Our Quest for the Berkshires’ Bigfoot Begins

By Chuck Billy's Blog, Places to go, Places to visit, ,

Last month we headed to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts to pursue my interest in the paranormal. Why the Berkshires? Because way back in 2017 I watched a documentary discussing sightings of UFOs, ghosts, and Bigfoot at October Mountain in this mountainous and forested region of Massachusetts, and ever since I have been determined to investigate! In fact, the first sighting of the Berkshires’ Bigfoot was in 1765, and paranormal reports of strange activity have continued to the present. Then there’s the famous “Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” supposedly located on the summit of Mount Greylock. Or at least according to J.K. Rowling it is there, although apparently she has never actually visited this region. Therefore what kind of a renowned Dog Ufologist would I be if I didn’t set out to investigate the Berkshires myself, with my trusted team / family, in tow!

Naturally, we began our quest for answers at Mount Greylock. Something as BIG as searching for Bigfoot needs to begin by getting the lay of the land, and what better place to do that than at the summit of the highest mountain in Massachusetts! At 3,491 feet, from its peak on a clear day, you can see as far as 90 miles away, and the Mount Greylock State Reservation consists of over 12,500 acres. That’s a lot of places for Bigfoot to hide!

Asa studying the map of the summit’s North view.
Bigfoot could be hiding anywhere in the vast wilderness of the Berkshires.
Chuck Billy: Sorry for my silly grin. I was super excited to be there to begin my research. This trip was 7 years in the making! That’s like a bazillion in dog years. Asa: I thought we were here to celebrate Mom and Dad’s anniversary? Chuck Billy: Yes, yes, that too.

With Asa leading the way, we began exploring some of the trails and scenic vistas along the driving road that leads to the summit. Why did Asa lead the way? I am methodical in my approach, and more of a keen observer than he is, so I let him charge ahead.

Asa boldly leading the way!

Also it gave me the advantage if we did find something and had to backtrack and RUN!

Bigfoot is that you?
Nope, that’s just Mom behind me. Making sure Bigfoot didn’t surprise us from the rear. As a Dog Ufologist, I am prepared for anything!

We spent hours exploring the trails. We even hiked a small section of the Appalachian Trail! But alas whether it was the Rowling’s magical creatures preventing us from seeing him, or just the abundance of hikers we met along the trails forcing him to hide out in a quieter spot, we did not find Bigfoot on Mount Greylock. That’s alright, because this was just the start of our Berkshires adventure, and I have a plan!

Or at least I hope I have a plan! What was that noise over there?

Next we headed to Arrowhead, the home of Herman Melville. Yes, the Herman Melville who wrote Moby Dick while living in this farmhouse. It is said the view of the mountains covered in snow, helped to inspire his description of the Great White Whale. Melville may not have been writing about Bigfoot, but he was evidently familiar with BIG creatures and the quest to find them. However, what brings us to explore the trails at Arrowhead is that Melville is credited with naming October Mountain.

Chuck Billy: Again, my apologies for the silly grin. I was just really super excited to finally be walking in the footsteps of Bigfoot! Asa: Or as Melville himself wrote in Moby Dick, “I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.”

Yet there is a mystery surrounding the name of this mountain! For you see, biographers have said that the name came from an essay Melville wrote called, “October Mountain.” One biographer in the 1800s even quoted from it. But to this day, no one has actually found that this essay exists! Now being a renowned Dog Ufologist, I have a few theories on what happened to this manuscript. But that is a story for another time, I’m on a Bigfoot mission.

Asa: Count yourself lucky that you didn’t have to sit through Chuck Billy’s theory, like we had to while visiting Herman Melville’s home, Arrowhead. I’m starting to understand what he meant when he wrote in Moby Dick, “Human [or in our case dog’s] madness is oftentimes a cunning and most feline thing. When you think it fled, it may have but become transfigured into some still subtler form.”

As you can see though, Melville had a great view of October Mountain from his home, and he did mention it’s vibrant fall foliage in the 1853 essay, “Cock-A-Doodle-Doo.” But enough gazing! We need to keep moving on our quest to find Bigfoot!

Please join us all week as we share our Bigfoot adventure in the Berkshires. We’ll revisit each location in later posts to give you our dog friendly reviews, as well as more information on how you can explore these places too. However for now I want to share my exciting research on our quest for the Berkshires’ Bigfoot!

Share

About the author

Chuck Billy is a Golden Retriever, living in Southern Maine, who likes to share his unique observations on life with his little brother Asa. When not writing his blog, he spends his days being awesome.