MOUNTAIN MONSTERS: A TRIBUTE TO TRAPPER Airs on Travel Channel January 3rd
Josh Millican
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John Tice, affectionally known as “Trapper,” was the founder and leader of the Appalachian Investigations of Mysterious Sightings team (AIMS) that gave rise to the cult-classic series Mountain Monsters. Sadly, Trapper passed away in December 2019, after a prolonged illness. Mountain Monsters: A Tribute to Trapper, premiering on Sunday, January 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, pays tribute to Tice, with the AIMS team sharing their favorite memories and moments with him over the years as they investigated cryptids throughout the woods of Appalachia.
The surviving members meet up for the first time after Trapper’s passing to discuss the team’s future and embark on adventures during seven one-hour episodes and a two-hour season finale of Season Five of Mountain Monsters, premiering on Sunday, January 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The AIMS team reads a personal letter from Trapper and heads out on a brand new adventure that he set up for them before he passed. Equipped with his personal journal filled with everything he ever learned about the woods, the team travels to the mountains of the Tygart Valley on a mission to prove that there are still wolves in West Virginia. A bounty put on them, and the last wolf was said to have been killed in 1900. The team encounters local farmers who tell of a dangerous predator that has been killing their livestock. The team soon believes that not only are there wolves in the Tygart Valley, but there is something much more mysterious and deadly.
“After the tragic loss of Trapper, we recognized the importance of finding a way to celebrate his life with our AIMS-obsessed fans and then continue his mission,” says Matthew Butler, general manager, Travel Channel. “What makes the new season so special is that the squad was eager to carry on Trapper’s legacy and head back to the forest, set on following his life’s work including intense hunts, thrilling twists and hillbilly hilarity.”
Throughout the season, the team learns from locals of massive K9 cryptids with glowing red eyes that inhabit the land and are known by locals as Smoke Wolves. As they dig deeper, they realize that Trapper in fact knew about these creatures back in the 1970s. The team spends time trying to figure out if this is what Trapper meant about the wolves of West Virginia. Then, to add to the monster fun, the team realizes there is a Bigfoot lurking, terrorizing the area as well.
By the end of the season, the team understands why Trapper sent them to the Tygart Valley. They come full circle as Trapper’s daughter is filled in on their incredible findings. And Huckleberry has a Bigfoot surprise for the ages in a twist ending no one sees coming.
Check out Mountain Monsters on TravelChannel.com for more, including special show extras, behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive videos. Follow @TravelChannel and #MountainMonsters on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. for additional content and updates.
Mountain Monsters is produced by American Chainsaws Inc. for Travel Channel. For American Chainsaws, the executive producers are Colt Straub, Duke Straub, Royal Malloy and Russell Geyser. For Travel Channel, the producer is Cathy Garland, Matthew Butler is general manager and Henry Schleiff is group president of Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.
Bottom row: Jaco “Buck” Lowe, William “Wild Bill” Neff as seen on Travel Channel’s new season of “Mountain Monsters”
Are you a fan of Mountain Monsters? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
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