YEAR: 2001

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: April

DATE: 22

STATE: California

COUNTY: Tuolumne County

LOCATION DETAILS: Take Highway 108 to Long Barn, and take the Long Barn road toward Fahey Cabin.

NEAREST TOWN: Long Barn

NEAREST ROAD: Long Barn Road

OBSERVED: The witness went snowshoeing Sunday morning, April 22, 2001 on the road past Long Barn that runs down to the Clavey. There was snowfall the previous Fri night/Sat. morning and there was six to eight inches of fresh snow on the ground. The road was closed at the first gate, so he parked the car there and hiked in on the road aprox. 1 to 1 1/2 miles. All told, approx 2 miles from the highway. He spotted a small animal trail and was kind of watching the path when he came upon six prints going across the road. He had a camera and took pictures. He used a adjustable ski pole as a measuring unit and has those measurments. It was hot and sunny that day with temps over 65. The sides of the road were heavily forested and went down a steep incline (no snow). He did not go off the road to follow. He hiked for another hour or so and when he came back the prints were melting rapidly. Approximate sizes were 3" deep, 17" long with a 5 foot stride between each print. Width 7 1/3 inches at widest, heel was 4 inches. The prints seemed to go in a straight line, not staggered like humans. No other footprints human or otherwise around.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just one.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Early morning. It had snowed the day before, so it was cold, but clear. Temp was 65 degrees.

ENVIRONMENT: Stanislaus National Forest. Pine forest.

Follow-up investigation report:

This report was investigated five days after the footprints were first seen. Numerous broken and twisted trees where noted all along the road.