The bodies of the two men, ages 37 and 59 years old, were found in a heavily wooded area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington State, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday.
Police said the pair appeared to have died of exposure amid the harsh weather conditions and their ill-preparedness for the forest.
The men had set out on their excursion into the wilderness hoping to spot Bigfoot with intentions to return home before Christmas.
A family member reported the two men missing to Skamania County police at around 1 a.m. on Dec. 25.
A “grueling” three-day search was conducted for the men as over 60 volunteer search and rescue personnel took to the area looking for the Bigfoot fanatics.
The search party fought through freezing temperatures, snow, rain and the heavily wooded terrain.
Seven separate law enforcement agencies from around the area and the Coast Guard offered services and help in the search that included canines, drones, ground teams and helicopters.
“Their exhaustive search efforts resulted in bringing family members home to their loved ones,” the sheriff’s office said.
“The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the loved ones lost in this tragic incident.”
The unidentified pair’s car was spotted on a Flock camera before police located it in Willard, Washington.
Legend of the hairy, biped living in the Pacific Northwest has captured the minds of many, leading to thrill seekers to travel to the wilderness of Washington and Oregon in the hopes of seeing the folkloric beast.
The phenomenon is so captivating, local governments have begun celebrating the creature by hosting “Sasquatch Hunts” like Washington’s Pierce County.
The Pacific Northwest isn’t the only area in the country known for its Sasquatch lores.
In October, residents in Fairfield County, Connecticut reported hearing screams coming from the supposed Bigfoot, which lasted for a terrifying 10 minutes.
The howls were emitted from a forested area near the town of Monroe on Oct. 17, 2023, according to The Bigfoot Field Research Organization.
Nicholas McEntyre
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