Beau Fadeez: Haunting Liberty Lake's Zephyr Lodge

LIBERTY LAKE, WA — A century-old mystery may still be echoing through the trees of Liberty Lake, as new reports suggest the spirit of a long-lost logger is once again making his presence known.

Beau Fadeez, a seasoned woodsman who vanished in the winter of 1928, has long been the subject of local folklore. But recent sightings and strange sounds near the lake’s eastern trails have reignited interest in the legend — and concern among visitors.

A Legacy of the Logs

Fadeez was last seen heading into the dense timberland east of Liberty Lake, axe in hand, muttering something about “finding the right groove.” He never returned. All that was found was his axe, wedged deep into a cedar stump, and a trail of drag marks that led nowhere.

Since then, whispers of a figure roaming the woods have persisted — a man-shaped shadow, always just out of reach, dragging something heavy behind him.

Eyewitness Account: “He Was Watching Me”

Local hiker and artist Mara Ellison, 34, says she encountered something unsettling during a solo sketching trip near the lake’s southern inlet last week.

“I was sitting by the water, just past dusk, when I heard it — this slow, scraping sound, like something being pulled across wet leaves,” Ellison told Chronicles. “I thought it was an animal, but then I saw him. Tall. Soaked. Wearing what looked like an old flannel shirt, just standing there between the trees.”

She described the figure as “motionless, but not still,” and said she felt an overwhelming sense of being measured.

“He didn’t move, but I swear I heard him say something — not out loud, but in my head. It was like, ‘You’re not ready for this cut.’ I packed up and left. Fast.”

Ellison hasn’t returned to the lake since.

A Pattern in the Pines

Park rangers have dismissed the reports as “seasonal imagination,” but longtime residents aren’t so sure. Some say the lake has moods — and that when the air gets thick and the water goes still, it’s best not to linger.

“Beau was a man who took his time,” said local historian Gerry Laskin, 78. “He believed in working the grain slow, letting the forest speak first. Folks who rush in, who don’t respect the rhythm — they’re the ones who feel him.”

A Warning in the Wind

Whether ghost story or something more, the legend of Beau Fadeez continues to shape the culture around Liberty Lake. Visitors are advised to stay on marked trails, avoid the woods after dark, and — as the old saying goes — never turn your back to the timberline.

Have you had a strange experience at Liberty Lake? Share your story with us. And remember: if you hear dragging in the dark, don’t follow it.