Sierra Sounds
Alleged audio recording of Bigfoot
View of the Tuolumne River in the Sierras. Morehead and Berry have not disclosed the exact location where they obtained their recordings.

The Sierra Sounds are audio recordings made by Ron Morehead and Al Berry, allegedly capturing Bigfoot vocalizations in the Sierra Nevada mountains beginning in 1971. Enthusiasts of Bigfoot commonly reference the recordings as among the most compelling evidence for the existence of Bigfoot, though scientific consensus maintains that Bigfoot remains firmly within the pseudoscience of cryptozoology and is not a real creature.

Background

Frame 352 from the Patterson–Gimlin film, recorded in Bluff Creek, California.

Accounts of large hairy humanoids are common in most cultural folklore, including those of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.[1] In 1929, "Sasquatch" was coined by Indian agent J. W. Burns in a collection of stories from the Sts'ailes Nation, and the term is believed to be the anglicized version of sasq'ets (sas-kets), meaning "hairy man" in the Halkomelem language.[2] In 1958, bulldozer operator Jerry Crew discovered a muddy set of human-like footprints in the Six Rivers National Forest. The prints measured 16 inches (410 mm), and plaster casts were made. Andrew Genzoli of the Humboldt Times interviewed lumber workers and collected stories about the footprints and other odd incidents, introducing the name "Bigfoot" along with a picture of Crew holding one of the casts in the 6 October paper. The story rapidly gained traction as major media outlets such as the New York Times and Los Angeles Times corresponded with Genzoli.[3] In 1967, Bigfoot enthusiast Roger Patterson and his friend Robert "Bob" Gimlin set out into the Bluff Creek area of northern California to film a Bigfoot docudrama. On Friday, 20 October, between 1:15 and 1:40 p.m., the pair allegedly spotted a humanoid figure crouching on the opposite bank of the river. Patterson recorded a 59.5-second long video depicting the subject striding away from them, looking over its shoulder in what has now become the most famous image associated with the Bigfoot phenomena.[4] The Patterson–Gimlin film was critical in launching the modern Bigfoot phenomena.[5]

Sierra Sounds

In 1971, Ron Morehead and Al Berry departed to camp in the Sierra Nevada mountains, seeking to obtain evidence for the existence of Bigfoot. Morehead has described himself as a researcher and believer in Bigfoot, but in contrast, Berry was a skeptic looking for evidence of a hoax.[6]

In the audio recording made from within their campsite, the pair can be heard quietly talking to each other before distant howls are heard. Morehead and Berry call back to the unknown source, attempting to mimic the howls themselves. Various vocalizations can be heard at a distance including howls, grunts, and knocking sounds. The most controversial vocalizations are what Morehead describes as a supposed form of language, dubbed by many as "samurai chatter" due to its resemblance to the dialogue of old Japanese samurai films.[7]

Analysis and aftermath

Scientific consensus holds that allegations of the existence of Bigfoot are not credible.[8][9] No formal studies have been conducted on the Sierra Sounds, though Morehead insists that that the legend of Bigfoot warrants scientific consideration.[7]

Retired U.S. Navy cryptographic linguist Scott Nelson analyzed the recordings and concluded, "It is definitely a language, it is definitely not human in origin, and it could not have been faked."[10]

Al Berry died in 2012. According to Morehead's blog, Berry maintained that he "thought it would have made the story even more interesting if he could have discovered how anyone could have pulled this off."[6] Ron Morehead maintains that the recordings are legitimate, describing himself as an "adventurist" on his personal blog. He remains involved in the community of Bigfoot believers.[11]

References

  1. ^ Goodavage, Maria (May 24, 1996). "Hunt for Bigfoot Attracts True Believers". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  2. ^ Kadane, Lisa (July 21, 2022). "The true origin of Sasquatch". bbc.com. BBC. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  3. ^ Buhs, Joshua Blu (2009). Bigfoot: The Life and Times of a Legend. University of Chicago Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-226-50215-1. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  4. ^ Rosman, John. "Film Introducing Bigfoot To World Still Mysterious 50 Years Later". opb.org. Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  5. ^ Gold, Simon (2024-05-14). "The Patterson-Gimlin Film: Evidence of Bigfoot or Elaborate Hoax?". Discovery UK. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  6. ^ a b "Ron Morehead | Al Berry". ronmorehead.com. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  7. ^ a b "EP: 10 The Sierra Sounds with Ron Morehead". Blurry Creatures. Apple Podcasts. July 10, 2020. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  8. ^ Rossi, Lorenzo (18 December 2015). "A Review of Cryptozoology: Towards a Scientific Approach to the Study of "Hidden Animals"". Problematic Wildlife. pp. 573–588. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-22246-2_26. ISBN 978-3-319-22245-5.
  9. ^ Stewart, Robert B. (2007). Intelligent Design: William A. Dembski & Michael Ruse in Dialogue. Fortress Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-8006-6218-9. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  10. ^ "Retired Navy man studies Bigfoot sounds". The Hastings Tribune. February 18, 2019. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  11. ^ "Ron Morehead | About Ron". ronmorehead.com. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
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