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Clearwater County urging outdoor enthusiasts to think like a sasquatch

Forget about the reported sighting of Bigfoot near Squamish, B.C.Bigfoot is alive and well in Clearwater County.

Forget about the reported sighting of Bigfoot near Squamish, B.C.

Bigfoot is alive and well in Clearwater County.

At least that’s the thinking behind an educational campaign that asks outdoor enthusiasts to respect the land while channeling the moves of a sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot.

Clearwater County Coun. Jim Duncan said there is no better backyard camper than Bigfoot, who treads lightly on the land and leaves little proof, if any, of his existence.

“A sasquatch is ultimately the lowest impact camper there is,” said Duncan.

About 10 signs featuring the big hairy beast with the message Welcome To Our Backyard. Please Enjoy it with respect are part of an educational campaign that began a few years ago.

Duncan said the sasquatch was the obvious choice for a mascot and role model because of its long history in the West Country.

In the 1970s when the Big Horn Dam, west of Nordegg, was being built, workers reported seeing a Sasquatch roaming the area.

Duncan said the message of controlling campfires, staying on existing trails and not disturbing wetlands is not new but they hope campers will pay a little more attention under the watchful eye of Bigfoot.

During the May long weekend, the West Country welcomes thousands of campers every year.

Duncan said some leave behind trash, go off trail with their quads and disturb the creeks.

There’s also concerns of people camping on pipelines or near gas well sites. Campsites are required to be a minimum of 100 metres away from all oil and gas facilities.

“This long weekend we are doing a little bit of an experiment,” he said.

They are putting some sasquatch-approved and unapproved campsites to see if people respect the signs.

“Watch for the sasquatch signs and please do not camp where the sasquatch doesn’t want you camping,” said Duncan.

Part of the campaign will be asking campers to watch for the Sasquatch Approved Recreation signs during the spring and summer months. Sasquatch education pamphlets are available at certain tourist and campsites in the county.

“It’s not that we want people to stop coming out here,” said Duncan. “We want them to use respect and leave it for others to enjoy in the future.”

A hiker’s video of a possible sighting of a Sasquatch in British Columbia two years ago but recently released went viral last weekend.

crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com