YEAR: 2008

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 25

STATE: Oregon

COUNTY: Clackamas County

NEAREST TOWN: Rhododendron, OR

NEAREST ROAD: Hwy 26

OBSERVED: On Monday, Aug. 25th at approximately 7:30 p.m. my friend and I were traveling westbound on Hwy 26 approaching Rhododendron. We observed a car parked off the road in the east side emergency lane. The car in front of us pulled off abruptly and we wondered if there was an accident or animal that had been hit by a car. We proceeded slowly around the vehicle when an "ape-like" creature approx 6 ft. tall sprang from the woods. It crossed the road behind us and was nearly hit by another westbound car. We were approximately 10 ft. from the creature which appeared to be standings somewhat erect, but when it ran it ran with its hands on the ground like a monkey or gorilla. We are sure that the others in the vehicles on the side of the road observed the same creature. We are surprised there are no recent reports from this sighting.

ALSO NOTICED: The creature seemed to be extremely terrified

OTHER WITNESSES: The passenger in my vehicle. Three other vehicles. Two parked. The car that pulled off in front of us had a woman driver that got out and was trying to let someone out of the back of the car to possibly take a picture.

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: There was good lighting and it was approx. 7:30 p.m. as I called my wife immediately and she observed the time.

ENVIRONMENT: Forest

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Cliff Barackman:

I spoke to both witnesses on 9/10/08. The following details can be added to the report:

-The witnesses were traveling westward on Hwy 26, just east of Rhododendron, coming back from a fishing trip.

-A jeep was stopped to the side of the opposite lane up ahead.

-The witness in the passenger seat saw movement on the road. He commented to the driver that the jeep must have just hit an animal, so he should slow the car down.

-The witness' vehicle was traveling about 5 to 10 miles per hour, and was very close to the creature when it jumped onto the road, possibly as close as 10 feet, to run behind their car.

-The creature ran from the north side of the road to the south.

-The car in front of them stopped, and the car behind them took evasive action to avoid hitting the animal as it ran behind the witnesses.

-The creature quickly changed its direction to avoid being hit by the car behind the witnesses. Its movements were “inhuman” and had an “animal's quickness”.

-The driving witness commented to the passenger, “That was an ape!”

-As the creature ran across the road, several of the witnesses in the other cars blew their horns, including the reporting witnesses.

-The creature is described as having light brown hair (“like a brown bear”), very long arms, a stooping gait, and a thick build “like a linebacker”.

-It's face was seen by the driver as it sprang from the woods. It had a wide-eyed expression on its face that the witness interpreted as fear and panic. Its mouth was “tight-lipped”, and no teeth were visible. The face was described as being human-like and light brown colored. The witness compared the face to an orangutan's face, but again, very human-like.

-The creature sprang from the woods on two legs, but it had a forward-leaning gait that left its hands barely off the ground.

-It galloped quadrupedally across the road by putting its right arm forward with its left leg forward, and alternating in this pattern. It's back legs moved like a man running whether it was on all fours or running bipedally.

-When on all fours it ran on its knuckles, not on an open hand.

About BFRO Investigator Cliff Barackman:

• Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music (Guitar) -- Cal. State Long Beach
• Professional educator with more than a decade of experience.
• Attended many public BFRO expeditions since 2005 (Redwoods, Sierras, Arizona, Southern California, Vancouver Island, Mendocino).
• Attended and/or led numerous non-public BFRO expeditions (CA: Bluff Creek, Blue Creek, Stanislaus NF; WA: Stevens Pass, Olympic Peninsula, Gifford Pinchot Nat'l Forest; Ohio: Beaver Creek; Florida: Green Swamp)
• Led the 2007 and 2008 California Sierra Nevadas Expedition (public), and the Oregon Expedition (public) in June 2008
• Can be reached at [email protected]

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