By Theo Stein Denver Post Environment Writer Oct. 24, 2000 - Researchers in the Pacific Northwest believe they've obtained the first clear body imprint of a sasquatch, evidence they hope will spur serious research on the ape of legend.

The imprint was found by a team of researchers in a mud wallow near Mount Adams in southern Washington on Sept. 22, according to an announcement Monday from Idaho State University.

Skeptics dismissed the reported evidence of bigfoot, as the nevercaptured animal is also called. "All they have are anecdotes and anec dotal data," said one.

But impressions of what appeared to be a large hairy forearm, buttock, thigh and heel recorded in the mud were all roughly 50 percent bigger than a 6-foot tall man, said Jeffrey Meldrum, a physical anthropologist at Idaho State University who's one of the few active academic bigfoot researchers.

Meldrum said the sasquatch appeared to be lying on its side as it reached into the center of the wallow for apples and nectarines the team used as bait.

While it's not definitive proof of bigfoot, the cast constitutes "significant and compelling new evidence" that Meldrum hopes will stimulate further research into the possible presence of these primates in the mountains of the Northwest and elsewhere.

The anthropological establishment rejects theories that sasquatch, which has loomed large in northwestern and Colorado lore, could possibly exist. Most scientists steer well clear of even talking about Meldrum's work.

"If you believe bigfoot, it's most likely you believe in Loch Ness and the lost continent of Atlantis," said Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic Magazine and author of "Why People Believe Weird Things." Bigfoot advocates "are tapping into an open-mindedness that borders on gullibility," he said, adding that there is only anecdotal evidence of its existence.

But Walter Hartwig, a California anthropologist who specializes in fossilized South American monkeys, defended Meldrum's work.

"What Jeff does is bring science to bear on observations that relate to the concept of bigfoot," Hartwig said. "Professional anthropologists may sneer at this because they believe in their hearts that the concept of bigfoot is impossible." Meldrum supervised the final cleaning of the mud-caked 200-pound plaster cast of the imprint, which was also examined by four other bigfoot experts. They agreed it could not be attributed to any known animal.

Several bags of hair plucked from the cast by Meldrum were examined by Henner Fahrenbach, an Oregon biomedical research scientist. Most came from elk, deer, or coyotes. But one fragment matched unidentified primate hairs previously collected near other sasquatch sightings, he said.

"It wasn't a lot, but people are convicted in court every day on as much," said Fahrenbach.

The investigative team used a thermal imager loaned by a television production crew to track the animal and found its footprints, according to expedition leader Matthew Moneymaker, an attorney who heads the Bigfoot Field Researcher's Organization.

The team also broadcast tape-recorded calls of a sasquatch into the night - and received replies, said Moneymaker.

One reply was uncomfortably nearby. "The guys closest to it were petrified," he said. "These are obviously loud noises, much louder than any other animal out there." While Meldrum says the find "may represent an unknown ani mal," Moneymaker is certain it was made by a sasquatch.

"I'm 100 percent confident of that," he said. "It was clearly a hominid-shaped thing, except that it was 40 to 50 percent larger than a human, and it was covered by hair."

-- Yikes! (yikes@yikes.yikes), October 25, 2000

Answers

50% larger than a human and covered by hair? Sept 22, near Mt Adams? Uh-oh, my wife came home very muddy that night.

-- (nemesis@awol.com), October 25, 2000.

The guys closest to it were petrified. These are obviously loud noises, louder than any other animal out there.

Wow, and they make sex noises too? My kinda Ani mal. hee hee

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), October 25, 2000.

An imprint? In a mud wallow? Is the Ablinomliminable Snowman into mud wrestling, too?

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), October 25, 2000.

nemesis, how much did you spend to carpet and furnish the garage. 8^)

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), October 25, 2000.

Your stinkfoot puts a hurt on my nose...

-- FrankZappa (Sheik@yer.boutti), October 25, 2000.

For the complete story and dialogue with those present, go here:

http://www.earthfiles.com/

-- Mrs. Cleaver (Mrs. Cleaver@LITBBBB.vcom), October 25, 2000.

Interesting link

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), October 26, 2000.

"But impressions of what appeared to be a large hairy forearm, buttock, thigh and heel..."

Sounds like my boyfriend!

-- Just kidding! (he's@nice.guy), October 26, 2000.

http://www.bfro.net/

Go to this site to read lots of creepy accounts of Sasquatch sitings, even in YOUR state!

-- Mr. Cleaver (kind@creepy.com), October 26, 2000.

I'm a sucker for an FZ ref. Speaking of fixes:

"Just a little pin prick. There'll be no more AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. But you you might feel a little sick..."

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), October 26, 2000.