The Abominable Snowman

By Terri Estes

The Abominable Snowman is a legendary creature that is said to live high in the Himalayan Mountains. According to Sherpa (the ethnic group native to the Himalayan region) folklore, the Abominable Snowman, also referred to as the Yeti, is a reclusive being that hides in the most remote parts of the mountains near Tibet and Nepal.

The Abominable Snowman is described as an ape-like creature that walks upright and is about six to nine feet tall and is covered with brown, black, grey, or white hair. Legend has it that the Yeti has very large, sharp teeth, and has been known to carry small children away. It is often compared to, or mixed up with, North America’s Big Foot, as they have been described with similar appearances.

Explorers have been searching for the Yeti for hundreds of years. There are countless stories of sightings and encounters, but no real proof. In the 20th century, mountain climbing became a popular expedition, and many Westerners took on the challenge of scaling Mount Everest. Naturally, with the increase in activity in the area, sightings of odd creatures and tales of encounters with Yetis increased. In the 1950s, Western interest in the mythical Abominable Snowman peaked. In 1951, an explorer named Eric Shipton took pictures of large footprints in the snow while attempting to climb Mount Everest. These footprints had distinct two large toes and three smaller toes grouped close together. These photos were heavily scrutinized and debated. Some say that they are the best evidence yet of the existence of the Abominable Snowman.

We have all seen the classic Christmas tale of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The Abominable Snowman in that story seems to be about 20 feet tall. He does have very sharp teeth (until Herby takes them all out), and he is hairy (but his fur is blue). He starts out as the villain and ends up being a nice guy by the end of the movie. I’m not sure if Abominable Snowmen really exist, but I’m going to need more than a footprint in the snow as proof. If they are real, maybe Abominables aren’t such bad creatures. Maybe, just like in Rudolph’s story, they are simply misunderstood!