Possible brief daylight sighting by a U.S. Forest Service botonist outside Phillips witnessed in El Dorado County, California

Open Map

Today, August 23, 2007, I was hiking off-trail in El Dorado County, California in the forest 60 feet north of the Bryan Meadow trail, when at about 10:30 a.m. I saw a tall dark figure peering around a large red fir stump. This was from perhaps 100 feet away, I quickly walked up to the stump, but there was no one there. It would have been possible to move uphill away from me using the large stump as cover, but only a very athletic person could have managed this in the time available. Moving then uphill and to the SE, I regained the Bryan Meadow trail and there noted a large footprint, which I photographed next to my two-way radio. It is about twice the length of my foot, (a size 12 boot size). I do not know the source of this print, but it was where the rapid retreat occurred. I had just parked at the Sierra Ski area (Short Stuff run), and begun walking up the forest north of the trail to Bryan Meadows. I was moving quietly and slowly, crossing from the north side of the stream to...