| Date | Location | Length | Width (ball) | Width (heel) | Step length (average) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
April 26, 2009 |
Quinault Lake, WA |
18 in |
6.5 in |
5 in |
Unknown |
A woman and her husband were hiking east of Lake Quinault on April 26, 2009 when they came upon a large footprint in excellent condition. Noises in the nearby woods made the couple uneasy, so they decided to leave the area instead of finishing their hike.
On the drive home, they kept thinking and talking about their unexpected find. They decided to return to cast the print soon, and got the chance on April 30, the following Thursday.
Upon returning to the mud puddle that held the print, the witnesses found that the rain storm that had happened in the interim and damaged the impression. It was filled with standing water and had deteriorated significantly. Wisely, the witnesses still photographed and cast it.
The cast shows a flat bottom with a sharp angle. There are small ridges visible where it is clear that water flowed through the footprint. These suggest that the print filled with muddy water, and the particulates in the mud settled to fill in the bottom of the footprint.
Most of the print is damaged or devoid of detail, however two of the toes are still in very good condition. The have enough shape and detail that they are reminiscent of the toes on the 1982 Grays Harbor print cast by Dennis Heryford.
This report found its way to not only me, but also to Derek Randles, a colleague and good friend. Derek was able to visit the site, and I was able to obtain the footprint for copying. Derek’s on-site investigation yielded more footprints not far away, but from a different individual.
Below are some of Derek Randles’ photos from his onsite investigation:
