Childhood Bigfoot Encounter on Colorado Ranch Shared by Cryptozoolologist

If you're a fan of cryptid research and haven't yet stumbled across the Ghost City Podcast episode featuring Brittany Barbieri, you're missing out on a genuinely fascinating conversation. Barbieri, known for her work as the lead cryptzoologist on Discovery's "Lost Monster Files," sits down with host Tim to share her lifelong passion for the unknown—and the spine-chilling childhood encounter that started it all. Growing up on an exotic animal ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Park, Colorado, Brittany was no stranger to wildlife. Her family worked extensively with animals, and her brother still runs a private wildlife facility today. With grizzlies, mountain lions, and all manner of creatures as neighbors, she knew exactly what those animals sounded like. So when a scream echoed across the property one evening while she was helping her mom feed baby llamas, she knew—this was something else entirely. The sound was so guttural, so utterly unlike anything she'd ever heard, that she dropped the grain bucket and bolted for the house. Her mom locked herself in the barn. Their guard llama began issuing warning calls, and the herd started retreating. Whatever was out there had the entire animal kingdom on high alert. But the real kicker? Brittany's brothers had been up on a cliff overlooking a water pool, messing around and making noises at what they thought was a bear beneath them. That was until the figure stood up on two legs, looked at them, and walked under the ledge of the rock. They hadn't told anyone because they didn't want to scare their mom and sisters. Turns out, the thing Brittany heard that night was likely the same creature her brothers had seen. It's the kind of story that hits different when you consider the backdrop. The Rocky Mountains have long been a hotspot for Sasquatch sightings, with countless reports coming out of Colorado over the decades. The dense forests, rugged terrain, and abundant wildlife make it an ideal habitat for a large, reclusive primate—if such a creature exists. And Brittany's experience checks a lot of boxes that researchers often look for: an unknown vocalization that doesn't match any known animal, multiple witnesses to the same event, and a corresponding change in animal behavior. What makes Brittany's perspective especially valuable is her background in wildlife. She's not someone who grew up unfamiliar with the sounds of the forest. She knows what a mountain lion sounds like taking down prey (terrifying, by the way—she describes it as sounding like a woman being murdered). She knows bobcat calls, fox chatters, and bear vocalizations. So when she says that scream was something unidentifiable, that carries serious weight. The conversation also touches on the skepticism that inevitably follows these kinds of stories. Skeptics will say it could have been a mountain lion or a grizzly. But as Brittany points out, strip away the Bigfoot label—what she heard was an audible sound coming from an animal species we don't have recorded. That's worth investigating on its own. Tim even shares his own experiences growing up in western Pennsylvania, recalling wood knocks and rocks being thrown at him and his friends in the woods as a kid. At the time, he assumed it was just someone messing with them. Looking back now, with everything he knows about Sasquatch behavior, those memories take on a whole new meaning. Wood knocks and rock throwing are classic indicators that researchers have documented time and time again. Brittany's journey from that terrified 8-year-old to becoming a go-to expert in the field is a story in itself. She went from keeping her research a secret on film and television sets to becoming the person everyone wanted to talk to about the paranormal. She even worked with Demi Lovato on NBC's "Unexplained," handling the ufology side of things before landing her role on "Lost Monster Files." The episode is a great listen for anyone interested in Sasquatch research, wildlife behavior, or just a genuinely compelling firsthand account. Brittany brings a unique blend of scientific curiosity and open-mindedness to the conversation that makes her stories all the more credible. Definitely worth checking out the full episode over on the Ghost City Podcast channel.