Unidentified Sound Some sounds are beyond the human range of hearing. Your dog may be reacting, but you don't have a clue why. Even when a sound is audible, the mountains can play tricks on you.
Sound is a strange thing in the mountains. Trees, cliffs and snow can hush, amplify or echo each wavelength. A small simple sound can transform into a large eerie menace in the middle of a night time forest. Even large trees creek in the wind. Plus you always have to remember that sound carries for miles on a dark cold night.
Working as a volunteer wilderness search team for the last eight years, my dog Ebbey and I have heard all kinds of sounds. This includes just about every animal imaginable. From owls to wolves and eagles to elk.
Grizzlies and cougars are the only two animals that will stop Ebbey from searching. Displaying a specific reaction, she has seen, smelled and encountered both. So what happens when you hear a sound that is totally unidentifiable? Originating from some creature that even your dog doesn't recognize.
We had just finished a search in early March, and were en route to a shortcut down a mountain trail. It would get us back to the car in just over an hour, versus half a day to backtrack from where we began.
There was still lots of snow and the trail was unused. After almost a half mile (1km), I stopped to figure out where we were.
I gave Ebbey some soup and drank a little myself. The trail head was less than five minutes away and it was all downhill from there. Once we hiked past some cliffs, the trail zigzagged down a well exposed slope with far less snow.
As Ebbey lapped up the luke warm bison and rice, she suddenly stopped. Cocking her head near the bowl, she immediately looked up and towards the cliffs. The wind was blowing our direction, so she was getting a good sniff of whatever was coming.
It didn't take long before I could hear the deep booming grunts. Though the sounds were still at some distance, the source was getting closer.
I was thinking bighorn, but Ebbey has no fear of mountain sheep. It was also pretty early for the male grizzlies to be out of hibernation. Perhaps an injured cougar? Whatever was coming, Ebbey's reaction was unlike any I'd ever seen. There was only one thing to do...Turn back.
Within a few minutes the unidentifiable sounds were far behind us. Though I must admit, both Ebbey and I listened for them the entire four hour hike back to the car.
Written by Mikella, Ebbey's handler.
