YEAR: 2002

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: February

DATE: 16

STATE: Virginia

COUNTY: Shenandoah County

LOCATION DETAILS: Sugar knob patc cabin on great north mountain on the boarder of va and wva

NEAREST TOWN: Woodstock virginia

NEAREST ROAD: Fire road leading to stony creek trailhead

OBSERVED: Two friends and I were backpacking on great north mountain in the winter of 2002. It was our second night and we reserved a stone cabin from the PATC, named sugar knob cabin, we had not seen anyone all day. There was an ice storm coming and we attributed it to that. We made a fire outside the cabin just before dusk while it was still nice out. We began to hear slow moving, very heavy footsteps walking around the perimeter of the location we were at. We thought it was a bear or a deer but it was clearly on two feet by the sounds it was making. We called out to see if it was a poacher or just someone walking around but no response was given. This is a pretty remote spot and definitely not very visited in the winter months. The walking sounds continued but because the sun was down by now we could not see too far into the woods. We all heard the walking sounds for quite a while and it really freaked us out so much so we abandoned the fire and pretty much locked ourselves into the cabin. All of us had a lot of outdoor experience and had backpacked a lot as well. We had never heard or experienced anything like this before. The sounds got closer once inside the cabin. It is a stone cabin so it is fairly well Insulated from noise. So whatever it was, was large. The footsteps seemed to stop and continue for maybe an hour or so. We made dinner inside and after we ate the footsteps were right next to the cabin, there was a window opposite the door with wood shutters on the blinds that were closed so I opened them expecting to see a person but we all witnessed a dark, very hairy large face looking at us about a foot outside the window. We were terrified, shaking and speechless. The creature took off after a few seconds of seeing us and vise versa. We never heard anymore sounds after that either. We stayed up all night, though just kind of standing guard. The next morning we awoke to ice everywhere and could not find any tracks or evidence of what we saw and heard. We hiked down the stony creek trail to the cars as fast as we could without getting hurt with the ice on the ground. There was a cabin journal at that time and we read it over that night after the incident and read several accounts that were similar to ours. We never stayed there again and this is the first time I have ever told this because I did not want people to think I was nuts or something.

OTHER WITNESSES: 2 other witnesses

OTHER STORIES: Yes just from reading the cabin journal, not sure if it's still there just because we never went back

ENVIRONMENT: Saddle of a mountain mixed woods fairly dense

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator D.K.:

After conversing at length with the witness, the following information can be added to his report:

While following the Big Schloss circuit hike in the George Washington National Forest, the witness and his hiking partners camped at Sugar Knob cabin, a small stone structure maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. The cabin is located very near the Virginia/West Virginia State line, approximately 10 miles north west of Woodstock, Virginia. The area around the cabin is densely vegetated with mountain laurel, oak and pine, making it difficult to see a great distance into the forest.

Before sunset the party built a fire in the ring outside the cabin and began to hear loud, clear sounds of movement in the forest around them. As they listened to the sounds, they became convinced they were bipedal and from something large. Expecting a hunter, they called out, but received no response. Eventually they moved into the cabin and secured the door, increasingly concerned over the noises that continued to come from outside.

The sound of movement continued off and on for nearly three hours, coming closer to the cabin. And from inside the cabin, a small but sturdy structure of cement and local stone, the trio could clearly hear foot steps moving, and then stopping, and eventually moving on again. They grew increasingly "freaked out" when the footsteps finally circled around behind the cabin and stopped just outside a small shuttered window.

By now a layer of snow and ice had blanketed the area and outside visibility was noticeable better, despite being well after sundown. When the witness opened the shutters they were startled to see a "large, hairy face with large eyes" just outside and staring in at them. The witness could tell this was a large creature that was bending down to look in the window. But his attention was mostly drawn to a dull red shine in the creature's eyes and the immensity of its head. The witness described an immediate sense of panic at what he was seeing and knew the creature could easily enter the cabin if it wished.

After 3 to 4 tense seconds of staring through the window at each other, the creature turned away and move off quickly. The witnesses were all shocked by the encounter and relieved that the creature did not move to harm them. They remained awake the rest of the night, however no other sounds were heard. In the morning they quickly departed and made their way down an icy path to their vehicles at the trail head.

The witness has since moved to Alaska and lost touch with his hiking partners, so their perspectives on the event are not available for this report. However, as noted by the witness, anecdotal information of other encounters were recorded in the cabin's visitor log, and the BFRO is investigating reports from other witnesses within short distances of this location.

No one has tried to look at and confirm the cabin's visitor log, both time and distance are big factors. This took place so long ago that the log may no longer be there. Since speaking with this witness, BFRO investigators are attempting to locate and review the visitor's log referenced by the witness in this report. If it reveals any relevant information then this report will be updated. If you have any information regarding this cabin and/or its visitor log, please contact the BFRO at contact@bfro.net

About BFRO Investigator D.K.:

D.K. is a business executive with an MS in Systems Engineering. Formerly a linguistic analyst, he applies his knowledge to the collection and study of sasquatch vocals and communication patterns. BFRO expeditions attended: Tennessee 2010, Pennsylvania 2011, Ohio 2012, West Virginia 2012 & West Virginia 2013

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