YEAR: 1986

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

DATE: 7/17/86

STATE: Colorado

COUNTY: El Paso County

LOCATION DETAILS: Cheyenne Mountain, near NORAD.

NEAREST TOWN: Ft. Carson

NEAREST ROAD: FR 371 (Forest Service gravel road)

OBSERVED: While training at Ft Carson, I was on patrol with a Marine Recon Agressor Force, agressing fire batteries in simulated attacks. My patrol attacked the HQ company, and during the withdrawal, I was separated from my unit. There was plenty of ambient light, and I could see my unit across the field and hear them calling for me. They took off, and I figured I could cut through a wooded area and intercept them. As I rounded a bend in the trail, a figure stepped out into the trail in front me. It was about 6.5 feet tall, covered in light brown fur, had large fox-like ears, and large, black, globe-shaped eyes. The nostrils were slitted and large, without much nasal definition. The body was muscular, with a thin waist and easily discernible definition, and the arms were long, hanging below the level of the hips. The creature stepped out into the trail, looking in the opposite direction, and I had stopped stock-still the moment I saw it. It turned and saw me, at which it exhibited a startle reflex,then immediately crouched down and slowly moved sideways off the trail, watching me the entire time. It knelt behind a bush, at which point it became very hard to see.
I realized that I was encountering something few people have the opportunity to see, at only a distance of about 10 feet.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just me.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 3:00 AM, Nearly full moon, large amount of ambient light.

ENVIRONMENT: Mountainous

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator K.Hovanec:

I spoke with the witness and he provided a consistent recounting of the incident. He was forthcoming and sincere during our interview.

Although the incident occurred over 20 years ago (July 1986), his description of the sighting was somewhat detailed and consistent.

He stated there was sufficient ambient light to clearly see the subject. He watched it approach for several seconds through the trees and brush before he realized that it was not one of his team members.

He described what he saw as tall and hair covered (well over 6 feet, covered in light brown hair, muscular body with a thin waist, and long arms hanging below the level of the hips).

He was directly facing the subject at about 10-12 feet and was able to observe detailed facial features including the eyes, nose and ears as he described in his report (eyes large and dark, visible ears, large nostrils with a hint of a nasal ridge, and short hair in the facial area). I specifically asked him about the ears, as in his report he described them as large and fox-like. He said that they were clearly visible, human-like but pointed at the tip.

He described the head as slightly conical in shape and sloping from front to back.

He was able to determine that it was not a bear or a person but a human- or ape-like creature.

He does not remember any odor or unusual smell.

The witness, who currently resides near Kansas City, is an ordained minister and works as a police officer.

Additional notes:
I sent him a map of the area and he showed me the location as best he could remember. The location, as he described it to me, was to the northwest of Ft Carson and south of NORAD in El Paso County on or near the National Forest in the vicinity of Sugarloaf Mtn and Grey Back Peak, just off of Forest Service Rd 371.

He remembers being close to restricted area signs (NORAD) and some indication that they were training in the vicinity of Ft Carson and possibly on or near National Forest. Having been stationed there myself, some selected small unit training could and did occur, with exception, off of the Post property and on or near the National Forest which is just west of Ft Carson. I drove to the area as close as I could get and the area did fit his description.

Note that this location is near several other Class A and B reports that have occurred over the past 10-years or so in the Pikes Peak region, specifically reports #15278, #3506, and #1361.

About BFRO Investigator K.Hovanec:

K.Hovanec is a retired US Army Engineer and systems engineer for a defense contractor. He attended the BFRO Colorado Expeditions in 2005 and 2008, and will attend the CO 2009 Expedition. He continues to conduct search and investigative follow-up in Colorado.