Report Received From: The GCBRO Online Report Submission Form.
 
Report Posted To GCBRO Web Site On:   August 1, 2007

DATE:    October 12, 2003 
 

TIME:     6:00 pm 
 

LOCATION:   Pierce County, Washington
 

TERRAIN:    Mt. Rainier National Park, Woods and foliage, mountains, national forest 
 

OBSERVED:    My friend XXXXX and I both live in Lebanon, Tennessee and I am an avid hiker. My friend (XXXXX) who is actually korean but has lived here since he was a kid had never done any serious hiking. I on the other hand have hiked several advanced trails all across the states and invited XXXXX to take the trip with me to Washington. We stayed in a local red-roof inn in Buckley the night before we hit the trails and myself being an experienced hiker personally enjoyed the site of XXXXX setting his gear and packing for the most random of occurrence's i.e. snake bites, gps (which he couldn't get to work), and his fanny pack holding it all. (chuckle)  No matter what we packed could not prepare us for what lay in store the next day. It started off as a typical trip we arrived in Mt. Rainier National Park around 1:00 in the afternoon after we had grabbed a bite to eat at a local McDONALDS. Afterwards we set out, it was cool but not cold enough to where you couldn't sweat from exerting yourself. We hit various trails working our way up and around the hills. After several hours of hiking up and down some well visited trails we found a trail that had took an odd direction and looked to be heading towards the valley that lay a good distance around the mountain and between another set of ranges. As we made our way down this trail we noticed that the trail was overgrown, but not in the sense that it had not been used, the path lay smoothened from use and yet thick foliage grew on either side. After approximately 30 of working our way down the trail XXXXX began complaining of hunger and a blister he had acquired while hiking that day. So we decided to settle down in a small clearing and gather a small amount of fire wood and start a fire just enough to warm us up from the increasingly falling temp (felt like 70 degrees to 50 and still getting colder) and so we could eat our pre-packed sandwiches in comfort. XXXXX and i split, i searched the woods on one side of the clearing while XXXXX searched no more than 15 yards away. In the midst of our search XXXXX called my name and i could immediately sense the weariness in his voice. I gave a slow jog across the clearing and to his side. He asked if i could hear the odd noise coming from within the foliage and trees that lay around 30 yards away. I began listening and i could hear something and it seemed to be pacing through the area that we faced. First impression to me was it was a deer. (hindsight shows a deer would have fled the area once we had entered it)  But giving my good nature we left that area and searched the other side of camp for wood. No more than 20 seconds later did the rustling occur again but this time only around 10 yards away and as we began to listen closer we could here the breathing, deep raspy breaths. We backed away from that area immediately and as we positioned ourselves in the middle of the camp we realized that the forest around us seemed to be alive with the scrambling in the bushes and the dark heavy breathing. I had been hiking countless times in my life and never had i experienced such an occurrence, i didn't know what to do. We set ourselves up defensive style back to back in the middle of the camp with no protection other than our hiking sticks. We had no outs, our cell phones naturally had no service when they are most needed and as we tried to approach the path in which we had entered the rustling seemed to gain in strength and move ever so closer. So we sat in camp for possibly another hour and the sun began its slow descent. We feared this not knowing what lay in the dark. We were not prepared to stay the evening and we hadn't gathered up enough wood to last us much more than an hour. So we did all we could, we started our fire and waited, for what we were unsure but something. Just as our fire caught the rocks began to fly. They came flying out of the bushes hitting us occasionally. Along with the rocks came a howl that i can only explain as the howler monkeys in the jungle that i had seen on the discovery channel. It was bone chilling, and XXXXX one of my best friends began to whimper in fear.  Ever so slowly the night began to creep in an as it grew darker the figures in the bushes came closer. The faint light of our fire gave us enough vision to notice that whatever creature that lay beyond the bushes was walking on two legs and was absurdly tall and though we couldn't make out what the creatures where we could see their eyes glistening against the light of the fire... XXXXX began to freak out, asking what we would do and how we were gonna get out and i could answer none of his questions because i didn't know what lay just yards away.... after another half and hour the sun was falling behind the mountains and darkness was on the verge of engulfing us, we again heard the howl but this time it was answered all around us apparently their where at least 3 of the creatures... XXXXX stood up from where we were sitting and said he wasn't gonna wait for them and pulled me to my feet... he looked at me and counted one, two, three and we took off back up the trail we had entered...the creatures where going wild rocks hit our bodies as exited the clearing and the howling seemed to echo in our ears...we ran blindly scrambling up the mountain back towards our main trails and ultimately to our cars........i could here the thundering footsteps thumping on the earth feet away from the trail but i dared not look... and just as i thought we were home free and back on the trails heading towards our lot XXXXX got hit in the head with a rock and he went down... i was running so close behind him that i hurdled him and stopped to help him up...that is when i got the only glance of the full creature that i had... it stood 10 feet away in the darkness but i could make out its frame its eyes glistened and i could hear its heavy breathing from its participation in the chase.. i could see it's fur hanging from it's body but that is all i could make out... i could feel the presence of the other creatures around me but my analysis of the creature that lay before me occurred in a matter of about 2 seconds because i was so frightened... after taking this mental snapshot of the creature i pulled XXXXX up and we began running again........we reached the main trails which was called mountain alley or something like that and the sounds from the creatures seemed to stop... we took no chances and continued our fast pace all the way back to our car lot...i apologize for the long story but i enjoy writing and everything seems so vivid to me.....me and XXXXX had not revealed the information to anyone outside of our closest friends until now just a few years later... but we still are frightened by what happened that day...
 

Activities of Witness:   Hiking 
 

Description of Creature:  Between 6.5 and 7 feet , between 250 and 350 lbs, hair not sure on color but about 2-4 inches long
 

Other Notes:    N/A
 

Other (Informational or Encounter History in the General Area) Notes:    N/A
 

Additional Notes and or Follow up Comments:  N/A