Search results

13 encounters
11 July 2009 Silver Fork, El Dorado County, California Class A #26258

Nightime sighting by a couple along a main highway between South Lake Tahoe and Placerville

A couple driving toward Sacramento on Highway 50 at night saw a tall hairy figure standing in a pullout on the north side of the road. The figure was illuminated by high beams from about 20 to 30 feet away and appeared to be watching traffic. The viewing lasted only a few seconds at highway speed, and both occupants described a very large, thick, dark brown to black figure.

Full-body sighting
8 August 2005 Wright's Lake, El Dorado County, California Class A #15821

Backpacker's moonlit encounter near the trail from Wright's Lake to Enchanted Pools

While camping alone at night near a stream, the witness heard a deep growl and saw a crouched dark mass at the treeline, fired warning shots, then heard rocks repeatedly splashing in the stream for hours and heard deep oof sounds on a later approach. Near dawn a very tall hair-covered female-like figure stood by the tent and walked rapidly toward the witness despite additional warning shots, then ran away over granite and out of sight. The witness remained in place until daylight and then hiked out.

Full-body sightingPartial sightingSilhouetteGrowlVocalization +2
Winter 2004 Georgetown, El Dorado County, California Class A #11656

Couple Has Early Evening Encounter Near Stumpy Meadow Reservoir

The witness and a companion spent the day fishing and prospecting near a dam and spillway while feeling watched. As light faded they walked back toward their car, sensing something pacing them unseen and stopping when they stopped. After reaching the dam road in darkness, the witness saw one large dark form and two smaller forms move around the spillway and up a hill, then heard them make repeated guttural, sentence-like sounds in response to a shout before disappearing over the ridge.

Partial sightingSilhouetteRoad crossingVocalizationChatter +2
20 July 2003 Meyers, El Dorado County, California Class A #6639

Couple have night sighting near Lake Tahoe

The reporter was driving west on Highway 50 near Meyers at night with his wife and two children. The reporter and his wife saw a large animal cross the road ahead in the headlights and disappear into the trees. The wife, who had clearer vision, described it as monkey-like, heavy-set, with light brown hair, walking slowly and casually on two legs without looking at the car.

Road crossingFull-body sighting
Fall 2003 Pollock Pines, El Dorado County, California Class A #8595

Man has early morning sighting near Sly Park

The witness was driving northbound on Sly Park Road before dawn when the high beams revealed a large animal standing on two legs beside the road. The animal dropped to all fours, crossed to the opposite side into roadside brush, then watched the vehicle from the brush where its face was seen close to the passenger window. The witness later estimated its height at about eight feet based on the roadside drop-off and concluded it was not a bear.

Full-body sightingRoad crossingPartial sighting
23 September 2000 Tahoma, El Dorado County, California Class A #353

Night sighting by two motorists near Lake Tahoe

On the night of September 23, 2000, the witness and the witness's spouse were driving south on Highway 89 near Tahoma after dinner. Their headlights illuminated a hair-covered biped crossing the road toward the lake and running into the trees. Both occupants watched it run upright on two legs and agreed it did not look like a bear, describing it as more like a Sasquatch.

Road crossingFull-body sighting
July 2000 I Cant Remember, El Dorado County, California Class A #913

Hikers see creature in Desolation Wilderness

The witness and a companion were hiking in the afternoon when they heard movement in the brush. The witness then saw a large hairy creature with yellow eyes walking away and noticed a garbage-like smell. The witness attempted to photograph it but could not get a clear shot because it kept moving in and out of trees.

Partial sightingFootstepsOdor
June 2000 El Dorado County, California Class A #147

Sound reports from resident in South Lake Tahoe

The witness reports hearing loud mournful screams and wails almost nightly for three months at a home south of South Lake Tahoe, often described as paired calls that converge then stop. Recordings were made mostly from a bedroom window between late evening and morning. The witness with a companion also backpacked, made all-night forest forays, and camped with bait to locate the source, finding tracks and bed-like structures with torn branches, while noting dogs refused some areas and little wildlife was seen.

ScreamTracksStructure or nest
17 July 1996 El Dorado County, California Class A #2137

Placerville track found and cast

The witness reports discovering several large footprints near a small stream northeast of Placerville, with broken branches nearby. Only one print was clear enough to photograph, and the witness returned the next day to make a plaster cast. The cast was shown to Fish and Game staff who dismissed it, and it has since been kept in storage.

TracksTree break
April 1996 Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, California Class A #919

Car passenger has nighttime sighting near Lake Tahoe

A child riding in a car driven by a parent spotted a large fur-covered figure standing among trees alongside a mountain highway at dusk. The figure remained at the roadside watching the car pass. The child was frightened by the sighting and remained upset until arriving home.

Full-body sighting
April 1993 Twin Bridges, El Dorado County, California Class A #1055

Two hikers have morning sighting in the Desolation Wilderness

In April 1993 the witness and a companion were camping at a snow-covered alpine lake and woke near sunrise to try fishing. They noticed a large dark figure moving on the far shore near a picnic bench and watched it with binoculars for about ten minutes, noting its size, dark hair, and unusual long-striding bipedal walk. When they went to wake a third companion the figure was gone, and a hiker who later entered camp said he had also seen something leave the area.

Full-body sighting
Summer 1986 El Dorado County, California Class A #2121

Lake Tahoe sighting by a motorist

The witness and his wife were driving east on Highway 50 late at night in late summer 1986. As they made a turn on an S-curve, their headlights lit up a large hairy human-like figure walking along the hillside at the roadside about 40 yards ahead. When the road curved away, the figure vanished into darkness, and the two occupants confirmed to each other they had both seen it.

Full-body sighting
1 January 1983 Meyers, El Dorado County, California Class A #6746

Man has sighting after massive landslide on Highway 50

The witness was traveling by truck when a mudslide blocked Highway 50 and stopped with others to view the slide area. The witness then saw a large dark bipedal figure high on the steep hillside across the river, apparently also looking at the slide. The figure stayed upright for about 15 seconds, appearing to lean on a small tree, then walked uphill out of sight, moving more smoothly than a bear on two legs.

Full-body sighting