; Phantoms and Monsters: Pulse of the Paranormal

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Mono Lake Video / MonsterQuest 'Sierra Sasquatch'



Click for video

Description with video: I used software called Syntheyes that has a function built in for stabilization. There is some tweaking required when you are doing it to keep the video footage somewhat centred, but once it is stabilized, it helps to keep your eyes focused on the action.

I had to review the footage over and over again in order to start bringing out the small details and differences in shades of colour. I had noticed that one arm that wasn't moving, but upon closer inspection, it was clearly darker and what I believe is an object being held starting from the hand and it goes over the right shoulder.

I guess I should mention that the subject in the video is moving from right to left and is facing the camera.

Also, the question came up about a longer left arm and when I separated out each frame, it was easy to see that there was a dark black object being held in the left hand. You can even make out the arch that the hand makes around this object (like a hand wrapped around flashlight or pipe).

At this point I started to suspect that it was human and in fact, when I looked at the motion, it really looked like someone walking with heavy clothing and big boots (even though I couldn't see the boots). The motion seems to fit the description.

I then started to look at the frames in Photoshop and measured the RGB values for each pixel (very easily done). I noticed that the color variations were somewhat consistant through certain portions of the body. Sure enough when I looked and looked...there was what appeared to be a vest over a jacket.

I never intended it to go this way. I really would have preferred to see the real thing. But, it is what it is to me.


NOTE: MonsterQuest's presentation 'Sierra Sasquatch' was OK but, offered more questions than answers IMO. Basically, the show concentrated on the sightings and research of Jaime Avalos (interviewed by Autumn Williams at Interviewing Jaime Avalos). Avalos states that he has tracked a family of Sasquatch east and west of a section of the Sierra/Nevada Mountain range. He also presented castings as evidence. Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum of ISU also provided his expertise. Wildlife consultant and biologist John Mionczynski and a Portuguese tracker (who impressed me) made up the remainder of the group.

The Mono Lake video was used as evidence in the production. This footage was shot in 1991, but a dark bulking cryptid was discovered on the video in 2008 by a family member of the original videographer. I had seen this video previously and was a bit surprised that is was used in the MonsterQuest presentation simply because it appears to be something other than a Sasquatch. As well, Avalos' footprint casts all appear to be human, especially after Dr. Meldrum made comparisons with a few from his collection. There was another anecdotal witness who claimed to have seen a family of Sasquatch in the same general area while hunting. He seemed sincere enough but, again, it's the word of one more witness. This was supposedly the last show in the MonsterQuest series. Honestly, I would like to see the series continued. Theory and conjecture are always going to be part of any production that pertains to paranormal and cryptid subjects...but using evidence that is a deviation of the original theme tends to look like filler for the show.

BTW, go to The Blogsquatcher - Weird Pennsylvania where the Fayette County, PA sightings are referenced as well as the writer's personal experiences in the same area(use the links). Very interesting! Lon


Mono Lake Video / MonsterQuest 'Sierra Sasquatch'