YEAR: 2009

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: Tuesday, Aug. 4th

STATE: Washington

COUNTY: King County

LOCATION DETAILS: Within a mile west of the west side of the Cascade Tunnel. Just after the sighting, I viewed a sharp drop in the terrain, to reveal a river below that was full of boulders and had 'white water' rapids.

NEAREST TOWN: Within a mile of the west opening to the Cascade Tunnel

NEAREST ROAD: Probably Hwy 2. (We were on the train).

OBSERVED: My wife and I just returned from a trip out to Seattle via Amtrak. We took the ‘Empire Builder’ out of Chicago, all the way to Seattle. On the morning of Tuesday, August 4th, around 8:00am, I was sitting in our ‘sleeper compartment’, on the port side of the train as it exited the long, Cascade Tunnel. I was just relaxing with my head back against the seat, looking out the window, letting the scenery pass by. The train was moving about 40mph and the landscape rose sharply up the mountain. (I was facing toward the rear of the train.)



About a mile west of the tunnel exit, I suddenly glimpsed a ‘huge’ figure, standing in the trees, up the grade about 50 to 75 feet from the train!! The woods were quite dense and I only saw the figure for a brief moment but it was unmistakably a Bigfoot!!

He, (it) was standing on the sharp incline, looking down at the train, with his right hand on an Aspen tree!! (Because of the speed of the train, I only glimpsed it but I’m positive of what I saw!!!!)



The area seemed to be very remote, desolate and wild!! A minute or two later, the landscape dropped off into a steep canyon where I could view the Skokomish river below. It looked to be full of large boulders and the flow was quite rapid and steep.



The Empire Builder passes this same spot daily. It occurs to me that this animal might have developed some curiosity with the train and may visit the spot quite often. It was quite a shock to glimpse him!!! Quite a thrill as well!! Of course, I exclaimed to my wife immediately. (There was no chance she could see it because of her position and the speed of the train). I have ‘reluctantly’ told my family and a few close friends of the sighting. They are understandably skeptical.

ALSO NOTICED: The 'figure' I saw was very large --- perhaps 8 or 9 feet tall. I could see no details of its features but it moved its head to the left as if it was observing the passing train.

OTHER WITNESSES: My wife was seated across from me, looking toward the front of the moving train. I was looking to the rear.

OTHER STORIES: Since my sighting and returning home, I've read several accounts on the Internet. (Brought me to your website).

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Around 8:00am --- sunny and clear.

ENVIRONMENT: Steep inclining forested mountainside. Very remote.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Tyler Bounds:

I spoke with the witness on August 11, 2009 for over an hour. I found him to be very relaxed, friendly, and matter-of-fact about his sighting. He had some additional details to add to his report:

He noticed the figure on a steep hillside above the train. Its right hand was on a tree that was approximately 8 to 10 inches in diameter, in deep cover, with small, younger trees in front of and below it.

At first he thought it was stationary; perhaps a cardboard cutout, when he noticed that its head was moving from side to side, as if it was watching the train go by.

He saw the figure from head to toe. It was covered in black hair, and appeared to be "very, very muscular." He estimated its weight to be 400 pounds. He did not notice any details of facial features.

Its right elbow was bent, and its left arm was dangling at its side.

The witness, who is a hunter, only observed it for about two seconds, but knew what it was immediately.

The area is remote and undeveloped, and very rugged, with lots of second-growth deciduous and coniferous trees, in addition to several creeks, at an elevation of 2000 feet.

I went to the area of the site one week after speaking to the witness and walked 1.5 miles of railroad track in an effort to pinpoint the exact location of the sighting. The tracks parallel US 2, and intersect with a power line right-of-way. The Deception Creek trailhead is also in the immediate area of the sighting.

About BFRO Investigator Tyler Bounds:

Tyler Wm. Bounds is a lifelong outdoorsman and explorer, spending many years hiking, backpacking, biking and paddling throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. He has attended the Washington Cascades Expeditions in 2008 and 2009, the Washington Olympic Peninsula Expeditions in 2008, 2009, 2010 (organizer) and both 2011 WA expeditions (organizer), Oregon 2010 Expedition (co-organizer with Matt Pruitt), and numerous smaller trips, both solo and with other Investigators and BFRO members, investigating Bigfoot sightings and activity. Also Outdoor Technician, Production Associate and Fixer on the popular Animal Planet series "Finding Bigfoot", 2010-current.