HE SAW BIGFOOT! The Footage This Hiker Took Almost Cost Him His Life – BIGFOOT STORY COMPILATION

Hiker Survives Terrifying Bigfoot Encounter in Idaho Wilderness

By: Sarah Thompson, The Daily Gazette
January 15, 2026

NORTH IDAHO — For most people, tales of Bigfoot—or Sasquatch, as it’s also known—remain firmly in the realm of folklore. Campfire stories, blurry photos, and internet videos dominate the conversation, often dismissed as hoaxes or exaggerations. But one experienced hiker says he has proof that the legendary creature may be more than a myth—and that encountering it is nothing short of terrifying.

Cole Dawson, 35, of Spokane, Washington, recounted his ordeal in a remote section of the Selkirk Mountains northeast of Cordeleine, Idaho. According to Dawson, what began as a routine solo winter hiking trip in February 2024 quickly escalated into a life-or-death encounter with creatures he believes were Bigfoot.

“I never believed in any of that stuff before,” Dawson said in a detailed interview. “Bigfoot, Sasquatch, whatever you want to call it. I thought it was all nonsense, just stories people made up. But after what happened to me last winter, I can’t deny what I saw. I need people to know the truth, even if they think I’m crazy.”

Dawson, a seasoned hiker with over 15 years of experience in backcountry travel, planned his trek for months. He loaded up his truck with enough supplies for a week-long expedition and drove as far as forest roads would allow before switching to snowshoes for the final stretch. His goal was a 20-mile hike into some of Idaho’s most remote terrain, with plans to explore and document the area before returning home.

“The first day went perfectly,” Dawson recalled. “The weather was cold, around 15 degrees, snow about three feet deep, but manageable with my gear. I found a spot near a frozen creek to set up camp, and the night was peaceful.”

That peace didn’t last long. On the second day, Dawson discovered a massive footprint in a clearing—a print at least 18 inches long and eight inches wide, with clearly defined toes and deep impressions in the snow.

“At first, I tried to rationalize it,” he said. “Maybe it was an elk or moose. Maybe someone was wearing weird snowshoes. But the more I looked, the more I realized none of those explanations made sense. The print was fresh, no more than a few hours old.”

Over the next two days, Dawson documented more prints, broken tree branches at impossible heights, and deep gouges in the bark of trees—marks far beyond the reach of any bear. He also discovered strange shelters made of logs and branches, along with animal bones arranged in piles that suggested deliberate placement rather than natural scavenging.

“I felt like I was being watched constantly,” Dawson said. “Shadows moved in the corner of my eye. Branches cracked, and I started hearing strange vocalizations at night—low growls, howls, even something that sounded like laughter.”

The fourth day brought the encounter that would change his life. Following a game trail, Dawson stumbled upon a cave. Inside, he found a nest-like pile of branches and moss, along with more animal bones, some partially chewed, and scratch marks that appeared almost symbolic. As he investigated, he heard deep breathing from within the cave.

“Whatever was back there was huge,” he said. “I was trapped between something outside and something behind me, both too large to want to confront. I stayed still, hoping to go unnoticed.”

Eventually, the creature outside moved away, leaving Dawson shaken but alive. That night, he barely slept, hearing the subtle sounds of movement around his tent and occasional knocks on trees that he would later interpret as a form of communication.

By the fifth day, Dawson realized he was being hunted. He discovered a crude shelter built nearby, complete with a recently killed deer hung from a tree. Large, humanoid creatures—three of them—emerged, moving with intelligence and coordination. Dawson described their behavior as deliberate, almost methodical.

“They weren’t just curious,” he said. “They were hunting me. They knew where I was hiding, and they communicated with each other like a pack.”

Dawson attempted to flee but was forced into a narrow ravine. There, he came face-to-face with the largest creature, estimating it at 8 to 9 feet tall, covered in dark hair, with eyes that conveyed awareness and problem-solving skills. Despite the immense threat, the creature unexpectedly released him after appearing to detect a distraction, allowing Dawson to escape into a small cave crevice.

“I thought I was done for,” he admitted. “It had the strength to crush me, and its face was inches from mine. The smell, the sheer power—it was overwhelming. But somehow, it didn’t finish me off. I survived with a broken shoulder, cuts, and bruises.”

The following morning, Dawson discovered a terrifying yet deliberate “message” from the creatures: his shredded gear arranged in a neat line outside the cave entrance, with his camera left intact. The photographs he had taken, despite the chaos, survived and provided some of the clearest images of such creatures ever documented.

“They wanted me to have the photographs,” Dawson said. “It was like they knew I needed proof to survive. That level of intelligence is terrifying.”

Experts caution that while Bigfoot sightings have been reported for decades, definitive evidence remains elusive. Dr. Lisa Hernandez, a cryptozoologist based in Seattle, said that encounters like Dawson’s are “rare, but consistent with the behaviors reported in other Bigfoot lore—territoriality, nest-building, and nocturnal observation.”

“Most claims have been dismissed due to lack of verifiable evidence,” Hernandez said. “But in cases like this, where photographs exist and detailed accounts describe coordinated behavior, it raises important questions for further study.”

Dawson is keeping the exact location of his encounter private to protect both himself and the creatures. He has made multiple copies of his photographs and documentation, but has no plans to organize expeditions back into the area.

“I don’t want to expose them to humans,” he said. “They’ve survived this long without interference, and I want them to stay that way. At the same time, people should know these things exist. The world is bigger and stranger than most of us realize.”

Though the experience left him physically injured and emotionally shaken, Dawson hasn’t abandoned his love of hiking. He now exercises extreme caution, avoids remote areas alone, and carries enhanced communication equipment on all future trips.

“Nature is beautiful, but it’s also home to things we don’t understand,” he said. “Pay attention to your surroundings, trust your instincts, and don’t dismiss strange signs as imagination. There are mysteries in the wilderness we are only beginning to comprehend.”

Dawson’s photographs, he says, are his proof—a glimpse into a world few humans have ever seen. “I survived because of a combination of luck, instincts, and maybe a bit of mercy from the creature,” he said. “I’ll never forget it, and I’ll never take the wilderness for granted again.”