YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

STATE: Washington

COUNTY: Whatcom County

NEAREST TOWN: Van Zandt

NEAREST ROAD: Mt. Baker HWY

OBSERVED: Two friends and myself decided to go camping in my "backyard" which happens to be 10 acres in the foot hills of Van Zandt. It was getting to be later in the afternoon, about 3pm or so, and we decided to find a place to pitch a tent. By this time we were about 80- 90 feet above the house and in the woods at this old single room trailer that is left up there, locked. In the front there is a fire pit and so that's were we decided to pitch the tent. My two friends, one a guy about 20 years old, the other a girl about 17 years old decide to go and grab some wood from, just near by. Not but a minute after rounding the trailer, I hear both scream and run back around the trailer with shear panic on thier faces. It freaked me out just by looking at them. They both swore up and down they saw a very large, hairy, upright "thing", move very quickly out from behind a tree into thicker brush near by. I thought g at first and figured it was my stepdad checking up on us. We decided to stay anyways and within a couple of hours it was pouring rain with thunder and lighting. I did end up asking my step dad if he came out and he denies any involvment.

OTHER WITNESSES: There were 3 of us and my two friends saw it

OTHER STORIES: Yes, supposidly this area is full of sighthing

TIME AND CONDITIONS: early evening,between 3 and 5 pm

ENVIRONMENT: Wooded environment with a creek running through to the Nooksack River

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Ric Hjertberg:

Subsequent to filing her report, the subject was able to contact one of her two friends to review the incident. Later, I spoke with her by phone and several additional details emerged:

(1) After pitching their tent by an old trailer, up the steep hill behind home, the three young friends felt uneasy, as if they were being watched. This was unusual since the subject had spent many years hiking, camping, and swimming on this property without seeing anyone or feeling anything unexpected.

(2) Her two friends left the tent site to collect fire wood. Each walked around the trailer from different ends. They both immediately saw movement in the woods.

(3) About 30' away a very large, dark, upright figure moved out from behind a tree and disappeared swiftly into the forest.

(4) The subject was disturbed by her shocked friends as they rushed back. She first guessed it might be a prank by her father but her friends were convinced it was not human, based on size, silence, and speed.

(5) The three had spent much time outdoors and didn't feel further threatened. They carried on with their outing. Later that evening it rained quite heavily and they stayed in the tent.

(6) The property has a creek with an 80' waterfall and swim-able standing pools. The hill rises abruptly behind the house into deep woods with little undercover. The grade continues steeply up several thousand feet in altitude.

About BFRO Investigator Ric Hjertberg:

Ric focuses on bicycle wheel building, tooling, design, and history.