2009 Lake Quinault, WA
Year |
2009 |
|---|---|
Month |
April |
Date |
Found 4/26/09 Photographed 4/30/09 |
State |
WA |
County |
Grays Harbor |
Location |
Lake Quinault |
Found by |
Witness ID withheld |
Cast by |
Witness ID withheld |
Length |
18 inches |
Width (ball) |
6.5 inches |
Width (heel) |
5 inches |
Stride |
Unknown |
Depth |
1 inch |
A woman and her husband were hiking near 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 were bothered about their unexpected find. They decided to return, 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 damaged the impression. It was filled with standing water and had deteriorated significantly. Wisely, the witnesses still photographed it.
Even more wisely, they cast the print.
Click the photos for larger versions:
 |
 |
 |
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 remind me of the 1982 Grays Harbor print cast by Dennis Heryford (which will be added to this website).
One of the better areas on the cast.
This report found its way not only to me, but also to Derek Randles, a colleague and good friend. Derek was able to visit the site, while I was able to obtain the footprint for copying through independent sources.
Derek's on-site investigation yielded footprints not far from the initial site, but from a different individual.
The location is being closely monitored.
Click for a larger view
of Derek Randles' photos:
Click for larger view of
the Lake Quinault, WA Area