YEAR: 2008

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

DATE: 30

STATE: Colorado

COUNTY: San Juan County

LOCATION DETAILS: Up 550 past Durango in the San Juan mountains. Crater lake trailhead is at Andrews Lake.

NEAREST TOWN: Durango, Colorado

NEAREST ROAD: Hiway 550

OBSERVED: In about late June of 2008 I was hiking the crater Lake trail outside of Durango Colorado with 3 of my children. They had run a little ways ahead of me and I was just admiring the view when off in the tree line about half way up the trail I noticed a large hairy figure approx. 7 to 9 feet tall walking just behind the tree line at about 50 to 100 yards. It was walking upright and took long strides. I only saw it for a minute maybe and didnt say anything to the kids so not to alarm them. I never really told too many people about this but after watching a bigfoot special on tv about a year later I realized I wasnt the only one to ever see something like that in this area.

OTHER WITNESSES: no

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Around lunchtime. The weather was clear and very mild that day probably in the 50s.

ENVIRONMENT: Pine Forest, Mountain Ridge

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Todd Perteet:

After speaking with the witness by phone, the following details can be added to his report:

-Creature was definitely bipedal and he could clearly see it from the elbows up as it walked.
-It was below him, walking parallel to, and somewhat away from him. He saw it emerge from a wooded area, walk through some tall brush, then reenter the heavy woods.
-It never turned to look at him but was silhouetted. From what he could see the face appeared to be relatively flat (no snout).
-Witness said creature moved smoothly and rapidly, but was not running.
-Appeared to be brownish in color and covered in medium length fur/hair.
-Estimated it to be at least eight feet tall, possibly taller, with a very broad upper body and large arms.
-Upon reflection, estimates total duration of sighting at 20-30 seconds.

The witness and his children (ages 11, 13, and 14) were approximately 4.5-5 miles along the Crater Lake Trail (FS 623) when the sighting occurred. He was quite surprised and somewhat in disbelief of what he was seeing at that moment. And although he was carrying a digital camera, he said that by the time he could have readied the camera and taken a picture, the subject would have been out of his view. As stated in the report, it wasn't until he saw a television show relating other accounts in the area before deciding to share this experience.

This encounter was in the Weminuche Wilderness at an approximate altitude of 11,500 feet MSL, and just below timberline. The area has abundant water sources, vegetation and game animals during the summer season.

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).