Letter: Wampahoofus sighting
I was delighted to see AJ Lodge’s report of Ms. Luebbering’s sighting of a rare Wampahoofus in Minturn. My only encounter with this remarkable creature was several years ago while attempting the first barefoot ascent of Mount Powell in the Gore Range without oxygen, water, camera or sunscreen during a partial solar eclipse.
Due to dehydration and lack of oxygen, I became disoriented during the eclipse and stumbled due to lack of footing and was temporarily knocked unconscious when I struck my head on one of the small twisted antler bushes that Dr. Fake so elegantly described in the article. I awoke to find the large green eyes of a left-sided Wampahoofus staring intently at me. I believe it was a female, as I noticed several mottled purple and yellow eggs in a nest nearby which I believed to be Wampahoofi eggs but, lacking a camera, I wasn’t able to document my sighting of the eggs or the Wampahoofus.
Once I attempted to stand, the Wampahoofus ran off traveling clockwise but didn’t appear stressed or panicked. Due to sunburn and sore feet, I was unfortunately unable to reach the summit and must wait for the next partial eclipse to make my next attempt. In any case, I thank Lodge for his insightful article and am looking forward to future reports next April on sightings of Jackalopes, Minotaurs and Snuffleupagi.
Dr. Raoul Duke
Institute for the Study of Irreproducible Results
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Vail
