Have you ever had one of those dreams that you fall into a bottomless pit? Well, legend has it that a real endless hole is located on Manastash Ridge near Ellensburg. This story has generated many debates since its first narration in 1997.
If you ask a native, you will hear stories of paranormal activities, dead animals resurrecting, and government conspiracies about Mel’s Hole. On the other hand, a skeptical person’s view will leave you wondering whether the bottomless pit exists. We provide you with some Mel’s Hole facts to help you decide.
1. Mel Waters Started It
The morning talk show “Coast to Coast” featuring the late Art Bell was top-rated in the 90s. It highlighted conspiracies, aliens, and paranormal stories –the things that got people hooked at the time.
However, when a man named Mel Waters called in on the morning of February 21, 1997, it wasn’t business as usual. The hosts and listeners were used to strange stories, but the day’s caller took several levels higher.
Mel Waters claimed he knew of a bottomless hole about 9 miles from Ellensburg. Until then, “sinking in a bottomless pit” was just an expression and meant nothing literal. However, the more Mel spoke, the more people believed the pit was a thing.
2. The Mel’s Hole Attracts Strange Stories
First, Mel Waters claimed the Hole exhibited paranormal properties. He said that despite the locals dumping their garbage in the pit for decades, the pit had never shown any signs of filling up. However, the narrator got the listeners hooked when he said a dead dog thrown into the Hole had resurrected days later and was in the company of a hunter. The pet didn’t recognize its “original owner,” though.
Another strange story was that when Mel held his radio over the Hole, it started playing old, unheard-of music. When he lowered a weighted fish line down the pit, it ran more than 80,000 feet (about 16 miles) without reaching the bottom.
3. Its Location Is Unclear
Many people who believe and can narrate the stories associated with Mel’s Hole can’t give its exact location. Instead, they say the government seized the region and probably covered what was supposed to be a bottomless pit.
According to the legend’s owner, Mel Waters, you can find the Hole near the Manastash Ridge, about 9 miles south of Ellensburg.
4. The Mel’s Hole Is a Geological Impossibility
Not to ruin it, but if you are a fan of paranormal stories and activities, there is news for you. Looking at the details of Mel’s Hole, you can tell its existence is a geological impossibility. Geologists say there is little to no chance that a hole running 16 miles deep can support itself.
Jack Powell, a renowned geologist from the Washington State Department, debunks the existence of Mel’s Hole. He says the terrain of the area provided by Mel as the Hole’s location can’t support a nearly 16-mile pit.
The geologist explains that the pressure and heat at such depth will cause the Hole to crumble in no time. Russia’s borehole, the Kola Superdeep, is one of the world’s deepest and only runs 7.6 miles. This is after heavy investment, excellent engineering, and purposeful drilling. Mel’s Hole is supposedly over double this.
5. Mel Waters Called In Several Times
After the first call in 1997, Mel Waters called the Coast-to-Coast Am show several times in 2000 and 2002. This is understandable because, for a legend to survive, it must be passed down through the generations by repetition and exaggeration.
The radio station also replayed segments of Mel’s call over time, generating interest from the public and cementing the legend’s place.
6. There Are No Records of Mel Waters’ Existence
When introducing himself to the radio station, Mel said he was familiar with Central Washington University, and his wife worked there. However, when journalists followed up, they discovered no one with such a name living in Kittitas County or a wife working at the institution.
In his end, Mel claimed that the authorities forced him to lease his land where the Hole was located. He then used the money to relocate to Australia. If true, this may explain why there aren’t any public records supporting the existence of Mel Waters.
