YEAR: 1997

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 15

STATE: Utah

COUNTY: Weber County

NEAREST TOWN: Eden, Liberty

NEAREST ROAD: It was on the North Ogden Divide

OBSERVED: It happened one night when my brother in law and my sister had to take me home from a date because I got grounded and we drove my date home over North Ogden divide and then on our way back over the divide to Eden. As we just went over the top I noticed that there were no cars in the parking lot. It was 12:30 a.m. and dark. As we went another 100-200 yards down the valley side we noticed a person crossing the road, but as we got closer we could tell it was not a person but it was about 7 to 8 ft tall and hairy. By the time we were to pass it my brother-in-law rolled down his window and yelled "get out of the road!" my sister asked what do you think that was and my brother in-law said "it was probably some kid dressed in a gorilla suit" but as we thought about it, it did not make sense because there were no cars and there was no where to park other than the top. And after we yelled at it, it just walked up into the mountains. I know that I saw something that was about 8 ft tall very dark and hairy my only conclusion is that it was bigfoot

OTHER WITNESSES: yes me and my brother-in-law and my sister

OTHER STORIES: Yes I have a friend who told me about how they found half eaten fish and some hair samples at the trout farm in North Ogden

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 12:30 am it was just a dark starry night in the fall

ENVIRONMENT: It walked right across the road and the road is steep

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator  :

I reached witness DC’s residence by phone on January 18, 2004 but was told he was out. When I explained my business, I was told that the other witnesses were at home, and would be willing to talk with me. I spoke with NF. NF is a computer programmer, age 28. He is DC’s brother-in-law. NF repeated essentially the same story as in DC’s written report. He added the following details:
- He was driving and his window was down.
- The creature was walking towards them on the highway, just off of the pavement on a narrow two-lane road (just past the top of the pass).
- He initially thought it was some jokesters dressed up in a gorilla outfit.
- At the closest he was 12 feet or so from it.
- The creature’s walk was “kinda lazy like”. It was a “rhythmatic saunter”.
- The creature never changed its gait when he called out to it to “Get off the road”
- The creature was dark colored and hairy, but not excessively hairy (less than a shaggy dog)
- He was struck by the way the creature looked at them and just continued walking.
- The creature was tall and skinny.

I spoke with the witness’s wife, JF, who was also in the car. She said that she was tired when the incident happened. She remembers thinking “Oh my gosh, what’s that?” and thinking it was maybe kids dressed up in a gorilla outfit, but she could not remember any details beyond that. She could not remember color, size, or other details. She said, “I know it wasn’t an elk or moose.”

NF seemed straightforward and repeated the same details as were in the report submitted by his brother-in-law almost a year previous to my call. JF was hesitant to get into details because she wasn’t sure whether the image in her head (from the incident) might have been influenced by later discussions with her brother and husband. (The incident happened over six years ago.)

I reached DC by phone on January 19, 2004. He related the same basic story. The sighting was at 1:00 a.m. at the top of the mountain pass. They didn't notice any cars at the trailhead to Ben Lomond, the only place you can park. DC was in the passenger seat, so had a less favorable view when the car passed the creature, but a better view after that, because he was able to turn and see it as they drove away. DC estimated the creature to be at least 8 feet tall. He said it was "not big and heavy duty." He described the walk as almost normal (as compared to a human). The creature "wasn't hunched over" and walked "nonchalantly". It didn't change its pace as they passed by. It looked back at them after they passed, and then left the road, and hiked up into the forest. In the dark he didn't get a good look at facial details.

About BFRO Investigator  :

Carter Mackley is a private attorney in Seattle Washington with eight years experience as a public prosecutor.