Back in November, I reviewed the documentary On the Trail of Bigfoot: The Discovery, by the Small Town Monsters team. In my review, I mentioned how a paranormal renaissance of sorts was happening now, with tons of new content being released by creators. Basic cable television has essentially failed us (I’m looking at you, Travel Channel and Discovery+). But there’s a plethora of great content in indie documentaries, podcasts, books, and YouTube Channels. Which brings me to a new favorite channel of mine: Mountain Beast Mysteries.
Exactly What You’d Expect…and That’s a Good Thing
Created and hosted by Justin Chernipeski, Mountain Beast Mysteries is a YouTube channel dedicated to examining mysterious happenings in the mountains and forests. And the culprit at the heart of these mysteries is usually assumed to be Bigfoot. Many of the videos on the channel have Justin recounting stories of Bigfoot. Some are well-known, while others are more obscure. Most are clear-cut accounts of Bigfoot encounters, but others are more vague in nature. Think Missing 411, where there are strange disappearances of hunters or hikers, with some speculating that Sasquatch (or some other unexplained phenomena) might be involved.
Aside from recounting tales of Bigfoot, Justin also creates different varieties of high-quality content. He reviews other Bigfoot documentaries that are out there, as well as making his own full-length documentaries on the subject matter. And Justin is no armchair Bigfoot enthusiast. He regularly ventures out in the field to document his own research and encounters in the woods while he searches for Sasquatch. Honestly, it’s always refreshing to see people who are interested in the subject also going out to have their own experiences. Being a great storyteller is one thing. But I love when people actually get out and do their own research.
A Voice of Reason
And this brings me to Justin himself. I’ve often joked that I have the perfect face for a podcast, and the perfect speaking voice for a blog. On-camera presence and charisma are always important for YouTube hosts. And Justin has them in spades. He has a calm, cool, collected, and rational voice. Not something you see a lot of in the paranormal world. His storytelling is detailed but concise, weaving a fascinating tale without going on for too long. Most of his recounting videos are between 10 and 30 minutes in length, perfect for a quick Bigfoot fix. On the other hand, his documentaries and personal expedition videos can run a bit longer, giving the viewer a much-needed peek into what goes into actual field investigations.
Another thing I love about Justin’s style is his approach. While he is a Bigfoot believer, he’s also quite level-headed and rational. There’s no jumping to conclusions here. And more times than not, he tends to look for the more rational explanation. Far more preferable than the “everything is Bigfoot!” philosophy. When something sounds like bullshit, Justin has no problem calling it out as such. I always appreciate this attitude, as I feel it’s sorely lacking in this field. When every blob or dark spot in a photo is a “Bigfoot face” or whatever, calm, measured analysis is always welcome.
The videos are all very well-done, with great illustrations and beautiful wilderness footage. Justin intercuts enough of himself on-camera so you get a sense of a more personal connection with him. Sticking to only voiceovers is fine, but for me, it’s nice to see the person behind the voice sometimes.
Suggested Viewing – Maybe Bigfoot?
I figured I’d list and link to a few of my favorite videos that Mountain Beast Mysteries has to offer and talk a little about each one. Be sure to check them out, and give Justin a like and subscribe if you love his channel as much as I do!
WORLD RENOWNED HUNTER VANISHES IN THE CANADIAN WILDERNESS | All They Find Is His Head | MBM 246
This was the episode that first got me into Mountain Beast Mysteries. This episode is definitely in that Missing 411 vein, and explores the mysterious disappearance of renowned wilderness expert Bart Schleyer. A trained outdoorsman, gifted scientist, and skilled hunter, Schleyer disappeared in September of 2004, deep in the Yukon while bowhunting moose. And while the official explanation was that he was killed by a grizzly bear, people who were close to him and knew him well have their doubts. Justin does a great job here of presenting the evidence and highlighting some of the stranger circumstances surrounding this case. Was this highly experienced hunter taken by surprise by a grizzly? Or is there a more ominous and bizarre creature responsible for his death?
BIGFOOT PROBABLY DOESN’T MAKE TREE STRUCTURES | MBM 164
This episode is a more personal entry. Here, Justin talks about tree structures, and why they are probably not made by Bigfoot. Lots of researchers – without any evidence – claim that Bigfoot must be behind these odd structures. Usually, they claim that nature could not make the trees fall in this manner. Or that humans couldn’t create them. But Justin delves into exactly why these tree structures might just be a red herring in the realm of Bigfoot research. Good stuff here, and again, I respect and appreciate a more rational point of view.
Suggested Viewing – All About Bigfoot
BIGFOOT BODIES WERE FOUND AT MOUNT ST. HELENS | U.S. Army Ranger Comes Forward | MBM 247
One of the more persistent stories about Bigfoot is the allegations of deceased Bigfoot bodies being found in the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980. Simply put, the story claims that after the disaster, rescue and recovery workers in the area found multiple dead (or even wounded) Bigfoot. In this episode, Justin recounts a story of a U.S Army Ranger who contacted him with his own personal Mount St. Helens Bigfoot story. The claims here are bit hard to believe, and Justin does a great job of retelling the man’s story, while also being rightfully skeptical.
THE MOST TRAUMATIZING BIGFOOT ATTACK ON RECORD | MBM 249
One of the most famous – and most referenced – Bigfoot encounters ever. The so-called “Attack of Ape Canyon” is the chilling tale of a violent conflict between miners and Sasquatch in 1924. Not too ironically, Ape Canyon is a gorge on the southeast side of Mount St. Helens. I really dug this episode. It contains a lot of great details of the encounter, and is a must-watch for anyone interested in the story of Ape Canyon.
Final Thoughts
In the end, was hard to choose just a few videos to showcase from the channel, as they are all truly great. Here you can find classic Bigfoot stories and little-known encounters. Missing hunters and other strange disappearances. Personal expeditions to find evidence of Bigfoot. And feature-length documentaries. Whatever your interest in Bigfoot, you’ll find something here that will fascinate you. If you’re tired of blobsquatches and the other kinds of nonsense that permeates the Bigfoot world, Mountain Beast Mysteries is a wonderful oasis of sanity and spookiness.
Do you have a favorite YouTube channel that covers the paranormal or unexplained, and deserves to be seen? Let us know and we will review it!
