Every year the Samaria mountains announce with a low powerful rumble that spring has arrived. If you are in the vicinity it is quite an experience. Some experts believe that the rumbling is caused by air trapped in small fissures or caverns throughout the mountains. Indeed there are several caves in the mountains and some known hot springs in the vicinity. When the rumbling occurs it will often times even startle the animals. The Washakie Indians believed that the rumblings were caused by the spirits talking in the mountains.
Dr. Paul Link, head of the Department of Geology at Idaho State University says that since the rumbling occurs at regular intervals only during one period of the year it is unlikely that the rumbling is caused by seismic activity. He speculates that water moving within the mountains could possibly cause the "talking". Another hypothesis given by Dr. Link is that the temperature change might cause air to expand in underground caverns forcing the air to rush out causing a rumbling.
