[Southern Colorado's San Luis Valley has been the site of mysterious phenomena for centuries, ranging from ghostly apparitions to lovestock mutilations to UFOs. Lately, as well, there have been many reports of unusual military or paramilitary activity in the area.
Christopher O'Brien (tmv@pop.amigo.net) of Crestone, Colorado -- a small village in the heart of the valley -- has chronicled the strange happenings of the region in his book "The Mysterious Valley." A sequel to that book is nearing completion. CNI News thanks Chris for updating us on the valley's latest weirdness. Visit Chris's web site at http://www.amigo.net/~tmv/]
by Christopher O'Brien
It would seem the San Luis and Wet Mountain Valleys are experiencing an upsurge in unusual activity during the last week of August and the first week of September, 1997. The following reports are being investigated by myself and investigator David Perkins.
Around August 22 or 23 (there is some confusion as to the exact date) a C-131 transport plane was seen dropping a "huge box" just north of the Atlantic Richfield plant located between Sheep and Little Sheep Mountains in Huerfano County, near the towns of Red Wing and Malacite, CO. Locals in the area witnessed the "drop" and set off to investigate and search for the box.
Three separate reports of the following events have emerged.
In one report, locals witnessed two men with "jet-packs on their backs flying up and down, around and between" Sheep and Little Sheep Mountain, apparently looking for the box.
Other witnesses claim they saw a craft a short time later that had the appearance of a large clear bubble. From the bottom of the bubble sparks were being emitted with a "clattering sound" from square objects that were described as "magnets." A witness (in true Colorado fashion) evidently fired a gun at the strange-looking object as it passed overhead. Later that evening, the man was confronted and then accosted by three men. He told neighbors he was wrestled to the ground and one of the men grabbed him and "snapped his neck." He was immediately rendered unconscious.
Another report claims personnel were seen searching ranches and barns north of Sheep Mountain later that night, or early the following morning. David Perkins is still collecting information and further witnesses descriptions of these events. A number of locals witnessed this apparent search by these unknown craft and personnel.
During this same time period, Mesita, CO, residents just north of the Colorado/New Mexico border have been witnessing unusual lights and/or craft cruising up and down the South Pinon Hills near the Rio Grande River, in the middle of the San Luis Valley.
The first report occurred the night of August 22, 1997 at about 8:30 pm. Three witnesses watched two lights that one witness reported looking like "huge car headlights" that were intermittantly visible to the west in a "large thunderhead." Then they also watched a large golden colored light that appeared low to the south by the border. The sightings lasted about ten minutes.
One of these witnesses, Thomas Peay, claimed to have then experienced three consecutive nights of lucid dreams featuring "aliens" and being "taken out through the window and aboard a small ship" which took him "up to a larger ship." After the first night's dream, the witness claimed "he knew they were coming back before he fell asleep."
On Thursday, Sept 4, 1997, at 8:30 pm, two Mesita, CO witnesses observed two large craft, each with a row of six whiteish-orange lights, moving in unison. The craft, each estimated as being "a little longer than a [C-131] transport plane," slowly drfted south over the South Pinon Hills, then stopped around the border and headed back north. After traveling north for about ten miles, they slowly began drfting west across the SLV, between Antonito and Romeo, CO. At no time did the objects travel faster than an estimated 40 mph. The sighting lasted about 40 minutes.
On Friday, Sept 5, 1997 at 11:30 pm, two witnesses in the Baca Grande Development (about 90 miles north of the Colorado/New Mexico border) claim to have watched a "huge craft hovering over the center of the [San Luis] Valley." They described unblinking red and green lights that seemed to be arrayed around the object.
Later that night at 3:30 am, a witness was resting in his car on the side of Road T, about a mile west of Crestone, when he was awakened by "a roaring sound that sounded like an old train." At first the witness thought it was a jet flying over, but the sound was steady and did not diminish. He rolled down his driver side window and listened, and could make out "clanking sounds, like a train" traveling on train tracks. He rolled down his passenger window and could tell the sound was coming from the southwest, out on the Baca Ranch. He got out and looked around, but could see nothing he could attribute the sound to. There was no aerial traffic present.
Interestingly enough, I have received "phantom train" reports from this general area where a train used to run in the early 1900s. It ceased operation and the tracks were torn up in the early 1930s.
I'm not sure what these seemingly unrelated reports mean, but it would appear we are starting to see some activity around here after over a year of very little activity in the San Luis Valley.
Original file name: CNI - Myst Valley.final
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