In 1984, an avid fisherman named John was driving the McCarthy Road toward a small lake north of McCarthy. While fishing a roadside tributary, John was repeatedly targeted by stones thrown from the dense alder brush—projectiles thrown with such force they shattered against the water's surface. Intrigued and slightly annoyed, John attempted to investigate but encountered only eerie silence.
In town, local store owners warned him of 'aggressive bears,' though John remained skeptical given the nature of the projectiles. Returning to the site, the rock-throwing barrage escalated; large rocks were launched through the dense alder canopy with enough force to splinter branches. Overcome by a sudden, crushing wave of irrational, primal dread, John retreated to his truck.
Driving the rough, washboard McCarthy Road, he suffered an intense, multi-hour psychological siege, plagued by the terrifying conviction that a massive entity was actively attempting to board the truck bed to rip him through the rear window. Despite his professional background and armed status, the fear remained so severe that it lingered for days after he reached Valdez. Later, while performing construction work in a nearby native village, John's attempt to inquire about the 'rock-throwing bears' caused the entire group of village elders to immediately vacate the dining tent, labeling him a carrier of a 'bad omen' for discussing the hairy man.
