NUFORC Sighting 19772

Occurred: 2000-08-26 23:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2001-10-08 12:03 Pacific
Duration: 5 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Goverment Camp, OR, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Aircraft nearby

Chrome Orange light circles campsite

My girlfriend, my two sons, and her two sons were camping in the Mt. Hood National Forrest SW of Mt Hood near mile marker 8 on Hiway 58 at the end of a 1/2 mile logging spur. We had just put the children to bed and were preparing to sleep in the back of my truck. It was a cloudless moonless night from our perspective. looking towrds the SE at the mountains a 'silver orange' or 'chrome orange' ball popped up from behind the mountain range and made a very slow circle around our camp at an altitude of aproximately 5-6 K ft. The object moved from the SE to the East and then headed to the NW, then to the NE and then popped back down below the mountains. It made no noise and moved as if it were drunk - it jerked back and forth and wiggled a bit. It appeared to be about the size of the end of a pencil held at arms legnth. The beginining and ending of its journey was very strange because it looked as if it was on a spring.

I turned off our coleman lantern during its flight so it would not spot us and so I could see it better.

We had seen a small private single engine propeller plane about a 1/2 hour before that went from east to west.

--- Peter Davenport wrote:

Dear Mr. ((name deleted)),

Thank you very much for the very interesting report!

Do you know, were there other witnesses in the campground, who might have seen the object, as well? If so, we would welcome additional report from them, too.

Also, I not that you indicate a date in the year 2000. I would like to confirm that the event occurred in 2000, and not 2001. I note that 24AU01 falls on a Friday, which made me wonder whether the date indicated might have a typo in it.

Thank you very much for sharing the information with our Center!

Cordially,

Hello Mr. Davenport,

Unfortunately this was not a campground but a 'wild site'. I rarely spend time at campgrounds when there are so many other wonderful locations for camping. This is one of many strange things I have seen while camping. I hope to be able to file the other events as time permits.

At the time my girlfriend saw it too but, she is now my ex girlfriend and I have had to file a restraining
order against her. I am unable to give you any details about her whereabouts at this time.

I am not quite sure of the date but it was at the end of August in 2000 and a Saturday night. I am now
guessing it was the 26th after checking the calendar.

I hope this is helpfull.

((name deleted))

NUFORC Note:

NUFORC FOLLOW-UP

Posted 2001-10-12