty.
Large mammals use infrasounds
to paralyze their prey.
Push too far into
their territory,
You'll have one
of those experiences.
Rpg, he's in really bad shape.
Unfortunately,
I have some bad news.
We're not gonna continue
the expedition with rpg.
♪♪
Narrator: Bigfoot, sasquatch,
In the past 50 years,
There have been more than
10,000 reported sightings
Of this elusive creature
In the continental
united states.
From the ozarks
to the mojave desert,
From the new jersey pine barrens
To the pacific northwest,
every year,
Hundreds of eyewitnesses
log their encounters,
But where or when
this legendary cryptid
Will be seen next
has been a mystery until now.
For the first time in history,
A team of investigators is using
an advanced data algorithm
To analyze five decades
of bigfoot sightings to pinpoint
When and where to encounter
this elusive beast.
With the results, they now know
the time and place to search,
And the greatest bigfoot
hunt ever is on.
♪♪
♪♪
- Morning.
- How are you?
I'm all right.
Narrator: On the edge of
the 90,000-acre target zone,
World-renowned primatologist
dr. Mireya mayor
And bigfoot investigator
russell acord
Are still reeling from the loss
of a crucial team member.
I'm still in disbelief.
It's almost like he'd worked
his entire life for this moment,
And to have to leave
without that payoff, you know,
Or feeling like you made it to
the finish line, that's rough.
Yeah, what a blow, huh?
Narrator: With data analysis
showing just a three-week window
For the maximum probability
of a bigfoot sighting,
The pressure is on
investigator bryce johnson
To find a replacement
researcher for the team.
So the doctors still haven't
diagnosed a specific cause
For ryan's headache,
but either way,
We have a man out,
and I need to replace him.
This expedition was designed
for three field team members,
And we have a lot
of ground to cover,
So I'm gonna reach out
to bob gimlin.
He's a revered legend
in the bigfoot community,
And just about everyone
on the planet has seen his film.
Shot nearly 50 years ago,
It's the most famous 59 seconds
of bigfoot footage ever taken,
♪♪
And it really just kicked off
an investigation
Into the phenomena of bigfoot,
and bob gimlin has been involved
In the bigfoot community
ever since.
So if there's anybody I can
trust to give me a referral
Or a recommendation for somebody
to replace a guy like rpg,
That referral would come
from a guy like bob gimlin.
[ computer chiming ]
Hey, bob.
Hey, bryce, mighty nice
to see you again.
Likewise. How you doing?
Great, fine, thank you.
- Good.
-How's everything going, bryce?
I had to rush one of
my team members
To the hospital last night.
Oh, that's too bad.
What happened?
While he was there, bob,
He started experiencing
blinding headaches,
And he said they sort of
just came on pretty rapidly.
I don't know.
It's very strange.
I think whatever caused
the headaches
Could've came from something
like infrasound.
Have you ever had
any experience with that?
A couple years ago, a fellow
really got sick up there.
He had a direct encounter
with one.
- Oh, really?
-Yes, sir.
- What happened?
-It came right up to his tent.
He couldn't even move.
He just was incapacitated.
Yeah, that sounds exactly like
what happened to rpg, and, look,
Hey, that's one of the reasons
I'm calling you today, bob.
I need to find a replacement
for him immediately,
And I was wondering if you might
have anybody in mind.
Well, yeah, I can get you
some names
And get it sent to you
as soon as possible.
That would be great,
and these are people you trust?
Yes, sir, good,
trustworthy people.
Well, look, I don't want to take
too much more of your time,
And I know you're
a busy guy.
Okay, well, we'll get you
some names
And get it sent to you,
and I'll tell you what,
I'd like to be on it myself,
but I'm too damn old.
[ laughs ]
I don't know about
all that, man.
I wish you luck, and you're
gonna have success.
-I really know that.
- Aw, well, thanks, bob.
I really appreciate it, man.
And, hey, you know what?
I'll keep you in the loop
if anything should come up.
Okay, thank you.
All right. Bye.
Well, we need to make a new game
plan in the time being
While bryce works
to replace rpg.
Okay.
♪♪
- Here we are now.
- Okay.
Where were you in relation
to this?
Okay, I was on this bend.
I really want to investigate
that spot
Where I had got
that smell from.
Yeah.
Narrator: Last night,
survivalist and big-game hunter
Russell acord
caught the scent of something
He could not identify.
Deer, elk, bear -- they all have
their own distinctive smell,
But I smelled something
different,
Kind of a skunky smell.
- That sounds good.
- Okay.
Then I am going to head
back here.
Okay.
This is where rpg and I went.
This is where we saw
the game trails.
So we were able to basically
set up some trail cams.
There was lots of activity.
I mean,
we saw where it appeared
As if animals were
running down this hill.
I'm gonna check
on those trail cams.
Okay.
And then there's an area
right around here
Where I'm gonna try out
these speakers
That play out,
like, game sounds.
Among all the really cool stuff
That bryce brought in
were these speakers
That hunters use
to lure in predators,
And that's something that I have
personally used out in the field
When working
with wild animals.
I've recorded lemurs,
for example,
And then I've played
that back to make contact.
Bryce was actually able to load
a supposed bigfoot sound,
A recording, and I'm gonna
play that out there
And see if we get
any sort of sound back.
So I think it's worth a shot,
And I have a good
feeling about that spot.
Sounds good.
All right, thank you.
All right then.
- Safe travels.
- You, too.
♪♪
Russell:
I'm watchful for tracks,
Any movement
that might seem odd,
Anything that doesn't fit
in the forest.
Narrator:
Before investigating the site
Of his possible
close encounter,
Russell will first stop
at his campsite
To drop off
his 70-pound pack of supplies.
♪♪
Russell: If you look out
at on the side here,
Nice little game trail,
fresh elk tracks.
They were here just recently.
♪♪
[ groans ]
That's a tuft of elk fur, so
something has attacked this elk.
It's not just fur.
This thing has got skin
attached to it.
Another chunk of fur
down up here on the ground.
It's almost like something
was drug through here, maybe.
I don't know what attacked
this elk.
These things
are 700-pound animals.
Maybe a pack of wolves
could've done it,
But this isn't an area
where wolves are known to be.
Whatever took this thing down
was insanely powerful.
I can only imagine what it
would do to a human.
Tonight, I'm not taking
any chances.
Be sure batteries are
still good, excellent.
So I'm gonna tie my loop on
this tree here about that level.
Narrator: Russell sets up two
wires that create a perimeter
With a circumference
of 60 feet around his tent
And will alert him
if anything approaches.
Russell: All set up.
Anything comes through here
tonight, we'll know.
Narrator:
With his camp secured,
Russell continues
to the location
Where he experienced
the strange scent
In the hopes that whatever
gave off the smell may return.
♪♪
This is sort of
the twilight hours.
This is when the forest
really comes to life.
This is when animals start
coming out and moving.
Narrator:
Five miles north of base camp,
Mireya is closing in on an area
where, along team member rpg,
She discovered high levels
of animal traffic
And predatory activity,
but tonight, she returns alone.
Mireya: Most animals
are less likely to attack
If they're outnumbered.
Going in alone,
there's more of a risk,
And so, because there are a lot
of things that could go wrong,
You have to be really aware
Of all your surroundings
at all times.
I want to head over that way
and put out some calls
And see what happens.
Narrator: Mireya believes
this is the ideal location
To attempt a bigfoot call.
Some of the methods that bigfoot
researchers employ out here
Are actually not that different
from my own research.
I've often made gorilla calls,
and I've gotten a response back,
So based on ape behavior,
It's actually a really
successful method.
So bryce loaded up
a bigfoot recording on this.
♪♪
Making calls is a huge part
of bigfoot research.
In fact, some of
the best evidence
That we have
for the existence of bigfoot
Comes from vocalizations
recorded in the field.
Most people, when they
do it themselves, right,
They're pretending
to be a bigfoot.
Tonight is gonna be different.
We're gonna be playing back
a high-quality bigfoot sound
That was recorded
just last year,
And I am extremely hopeful
That when we play
this back over the foxpro
That we're gonna be
able to elicit a response.
Narrator: The speaker system
mireya is using
Has a top output
of 118 decibels
Or the same sound level
as a jackhammer,
Meaning anything
within a two-mile radius
Will be able to hear it.
Mireya: This is reportedly
the best time of night
To go hunting for bigfoot.
By me playing this supposed
bigfoot sound out there,
That should elicit
a response back
Because I'm an intruder
in its territory,
And the territorial species
will want to let you know
That you're on their turf.
You're facing an animal
that you know nothing about.
There's no manual telling you
that what you should do is stand
Still and hold your ground
or climb a tree
Or run as fast as you can
in the other direction.
It's an unknown,
but if we get a response,
I'm going in after it.
That's what I would do
in the field in africa,
And that's what I'm gonna
do here tonight.
[ button clicks ]
[ animal roaring ]
♪♪
We didn't get any response
on that one,
So we're gonna try it again.
♪♪
♪♪
Sometimes just because
we're not hearing anything
Doesn't mean there isn't
something out here.
♪♪
[ animal roaring ]
Hear that?
[ animal roaring ]
♪♪
Oh, my god.
♪♪
Hear that?
Oh, my god.
Narrator: After playing
a bigfoot howl into the forest,
Primatologist dr. Mireya mayor
Has just heard something
return the call.
I have no idea what that was,
but it sounded like snippets
Of the bigfoot recording
I just played.
You know,
I can't really tell for sure
Where that sound
is coming from.
It could really be
from any direction
Because it's bouncing back.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Not sure.
Sounded like it was coming
from that direction.
♪♪
Narrator: Mireya decides to
head northwest
Where she believes
the sound originated from
And where the animal
that made it may still be.
♪♪
Mireya:
So hard to see anything.
You really only see the next
tree up and nothing past it.
♪♪
This creature that
we're searching for
Is allegedly over 7 feet tall
and could be 1,200 pounds.
I've gone on many nocturnal
hunts looking for primates.
It's very different
when you're out there,
And you're searching
for something big,
And you have no idea
what its behavior is like.
I literally can't see anything.
♪♪
So I'm gonna head deep
into that forest.
♪♪
Narrator: Eight miles away,
Survivalist russell acord
has returned to the creek bed
Hoping that whatever gave off
the strange smell will return.
So far, I've tried to make
myself as quiet as possible
And see if anything comes up.
Last night, it smelled
kind of a skunky smell,
The same typical smell that
you hear through testimonials
Of what bigfoot
would smell like.
♪♪
Once you get settled in,
you learn the sounds around you,
And anything that is different
Than what you've gotten
accustomed to kind of give you
A cue that
there's something close by.
♪♪
I just sat up for quite a while,
and I smelled nothing.
I waited.
I think that trail went cold.
♪♪
Now I'm gonna head back
to camp
And shut down for the night
and get all my gear ready
So I can get an early
start tomorrow morning.
I got a long ways to go.
Here we go,
finally made it back.
[ snaps ]
Did you hear that?
♪♪
Oh, hey, look,
The light's blinking.
Something set off my alarm.
Something tripped my wire.
Look at that.
That's no accident right there.
Takes a lot to finally set
that thing off.
Something came through here.
It's too dark to really see,
So I'm gonna go ahead
and deploy the thermal imaging.
Narrator: Russell is using
state-of-the-art military-grade
Thermal-imaging binoculars
Which will detect
the thermal radiation
Given off by living things.
If any large animals
are nearby,
Russell will be able
to spot them easily.
♪♪
That's what it's about.
It's about patience,
discipline, waiting it out.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Russell:
There is something out there.
Narrator:
While away from his camp,
One of russell's trip wires
was activated.
Now, using his thermal-imaging
binoculars,
He has spotted something large
moving just 100 yards away.
Russell: Do you see that?
♪♪
Crap, just a deer.
Maybe something smelled my food,
got curious.
But if it was after the food,
it would've gone on
Into the tent after the food.
I'm gonna shut down
for the night.
Tomorrow is gonna be
really hard,
And I got to keep
going higher.
I got 6,000 feet elevation
to hit.
Narrator: Unable to determine
what gave off
The strange smell,
Survivalist
russell acord will continue
To his original target.
A 6,000-foot peak
so inaccessible to humans,
He believes it's the most
likely hiding spot for bigfoot.
♪♪
[ line ringing ]
Narrator: Dr. Mireya mayor
has returned to base camp
After exploring the forest
for the location of the creature
That responded
to her bigfoot call.
It's bryce.
Hey, it's mireya.
Hey, mireya, what's up?
I played the foxpro animal
callers couple times
And one of the times heard
a very weird response.
I'm not sure what it was.
Really?
Yeah, but the problem is,
because of the terrain,
I'm not really sure what
direction it was coming from.
I don't have anything here,
but let me research it,
And I'll get back to you.
- Thanks so much.
-Okay.
♪♪
I haven't solved mireya's
sound-localization problem yet,
But I want to know what
that sound may have been,
So I'm on my way to speak
with a bigfoot witness.
His name is bryan zemp,
and he lives nearby here.
Now he's never told
his bigfoot story before,
But he had a really
close encounter
With a bigfoot vocalization,
So I'm kind of dying to learn
everything I can
About the sound
that this thing made
And what he thinks
it might've been trying to say.
♪♪
Can you walk me through the time
you saw one of these things?
Bryan: Sure.
Growing up in the country,
there wasn't much to do,
So my brother
and I would swim and fish,
But one of the things
we also used to do was,
We used to climb alder trees.
So we were having fun and
♪♪
It's all right, man.
Listen, take your time.
Okay.
I know you haven't told
this story in a while.
No. No.
I haven't shared it.
I just didn't want to be made
fun of, but at my age now,
I don't care, so, yeah,
So we were
We're up on the trees,
and all of a sudden,
We just heard just
the breaking of these trees.
They were just, like
Whatever was coming
through the woods
Was coming through it to let
you know they were there,
And my brother looks at me
and goes,
"bryan, what is that?"
All of a sudden, we heard
this most guttural sound
Where it just projected,
And I just, you know, felt it,
Just like hey, and it just --
You felt it inside you.
You know if you ever hear a good
bass, and you could feel that?
My brother looks at me,
and I swear to god.
His look of terror on his face
was, like, unbelievable.
I said, "greg, we got to get
out of here."
We just dropped out
of the trees,
And we kept hearing
the sounds coming,
And we just went to our house,
slammed the door,
"mom, man, there's something
down there,"
And she just -- she thought
we were making it up.
- I'm sorry.
- No, man. Don't be.
I'm just -- I just remember
seeing my brother's face
And how scared he was.
I'm so sorry.
Bryce:
So I think a common factor
In these eyewitness testimonies
Is how real the encounter
still remains for them.
I could tell that he was
actually reliving that memory
As if he was there
just yesterday.
It was very visceral for him,
very emotional,
And very terrifying.
- [ sighs ]
- take your time.
It's all good.
♪♪
Narrator:
Back in the target zone,
Mireya has returned to the area
Where she heard the possible
bigfoot call just 16 hours ago.
If she's lucky, one of the trail
cameras she placed here
Snapped a photo of whatever
made the mysterious sound.
Here we go.
Narrator: Equipped with
a wireless mesh network,
This camera system sends images
From 15 cameras
to the home unit.
We got a lot of hits.
Here is some shots
of some deer coming in.
♪♪
♪♪
Well, that's interesting.
There's one shot at night,
And there's some
sort of figure in it.
It's silhouette-y.
I can't really see what that is.
It's big, and it looks like
it could have black fur.
It's not a deer.
But quite honestly,
I'm not sure what that is.
♪♪
♪♪
There's one shot at night,
And there's some sort
of figure in it,
But quite honestly,
I'm not sure what that is.
Narrator: Primatologist
dr. Mireya mayor
Has just spotted
a mysterious creature
In a photo taken
by a trail camera.
The photo was taken
within hours of
When she heard an unidentified
sound in the same area.
There are 15 cameras
each sending captured photos
To the home device.
This photo was snapped
by a camera just 1/2 mile away.
There are so many wild
animals out here
That we can't just assume
Because we're seeing
a visual image of a big animal
That suddenly, we've got
bigfoot in front of us,
But we also can't dismiss it,
so we need to investigate
And see if we can
figure out what it was.
So let's go take a look.
First, I want to scan the area
And look for prints.
Deer print there,
there's more there.
I don't think there's
any shortage of deer.
There's a lot of tracks,
Obviously a lot of animals
coming through,
Perhaps even being
chased by something.
It's just track after track
after track.
Here's another big one.
This one is big, but it just
doesn't have enough definition
Where it warrants
taking out the scanner.
As a scientist, I can't look
at a single piece of evidence
And draw a definite conclusion.
While this picture is very
interesting, it's not enough.
I need something
to corroborate it,
Something like dna,
hair sample, a footprint.
I didn't find anything
like that.
Russell: Looks like I'm almost
all the way on top.
Narrator: After a grueling
three-day climb,
Survivalist russell acord
is finally close
To reaching his target --
The top
of a 6,000-foot mountain,
The highest peak
in the target zone.
Russell: This is the top part
that I've been looking for.
Narrator: It's an area
so inaccessible to humans,
He believes it's the perfect
hiding place for bigfoot.
Russell: This is it.
This is my summit.
To see if there's any tracks,
any kind of evidence whatsoever,
I'm going hunting.
I've spent a lot of time on
my own in the mountains looking,
Seeking, hunting,
takes discipline.
It takes patience, takes time.
Narrator:
Russell will be performing
An inward spiral search pattern
To cover the 500-acre
mountaintop forest
Before the sun
sets in six hours.
Russell: I've stayed here
for quite a while.
Going to keep on trekking.
Can't get stuck in one place.
There's two things
we don't have,
One is absolute proof
that bigfoot exists.
Second thing I don't have
is time.
Not much left of that one,
probably a deer.
It's really small.
I've been searching up here
for a few hours
And really not finding
anything that's tangible.
These are not bigfoot tracks.
They're bear tracks.
♪♪
Here we go.
Several little game trails
all come into the same area
Here, here, and I see four.
Busy little intersection
right here.
♪♪
Ah.
My first reaction would be,
it's a bobcat,
But we're gonna take it.
There's no way to tell what this
is until we get it analyzed.
Researchers have found hairs
that don't match
Any other species out there.
Myself and other researchers
Think these could actually
be samples of bigfoot hair.
I really want to find out.
♪♪
There's game trails
all over this place,
Signs of deer and elk.
Narrator: As night begins to
fall over the forest,
Russell continues to survey
the summit
For any evidence that would
confirm his suspicion
That this mountaintop is
A likely hiding spot
for bigfoot.
Hey, there's a little
something.
♪♪
Birds make a nest
out of everything
In the local vicinity,
which would include mud,
Pine needles, more importantly,
Hair from the local animals.
Narrator:
Not only do many birds
Use animal fur
to form their nests,
But because that fur
is tightly woven,
It is often well-preserved.
For that reason, forensic
analysts will often search nests
For evidence to help
locate missing persons
Or to prove a suspect
was in the vicinity of a crime.
Want to see if there's any hair
in this nest
That we could actually
get ahold of.
I don't know if I'll be able
to see any hair on there or not,
But I want to be prepared.
♪♪
♪♪
The idea is to get your sample
without contaminating it.
♪♪
There we go.
♪♪
There's some hair right here.
♪♪
This is interesting.
It's definitely not deer,
not bear, certainly not elk.
I don't know what this is.
Narrator: Coming up
If we hear something, and we
can pinpoint its location,
I'm going in after it.
Russell: Racing against
the storm right now.
Here we go.
[ bleep ]
♪♪
Russell:
It's definitely not deer,
Not bear, certainly not elk.
I don't know what this is.
Narrator: Russell has acquired
what could be
Crucial pieces
of forensic evidence --
Two hair samples
that he cannot identify.
After finding no other signs of
bigfoot on top of the mountain,
The next step will be
to get these samples to bryce
To be analyzed
as quickly as possible,
But russell is at
a 6,000-foot elevation
And days away from base camp.
Russell: Eh, it's too late
to get this to bryce tonight.
That's a problem
I'll solve tomorrow morning.
♪♪
Hey, bryce, it's russell.
Bryce: Hey, russell.
I picked up two
really good hair samples.
I'd like to turn
those over to you.
Really?
There's an access road
near the southeastern quadrant
Of the hot zone.
If you could get it there,
I'd be able to grab it
And get it somewhere
relatively quickly.
The only thing is, is I'm
a little worried about time.
I mean, it took you a few days
to get up on that ridge.
Is there a faster way
you could get down?
I'll go figure something out.
So I was thinking a lot
about the situation
That mireya was faced with.
Sounded like it was coming
from that direction.
Bryce:
And it's completely frustrating
To be able to hear
a bigfoot vocalization
And not know where
it's coming from,
So I think I found a solution
In a high-tech
audio-engineering firm.
Narrator:
Bryce johnson has arranged
A meeting with ian gallimore,
Chief technical officer
of ctsi,
A cutting-edge
defense contractor
That specializes in observation
and location technology.
I understand that you guys
can help us pinpoint
Where a sound is coming from.
Well, you've come
to the right place.
We've build systems
for the department of defense
That locate the source
of sounds in real time.
Oh, wow.
How about I show you
what we have?
Yeah, that would be great.
What exactly am I looking
at here?
Some of the engineers
call them a dragon egg.
Oh, I could totally see that.
Can think of this
as being one of your ears.
These microphones, or the ears,
Can be spread hundreds
of meters apart,
And one of the applications
for this technology
Is soldiers on a patrol.
Someone fires an artillery shot.
It can be difficult to tell
what direction it came from.
- Right.
- With microphones distributed,
This system would be able
to help them pinpoint
What direction it's coming from
or what location it's at.
Can these pick up
low frequencies, too?
I mean, it's been purported
that these creatures,
These sasquatches,
use infrasound, as well.
Yes, everything gets recorded
from the lowest frequency range
To the highest
frequency range.
If he talks back to you,
you'll hear it.
You'll be able to visualize it,
And you'll be able to go
right to that location quickly.
Incredible.
Mm, we could send
some engineers out to work
With you to set them up
in the area of interest.
Yeah.
How much time do I have
with you guys?
We could support you for a day.
We're on a tight schedule
with a prototype.
Well, I want to put these
dragon eggs
Into the field
as soon as we can.
♪♪
Narrator:
Back in the target zone,
Atop a 6,000-foot peak
Russell:
A storm out ahead of me,
Going to mess things up for me
Unless I get down off
this hillside.
Narrator:Russell is looking
for a quick way
To the rendezvous point
Four miles away
in the valley below.
The long path he used
to get up took days,
And with about two weeks
left to find bigfoot,
That's time he can't spare.
♪♪
Looks like a lot
of drop-offs here.
There's no easy way
down that one.
My fastest way down
is gonna be off this cliff.
Narrator:
After surveying the peak
For an alternate path down,
Russell realizes
that the only way
He can make it down quickly
is to rappel off the cliff face.
Russell: [ sighs ]
I wish there was an easier way
off this thing.
This place is no joke.
That's for sure.
Narrator: Russell will attempt
to solo rappel
Down a 450-foot cliff face,
But it's not just
the forces of gravity
That he'll have to
contend with.
Russell:
Seems like the weather.
There's always changing.
You never know from one minute
to the next.
Racing against the storm
right now.
Narrator:
Thunderstorms in the area
Could be extremely harsh
and prolonged.
Russell will have to hurry
to safely rig his gear
And descend before
the storm rolls in.
Russell:
I'm out here by myself.
Medical, if I could
actually call for it,
Would be so far away.
♪♪
Send this pack
over the edge first.
♪♪
Easy.
[ thunder crashes ]
Here we go.
Rappelling when you're alone
this far up
Is a pretty risky business.
♪♪
♪♪
[ bleep ]
♪♪
Here we go.
Narrator: To save valuable time,
survivalist russell acord
Is rappelling off
a 450-foot cliff face on his way
To the rendezvous point.
Russell: [ bleep ]
I'm good.
♪♪
[ thunder crashes ]
The hazards out here are real.
It's just a good reminder that
the footing isn't always sure.
The terrain isn't always
comfortable,
And the elements are always
not gonna be in your favor.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: Once safely down,
Russell will
continue his journey
Toward the drop-off point
to hand over the hair samples
He collected
for immediate testing.
Eight miles away,
Mireya has met up with
the sound experts from ctsi.
They've brought with them
the dragon-egg
Sound-localization prototype,
And they've arrived
at the location
Where mireya heard
the mysterious sound.
So this is the spot
where I stood --
okay.
And I held it out,
And I first heard the response
come from my right.
Okay, so if you heard it
over there,
Our best bet would be
to put kind of a line of sensors
Up this draw here
to kind of get a nice baseline.
Narrator:
Based off mireya's description
Of where the sound originated,
The engineers place
the dragon eggs 15 meters apart
In a specialized arrangement
To best locate the source
of the sound.
Once set, the equipment
will start recording
Every noise in the area.
- Here is the sensors.
- Great.
- So we can wait for dark.
- All right.
Narrator: Mireya will now wait
until the same time of day
She heard the response,
just after sunset.
This is also the time that,
according to researchers,
Bigfoot sightings are
most likely to occur.
♪♪
All right. You guys ready?
- Yes.
- We're ready.
Narrator: With the dragon-egg
sensors in place,
If mireya is able
to elicit a return call,
Its exact location
will appear on the monitor.
If we hear something and we can
pinpoint its location,
I'm going in after it.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Let's try again.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Should we try one more time?
- Sure.
- Try one more.
[ animal howling ]
♪♪
Anything?
Well, what happens here is when
these sensors pick up the sound,
They measure
the difference in time.
Did you hear that?
Yeah.
You heard something.
- Yep, that way.
- Yep.
Mireya: That was it.
That was the sound.
Can you track it?
Reaching the sensors,
reached sensor two,
Seven, three, five.
It reached all the sensors.
Narrator:
The engineers run the software
To get the precise coordinates
of where the sound came from.
Oh, there it is.
We got the coordinates.
I'm just trying to make it
there before dark.
All right. Let's go.
I can feel you telling me about
how visceral it is for you.
Is the memory
still right there?
I can feel,
I can sense, and I could see
everything
In crystal-clear clarity.
There's something so powerful
about this bigfoot
That once you experience it,
And once you feel it
and hear that roar,
You know in your dna
This is something so powerful
It could just rip you apart
like a piece of paper, right?
There's just no way.
♪♪
Narrator: Next time on
"expedition bigfoot"
Mireya: I never thought
I would've heard something
That could be bigfoot.
What the hell
have we just found?
Russell: We actually found
this hair in a bird's nest
At the top
of a 6,000-foot peak.
It doesn't match any other
known species.
Oh, my god.
It was just here.
It can't be that far away.
Hey.
Mireya: It feels as if
this forest has eyes.