Fairbanks County, Alaska
I was part of a group of about a dozen Army personnel training in the area. It was summer on a warm clear day. We were above treeline and had been camped there for several days. I was looking across the nearest valley when I spotted movement. It was on the base of a steep mountainside in bare, rocky terrain, with snowfields descending down the small gullies on the hillside. It was moving up the valley about a half mile away.
When it crossed the snow, you could plainly see that it was not a bear. It walked upright with long strides and arms swinging and moved fast across the white snow. It was dark in color like a bear. I have seen bears many times since in the same type of terrain and they do not move like this did. It was too big and fast to be a human. Bears can and do walk upright, usually for short instances when they need to see or smell something and need the height. They don’t travel in this manner and not in difficult terrain.
I pointed it out to the other guys and we watched it until you could no longer see it. When it was out of the snow it was hard to see against the rocks. We wanted to go look at the tracks but everyone was scared to go down there. We had to sleep there that night and nobody would go outside after dark. The next day we got out and never went back. Twenty years later, I still would not go up there even with a group and with guns. The only thing I have seen that looked like this is the descriptions of bigfoot.
michael n
Thanks wes! I appreciate all your hard work!
Milton L
No such place as Fairbanks “County”. Alaska does not have counties.
It is called the Fairbanks North Star Borough
Joyce N
Well, Milton, I do believe the fault lies with the bfro member who took the report. It doesn’t lie with the person who had the encounter. They’re just telling them what they saw, the bfro staff write the report. Take it up with them. They should be more clear when reporting where things take place. That’s shoddy work on their behalf. Let’s NOT take it out on the person who actually had the encounter. We’ve seen people react over these things in the past. It’s irrelevant. People like to nitpick and use these details as proof that an encounter was hoaxed or faked. People like this lime to throw up smoke screens , to take away from the truth because they don’t want to deal with it. Please don’t be one of those people. Gbanks
Michele D
The “county” designation is simply the fault of the BFRO reporting form, which requests the information in relation to location. Alaskans have to do this a lot, even on federal government forms, so we use the borough name in that slot.
Christopher c
Gilyuk is on the move
Ronnie R
I spent 3 years in the army in Alaska at Ft. Richardson in the late 80’s, and trained many times up near Fairbanks. Those areas are very desolate, except the times there is training there. At the time, the only thing we were concerned about was bear or moose (especially if they have young around). I have always wondered how the bear and moose there cope with a Sasquatch, except to haul ass out of the AO. Doesn’t surprise me at all for someone to see something like that up there. I’m sure their “pucker factor” was up there as more than likely they only had blanks for their weapons, unless they were on some sort of live fire exercise, but reading through that doesn’t seem like what that exercise was for.
SantiamLady
Sounds like everyone in the Unit was significantly spooked by what they saw, and it effected the rest of their lives. A hallmark of a Bigfoot encounter, for sure! ???? ???? I believe they saw a BF.
Janetta V
A bigfoot encounter indeed. Still scary after all of theses years. Also…looks like Milty was born without manners.
Robert W
Let’s assume positive intent on everyone’s part. Great story- what amazes me is that people mistake BF for a bear. Wow a bear can only waddle on their hind legs, and not very well. Take care everyone!!
Patricia R
You are exactly right, Robert—-bears only use their front legs , straight out, for balance, as they waddle along, taking a few steps.
They don’t swing their arms by their sides, in any resemblance to the way a human or Sasquatch doe,s as they are walking along, actually “traveling” purposefully.
Also– the sillouette of a bear is completely different than a human or bipedal primate like Sasquatch!
Bears have big butts, and ears that stick out–like Mickey Mouse, compared to humans or Sasquatch.
Most of the time, Sasquatch’ ears are not visible anyway, as they are small and covered with hair.
David D
Sounds like a good interview for the show, Wes. Rings of truth. I wonder if they were debriefed after this happened. Seems like they would have been, given the nature of all the Govt. “transparency”. It could also be the main reason they were up there in the first place. Recon.? I’ve not served in the military, but have fought a very different “fight” for a very long time. Knowing what I now know, if these were my men, I would have made sure they were armed, and on praying ground! Think about it. Why would any type of military maneuver, leave those lads in harms way, not being able to defend themselves? Goofy! Never could figure that one. Even in my non-military thinking, I’ve always taught my kids to never, never go into the woods unarmed or unprepared. Heck, we don’t even go to the local Walmart in a state of un-preparedness. Ya’ll be safe out there, and keep up the good work.