Geographical Index > United States > Washington > Cowlitz County > Report # 4359
(Class A)
Submitted by witness J.K. on Thursday, May 23, 2002.
Motorists spot sasquatch and give chase near Mt. St. Helens
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YEAR: 2002
SEASON: Spring MONTH: May DATE: 18th STATE: Washington COUNTY: Cowlitz County LOCATION DETAILS: It was on the right hand side of the highway when you are going down the mountain away from Mt. St. Helens NEAREST TOWN: Mt. St. Helen's Washington NEAREST ROAD: Highway 504 OBSERVED: We were driving down the highway away from Mt.St. Helens and saw a hairy being, a sasquatch, alongside the road.
It was seen by all in the car, my wife, my child and myself.
It looked to covered in black hair all over it's body and was moving quickly from one group of trees across a meadow to another group of trees.
It moved in a quick loping fashion with it's arms extended downward and swinging at it's side. In it's right hand it carried a club like item.
We backed up and went down a side gravel road and went up it looking for the sasquatch. After a few hundred yards we turned around and went down and tried another area but still saw nothing. We then went back to the meadow area and drove slowly up the slope of the meadow.
The meadow was surrounded by trees and was about a football field in length. We were at one end and all again saw the sasquatch at the other end of the meadow.
It was turned away from us looking in the direction we had just been in and appeared to be looking to see where we had gone.
I got out of the car and started approaching it quietly from behind. I got within 30 yards of it when my wife called out to me and it turned it's head.
J.K. describes his encounter to investigators.
Photo by Richard Noll
When he saw me he jerked and turned to go into the trees. I called out to it "wait, come back" but it gave no response.
Physical Appearance is about 6 foot height. Head to feet covered in long shaggy black hair or fur. It looks like the black fur on a buffalo neck, long and matted looking. His face was covered with hair on the checks up towad the eyes.
In it's right hand it carried a club about 18"-20" long about 3 " in diameter, with roots hanging from the end of it.
I found footprints that I measured about 14 inches in length with the heel being about 4 inches wide. The stride length from the heel of one to the toe of another step was approximately 41 inches. The depth averaged 3/8 to 1/2 inch in fairly soft grassy area. My step was about 1/4 inch and I weigh about 150 lbs. OTHER WITNESSES: 3 witnesses OTHER STORIES: We heard of another incident that occurred on May 9, 2002, very close to this area. TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was about 3:00 PM in the afternoon on a bright sunny day. ENVIRONMENT: Trees and Meadows
Follow-up investigation report:
BFRO Investigators Richard Noll, Alan Terry, Kevin Lindley, Jessica Stark, and Jeffrey Lemley visited the site of this incident on May 25, 2002, with the witness. J.K. took us through the entire event, showing us the positions that both himself and the animal were in during the encounter.
One of the indistinct tracks located by investigators.
The impression measures 12" in length.
Photo by Jessica Stark
Investigators managed to locate a total of 5 possible prints, but only one had any detail. Unfortunately, the track was left in heavy forest duff, thus minimizing any hopes for finding dermal ridges. However, what appears to be the large toe did press directly into mud, leaving a couple of small patches that could be dermal ridges.
BFRO Investigators Alan Terry and Jeffrey Lemley cast one of the tracks.
Photo by Richard Noll
We were also accompanied by the witness from the sighting on May 9, 2002 (see Sighting Report #4301). His sighting took place a mere 2.25 miles to the west of the May 18 encounter.
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