Muledeer Chronicles Reviewed

I always have an interest in books about Native American lore revolving around the skinwalkers, the deadly witches of southwestern tribes.  Over the last several years, tales of the infamous “Skinwalker Ranch” in northern Utah have made the term more familiar to those interested in the paranormal, but the lore has a long history among the tribes of the four corners region.

The latest offering on the topic is “The Muledeer Chronicles A Skinwalker Book,” by Erick T. Rhetts.  Rhett’s bio says that he grew up on the east coast of the United States and now lives out of the country, so he doesn't appear to have any direct ties to the southwest.

The Muledeer Chronicles purports to be a true account based on the journals of a Paiute Indian prospector.  The claim that it’s a true story has caused a bit of controversy with some other reviewers.  I’m not going to pass judgement on that aspect one way or the other, except to state that there are a couple of curious contradictions in the account if it is indeed a true tale.  One notable example is the Paiute author of the journals giving measurements in centimeters instead of inches.

That being said, I enjoyed the story and its integration of some small bits of skinwalker lore.  The book reads rather like the text version of a “found footage” movie, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing as it makes for a quick pace.  Coming in at only 80 pages, I can recommend it if you have an interest in all things skinwalker related and can detach from worrying whether or not it’s a factual account.

Exploring Skinwalker Ranch

The Uintah basin, in northern Utah is one of those weird areas that researchers refer to as a “portal” or, “window” area.  It’s a region of high strangeness, UFO sightings, encounters with cryptids, hauntings, poltergeist and little people, you name it and it seems it can be found there.  In the heart of this weird zone is a remote property that’s come to be known as “Skinwalker Ranch.”
Over the years, I’ve investigated a fair number of cases in the Uintah basin.  It’s an area I always found intriguing and I’m often asked about my experiences there. 

For the amount of activity that can be found in the region, very little has actually been written about the ranch and the surrounding area.  The main exception being the 2005 book, “Hunt for the Skinwalker” by Colm Kelleher and George Knapp.  Their intriguing tale includes accounts of strange lights and a bullet proof wolf.  It’s been a constant seller since its release and served to clue many people in on the unusual events in Utah.

Enter Ryan Skinner.  Ryan started digging into the weirdness on the ranch back in 2008.  His interest grew to the point that he started a forum and website dedicated to the mysteries occurring there.  Frankly, Ryan became obsessed with the ranch, and that’s by his own admission.  Having common interest, Ryan and I became friends and his internet focus on the ranch certainly stirred the pot.

The ranch you see, in case you don’t know, is the property of billionaire Robert Bigelow.  The same guy currently building space platforms for private ventures off planet.  Bigelow has kept a tight lid on the ranch.  Trespassing is strictly forbidden and violators will face charges if caught. 

But even though you can’t stroll onto the property, you can indeed learn more about the events that have unfolded there thanks to Ryan.  He’s written a series of books detailing both his personal experiences, as well as some of the curious things he’s uncovered over the years about the ranch.  While he currently lives in the Midwest, Skinner still makes regular pilgrimages to Utah to further his field investigations.  Camping out and exploring areas around the Uintah basin, probing the mysteries of this portal area and fact finding as much as possible.

Skinner has a degree in science and perhaps that’s part of what drives his fascination with

weird events.  The burning questions that haunt many of us in the paranormal certainly seem to drive him to continue his quest for answers.  But, as is usually the case in this field, there are more questions found than answers, and that’s okay.  It’s the questioning that leads us to deeper levels of understanding, and that’s a big part of the value of Ryan’s book series.

Ryan's obsession with the ranch is paying off for the rest of us.  He's probably spent more time exploring the mysteries of the region than any other dedicated investigator.  I won’t give away details on his books, rather, I encourage you to read them yourself.  But I will say, if you’re interested in the ranch itself, or portal zones where weird phenomena is concentrated, you’ll enjoy Ryan’s work.  He puts you there in the basin amid the weirdness, and you’ll get bits of his personal journey as well.  No, he doesn’t claim to have solved the mysteries of Skinwalker ranch, but it would be very suspect if he made that claim.  Rather, like any good researcher of the strange, his writing encourages others to join him on the quest.  Personally, I look forward to seeing what Ryan continues to dig up about one of the strangest regions in the country.

 

An older podcast featuring Ryan, myself, Chris O’Brien (who also investigated the ranch), and a surprise guest, check out the paracast: 

http://www.theparacast.com/podcast/now-playing-september-2-2012-david-weatherly-ryan-skinner-and-chip/

 

Ryan's books on the ranch can be found on Amazon:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ryan-Skinner/e/B00HGJMLPK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

 

 

 

Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch

The Uintah Basin ranks as one of the most intense paranormal hot spots in the country.  The region is rich in UFO sightings, hauntings and bizarre beings.  Cryptid encounters range from Bigfoot to Dogman and from giant wolves to phantom cats.  There are even encounters with 'little people' similar to the wee folk of Celtic lore.

Central to the basin's weirdness is the infamous Skinwalker Ranch.  The location was first made famous by journalist Zack Van Eyck who wrote a series of articles about the ranch for the Deseret News.  Later, Las Vegas journalist George Knapp, along with co-author Colm Kelleher further chronicled the strange events on the ranch in a book titled 'Hunt for the Skinwalker' published in 2005.

I've investigated a lot of cases in the Uintah Basin.  They almost always prove to be unusual and especially strange.  It's a rural area, dotted with small towns, ranches, Native American land and national forests.  From a paranormal perspective, it's an area that desperately needs further detailed study and investigation.

Skinwalker ranch itself was purchased by billionaire Robert Bigelow of Bigelow Air and Space.  Since he obtained the property, great effort has been made to keep it locked down and off limits to outsiders.  Staff on the ranch regularly claim there's no unusual activity occurring on the property.  It's a hard line to buy when the grounds are patrolled round the clock by security teams with dogs and the entrances are covered with security cameras.  Bear in mind this is in the middle of nowhere on a country road.

This week I appeared on a special round table episode of 'The Paracast' to discuss the Uintah Basin and the Skinwalker ranch.  Along with hosts Gene Steinberg and Chris O'Brien were myself, ranch expert Ryan Skinner and special guest 'Chip' an insider who revealed, for the first time, inside information about ranch operations.
You simply have to listen to this show just to hear the bombshell that Chip drops on us.

The Paracast can be heard here:

http://www.theparacast.com/