YEAR: 2005

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 21

STATE: California

COUNTY: Mono County

LOCATION DETAILS: The trail goes into the Hoover Wilderness beginning at Leavitt Meadows Camp Ground. South end of the meadow.

NEAREST TOWN: Bridgeport

NEAREST ROAD: Highway 108.

OBSERVED: We (my husband, my son, and myself) were in Mono County this past weekend, Sunday August 21st, 2005, for a day hike to Roosevelt Lake and its twin. We arrived at the lakes at appx. 11 a.m. and fished until 2:30 p.m., at which time we decided to head back down the trail for home. There were quite a few hikers in the area over the course of the day, appx. 13 hikers and a pack train consisting of 4 riders and 8 horses and a dog. Some coming in, some going out. Anyway, we headed down the trail following the pack train. We stopped on the way down to read the sign about the wagons that tried to use that trail way back in the day. I heard a noise like some one else coming down the trail behind us and told my family let's get going. The trail was pretty dry and dusty and my husband kept insisting that we give the hikers ahead of us some time so we could avoid walking in their dust. The next section of trail was slightly up hill so after cresting the top and going a short distance down the other side we stopped for a water break. We heard what we thought was a shout, my son shouted back and something answered, but the echo was pretty bad, so we couldn't make out what was being said. We continued on down the trail and had just approached the south end of Leavitt Meadows, when my husband says "What is that?" Both my son and I stopped and looked across the river toward the meadow. From the beginning it was a strange sight, because this large black thing appeared to be floating across the meadow. At first I thought it was a backpacker perhaps riding a bike, because it was moving so quickly across the meadow. It was moving quickly and smoothly. It didn't make sense. If it was a back packer, to be moving that fast, he would have to be running and running with a back pack is anything but smooth; if he was riding a bike, then why couldn't I see the bike and its arms and legs were in line with its body, not bent at an angle like it was sitting on something. Also the color, I couldn't figure out why a backpacker would be wearing black, black cap, black backpack, black pants, black coat. It was at least 80-85 degrees. We stood and watched silently for a time, perhaps 10-15 seconds. The speed and smoothness with which it traveled was mesmerising. Then my husband and son took off running further up the trail to another vantage point; they continued to watch it silently, then just shortly after I caught up to them, my son yelled, and the thing stopped and turned toward us. It didn't turn as a human would turn, even one wearing a backpack. Then it began moving across the meadow again. Not faster or slower, just the same floating type pace.
We were on the trail above the meadow, looking down and appx. 500-800 yards a way from the object. My husband believes the thing was following the pack trail. We left the trail and went down to the meadow. We stayed on the trail side of the river. The thing was on the opposite side of the river. By this time it was gone or hidden from us. The best way to describe it is like this. The thing had a head that sat directly on its shoulders. It did not appear to have a neck. That is why we at first thought it was a backpacker. It went head, broad shoulders or backpack, no neck, large body. We could not discern its legs or arms due mostly to the angle at which it was leaving us. The grass in the Meadow obscured some of the legs. We have spent many hours in the woods, my husband was raised in Plumas county, neither he nor I have ever ever seen anything like this. It could not have been a bear, they can't walk that far on 2 legs, nor that smoothly or quickly.

ALSO NOTICED: The only thing unusual was the fact that I heard something when we stopped to read the sign, it wasn't anything outstanding at the time, just a noise that led me to believe that someone else was on the trail behind us, but the interesting thing is that while we were down in the meadow, appx. 30 minutes or so, no one passed on the trail. Also the incident with the shouting between my son and whatever that was. A bunch of little things that by themselves didn't mean anything and maybe still don't.

OTHER WITNESSES: 3 witnesses, walking down the trail heading for the truck.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 3:15-3:30 P.M.
Hot, slightly breezy, moderately cloudy.

ENVIRONMENT: Trail runs between ridge line and river. Sparse trees on ridge, some willows and smaller-type trees follow the course of the river. Standing on the trail facing the meadow you can see an open-faced building on the right, way across the meadow. The thing came from the left, turned at almost a 90 degree angle and went away from us toward the far side mountain.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Dr. Wolf H. Fahrenbach:

The witnesses estimated the size of the animal to be near 7'. Its coat was black with possible lighter ("golden") color on the arms. Its head was dome-shaped.

They perceived the most remarkable attribute of the encounter to be the rapid, but smoothly gliding progression of the creature. The animal’s upper body did not move up and down despite the fact that these Sierra mountain meadows are generally strewn with a profusion of granite rocks and boulders hidden in deep vegetation. The elevation of Leavitt Meadows is about 7,100'.

The entire observation lasted several minutes.

About BFRO Investigator Dr. Wolf H. Fahrenbach:

Hair analysis since 1965. Field work since 1989. Sasquatch courses given in Oregon and Arizona (3-10 weeks duration); Published in Cryptozoology.

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