YEAR: 2009

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: May

DATE: 12

STATE: New Mexico

COUNTY: San Juan County

LOCATION DETAILS: Location was right off the side of the road on a hill just before the picnic area.

NEAREST TOWN: Crystal, New Mexico

NEAREST ROAD: Hwy 134 - Narbona Pass

OBSERVED: A friend was visiting from out of town and so we decided to take advantage of the clear skies and mild temperatures and go for a road trip. We had just been down near Window Rock, AZ and were heading back to Farmington, NM. The easiest way to do so is going over Narbona Pass. The speed limit on this road is 65 and I was travelling at 65 when coming around a corner just south of the picnic area (there is only one area that is located east just off the highway). As I came around the corner I noticed something moving rapidly in a diagonal direction up the side of the hill just where the forest meets the meadows lining either side of the highway. It would be the east side of the road. I slowed down and said to my friend "Did you see that?!" he had seen it as well. I hit the brake to get another look but knew that by the time I backed up it would have been long gone.
What we saw was larger than a black bear or elk. Blackish-Brown hair that could be seen hanging from all over its body. It was running on two legs up the hill. It never looked over at us and we only saw its side and back. Broad and at least 7 ft tall.
We were both under the impression that we had startled it and it was quickly trying to get into the forest cover.
We stopped a mile or two up the road where the road crosses this creek at an ancient lava flow. The whole time we were out looking at rocks there was an eerie feeling that we were both getting that something was watching us. We stayed around for an hour and when the sun started to get lower behind the mountain we decided it was best to leave.

ALSO NOTICED: Just the feeling of being watched while rock hounding in a nearby creek.

OTHER WITNESSES: one other, a close friend visiting from out of state.

OTHER STORIES: yes, several people have spoken of seeing or hearing things in this area for years. I've personally have had two other incidents in this area. Locals speak of caves that these creatures live.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: At 5:00 pm, sunny, blue skies. Clear visibility. The sun was shining on the side of the hill the creature was running up.

ENVIRONMENT: Ponderosa Pine, Spruce, Fir, Aspen adjacent to a meadow just off the side of the road

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Todd Perteet:

As stated in the report, this encounter was witnessed by two separate individuals, the driver of the vehicle (submitter), and one passenger. I interviewed each of these men by phone and found their recollection of the event to be basically similar. Since the passenger was not concerned with driving, he was able to see the creature for a longer period of time and in greater detail. Below I will add each witness’ additional observations.

Driver:
-Estimated initial sighting distance at 50-60 yards.
-Length of observation approximately five seconds.
-Body covered with four to five inch long hair, described as the texture of a horse’s mane/tail, black with a red tint, “prune juice colored.”
-BFRO report #490 details an earlier encounter of this witness.

Passenger:
-Estimated initial sighting distance at 50 yards.
-Unsure as to length of observation, but definitely longer than the driver’s.
-Slope was quite steep going away from the road with scattered trees, becoming more heavily timbered further up.
-Creature was bounding up the steep slope on two legs, taking huge strides, and using its right arm to grab trees it passed to help pull itself along. Appeared to be carrying something in the left arm, but witness couldn’t see what.
-Body covered with three to four inch long hair, black/brown in color. Could clearly see a bouncing motion to the hair as the creature ran.
-Proportions include a long torso, long arms, shorter legs, rounded head, short “bulldog” neck, and a very wide body.
-Witness is 6’ 1” and said the creature would have “dwarfed” him.
-Did not notice any ears.

This sighting occurred in the sparsely populated Chuska Mountains of northwestern New Mexico. Located within the Navajo Nation, the surrounding area varies between approximately 8,000’ to 9,500’ in elevation. There are numerous water sources nearby.

About BFRO Investigator Todd Perteet:

Todd Perteet lives in northern Idaho and is a lifelong outdoorsman. Expeditions attended include Colorado (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), Oklahoma (2008, 2009), Utah (2009), Wyoming (2009, 2010, 2014), and Nebraska (2011).