YEAR: 1971

SEASON: Summer

STATE: Colorado

COUNTY: Larimer County

LOCATION DETAILS: In the Rawah Wilderness, close to Steamboat, in the Roosevelt National Forest

OBSERVED: In 1971 I saw some very large footprints in the snow in the summer high in a Colorado wilderness area. These prints were at least half again as big as a big human foot and the stride length was much longer than any human -- at least 4 feet or longer. They looked exactly like human prints. They were not bear, I recognize those. They proceeded across several small remaining snow patches on a mountain side meadow. There were about a dozen or more clear prints. I saw none on the ground between the snow, the ground was firm and damp. I saw no other suggestive evidence, but was not searching for any. I was scared shitless and wanted to get out of there ASAP! I wondered if they may have been human, and had enlarged and spread out by the heating, melting, cooling and refreezing that occurs at that time of year in the little snow patches. But the detail was fairly preserved and one would think that any melting and refreezing would blur those details. The possibility of this phenomenon should be examined. Someone should walk through the summer snow patches barefooted and then observe the prints for a number of days during the summer when this melt/refreeze procees occurs. If the enlarging of the prints and spreading of the stride does not occur, I assume these prints I saw were not human. If they do spread out, maybe someone just walked through there barefooted. I wondered if it were a hoax, but the area was quite remote and the perpetrator would have to know someone would pass that exact spot. I don't recall if we were on an established trail or just wandering near our campsite. Also if it was a hoax, why would they put the prints in the snow, since one could not predict exactly when it would melt in the unpredictable summer weather. I have no particular interest in the existence of the Sasquatch, but as a scientist I am curious. Having seen these prints with my own eyes, I definitely believe it is possible. There were two friends were with me and we all saw the same thing.
I am 46 years old and was in high school at that time.

OTHER WITNESSES: Myself, a friend who later became a Navy pilot, and his girlfriend's brother whose name I don't recall.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Midafternoon, mild, partly cloudy.

ENVIRONMENT: Alpine meadow

Follow-up investigation report:

Excerpts of interview with witness:

"They were big. Oh man, It was the freakiest thing. They were huge, half again as big as the biggest human footprint. I'm not sure if I was cognizant of bigfoot at the time. I didn't measure them and I didn't examine it for heel strike and push off. They were just big-ass footprints."

He also estimated that he found the tracks eight miles from their entry to the wilderness.

"People say there is no such thing as bigfoot. I know what I saw. I didn't get to be a physician by being an idiot."