In early 1997, a late night radio broadcast became the starting point of one of the most enduring modern mysteries connected to the American Northwest.

What began as a single phone call describing an unexplained geological anomaly would, over the following decades, evolve into a story involving alleged government intervention, unexplained disappearances, suppressed digital evidence, and disturbing claims of nonhuman activity deep beneath the surface of the Earth.

The event occurred on February 21, 1997, during a broadcast of Coast to Coast AM, a nationally syndicated radio program known for exploring unconventional topics ranging from unidentified aerial phenomena to unexplained scientific anomalies.

During the program, a caller identifying himself as Mel Waters calmly described a feature on his rural property near Ellensburg, Washington that defied known geological principles.

According to his account, the property contained a perfectly vertical hole that appeared to have no measurable bottom and exhibited unusual physical effects.

Waters stated that the hole was located in a remote area of his nine acre property, partially concealed by forest vegetation.

Over several weeks, he attempted to determine its depth using fishing line reinforced with heavy weights.

He claimed that more than fifteen miles of line were lowered without encountering resistance, impact, or sound.

Objects dropped into the opening produced no audible echo, splash, or collision, creating the impression that sound itself was being absorbed.

Local residents reportedly had long been aware of the hole’s existence.

Accounts suggested that it had been used for decades as an informal dumping site for refuse and livestock remains.

According to Waters, no object thrown into the hole ever produced sound or resurfaced.

Animals reportedly refused to approach the opening, and birds altered their flight paths to avoid passing overhead.

He described the surrounding air as dense and uncomfortable, producing a sensation of pressure rather than a detectable breeze.

Indigenous oral traditions from the region were cited as warning against the land.

Stories passed down through generations reportedly described the area as fundamentally disrupted, not cursed in a supernatural sense, but misaligned with natural order.

These accounts portrayed the site as a threshold rather than a physical void, a place that existed outside conventional understanding of space and depth.

The call concluded without incident, but recordings circulated widely among listeners and early internet forums.

The story drew attention from geologists and physicists, many of whom dismissed the claims as impossible.

Experts emphasized that Earth’s geothermal gradient and subsurface pressure make the existence of such a void physically untenable.

Rock formations at extreme depths deform and collapse under immense pressure, sealing cavities over time.

The deepest man made borehole, the Kola Superdeep Borehole in Russia, reached less than eight miles before heat and rock plasticity halted further drilling.

Despite scientific consensus, Waters later claimed that government interest followed his broadcast.

He reported the appearance of unmarked vehicles near his property and unexplained activity around the site.

According to his account, access to the land was later restricted under the pretext of environmental contamination.

He stated that officials offered financial compensation in exchange for leaving the country and ceasing discussion of the hole.

Waters relocated to Australia and disappeared from public view.

Five years later, Waters reappeared during another Coast to Coast AM broadcast.

Listeners noted significant changes in his demeanor and speech.

He described memory lapses, unexplained travel gaps, and physical marks resembling surgical scars for which he had no medical documentation.

He claimed that records of his employment and residence had been altered or erased.

He also stated that he had been taken to another similar site located in Nevada, though details remained fragmented.

Waters suggested that material recovered from these sites did not align with known geology or metallurgy and hinted at the presence of something living within the depths.

Shortly after this second appearance, he vanished again.

No verifiable records of his whereabouts have surfaced since.

For years, the story remained confined to archived radio recordings and online discussion boards.

In 2019, renewed attention emerged when users on a paranormal research forum shared satellite imagery and geographic coordinates believed to correspond with the original site near Manastash Ridge in Washington.

The images revealed a circular clearing devoid of vegetation, sharply contrasting with the surrounding forest.

The clearing appeared unnaturally uniform and lacked surface features typically associated with erosion or excavation.

Further analysis revealed that satellite imagery of the area had been deliberately obscured in later mapping services, using techniques consistent with restricted locations.

This change occurred between 2017 and 2019.

Users attempting to document or share the coordinates reported unexplained account suspensions, data loss, and online interference.

Multiple independent expeditions attempted to approach the area.

Reports described GPS malfunction, compass interference, unexplained illness, and the presence of unmarked infrastructure including fencing, cleared paths, and ventilation structures camouflaged within the forest.

Drone operators reported signal loss and wiped storage devices.

Hikers encountered restricted access enforced by unidentified personnel.

In 2023, a privately organized research group known as the Abyss Project undertook a carefully planned expedition.

The team included individuals with backgrounds in engineering, geology, imaging technology, and data analysis.

They constructed a custom tethered drone designed to withstand extreme pressure and temperature variation, equipped with low light cameras, thermal sensors, and electromagnetic detectors.

The team reached the clearing in October under conditions of minimal visibility.

They documented a circular opening approximately four feet in diameter, bordered by stones that appeared intentionally arranged.

The drone was deployed shortly after dawn.

Initial footage showed smooth stone walls consistent with natural formation.

At greater depths, the surface texture changed to a reflective, glass like appearance that distorted light and depth perception.

Sensors recorded unexpected temperature drops, contradicting geothermal expectations.

At approximately three hundred feet, the drone detected faint pulses of bioluminescent light emanating from below.

These pulses appeared rhythmic rather than random.

Audio analysis later revealed structured low frequency vibrations not detected during live monitoring.

At a depth of approximately six hundred feet, visual anomalies appeared.

Frame by frame review revealed a vertical figure adhered to the wall, exhibiting proportions inconsistent with human anatomy.

Motion analysis suggested noncontinuous movement, as if the figure shifted position between frames without traversing intermediate space.

Surface texture appeared crystalline, and reflective elements resembling eyes were visible.

Moments later, the drone feed terminated abruptly.

When recovered, the drone was found at a significantly shallower depth with extensive internal damage inconsistent with environmental conditions.

The external casing was frozen, while internal components showed signs of extreme heat exposure.

The primary data storage device was missing.

The team uploaded backup footage to a private server.

Within days, their online presence disappeared.

Accounts were deleted, communication ceased, and content hosting the footage was quietly removed.

No public explanation was provided.

Shortly afterward, the land surrounding the site was fenced and access restricted.

Satellite imagery was again obscured.

Since that time, no verified attempts to access the location have been publicly documented.

The absence of official statements has fueled continued speculation.

While scientific authorities maintain that the described phenomena contradict established physical laws, the persistence of reports and the pattern of suppression have sustained public interest.

The story of Mel Waters and the hole near Ellensburg remains unresolved.

No physical evidence has been independently verified by recognized institutions.

Yet the narrative continues to circulate, evolving with each retelling.

At its core lies a question that extends beyond geology.

Whether the phenomenon represents misinterpretation, deliberate fabrication, or an undiscovered aspect of reality remains unknown.

What endures is the record of a voice heard once on late night radio, describing something that should not exist, and the chain of events that followed.

As long as questions remain unanswered and information restricted, the mystery persists, not as folklore alone, but as a reflection of how unexplained claims intersect with technology, authority, and belief in the modern age.