MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — Is Bigfoot in Medical Lake? Some residents believe strange tracks in the snow may prove the creature's existence.
Resident Steve Meacham posted a photo of the tracks on Facebook, and said he and his wife tried to follow them but the snow was too deep.
“I have no idea what could a [sic] made these, other than bigfoot!” Meacham wrote on the private Medical Lake Community Information page on Facebook.
The retired couple said they routinely drive their neighborhood to take pictures of nature but this sighting caught their attention.
"We saw that, hit the brakes and said, 'We got to get pictures of this, this is cool,'" Meacham said.
Meacham said the footprints measured 23 inches across with a 35-inch stride.
This is not the first time Meacham has seen tracks like this. He experienced something similar while growing up in northern California, he told KREM.
Some people have suggested the tracks could be those of a moose or a snowshoer, while others think the Easter Bunny may be to blame. Some Facebook users are convinced that the large tracks are those of none other than Bigfoot himself.
"I see two prints, I've never seen a moose walk and step and walk and step and not show signs of a four-legged creature," Meacham said.
KREM 2 reached out to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. To our surprise, we learned they were already notified about the photos.
As it turns out, biologists believe these prints belong to a human. They said this is a case of "postholing," when hikers plunge into deep snow.
However, Meacham is convinced the legend of Sasquatch is more than just hype in the Northwest.
"I have no idea, maybe just passing through, enjoying the Medical Lake people. It's a nice little community," he said.
Meacham has not disclosed the exact location of the tracks but asked Facebook members whether he should do so.
"I'll be a believer until they prove he's not and I don't think that's ever going to happen," Meacham said.
Meacham said he's been contacted by "Bigfoot Investigators" and two "hunters" are going to be in Medical Lake on Thursday night to examine the prints.
The legend of Sasquatch is popular around the Inland Northwest. In July 2018, a flier going around Facebook claimed there have been sightings of the Sasquatch in the Kootenai National Forest. That flier said, “Due to increasing flows in the Yaak River, Sasquatches are coming down from the high country to feed on fish and vegetation at the river’s edge."
The flier went on to give tips on what to do if you spot a Sasquatch.
In December, about 50 people gathered at the Mirabeau Park Hotel to share their experiences and what they have found during their individual searches for Bigfoot. Bob Gimlin, a legend among Bigfoot researchers, attended that convention.