First, I’m taking a Charles Fort stance here: I’m not advocating the existence of Yetis, Bigfeet, or any other so-called Cryptids (i.e. unidentified semi-mythic creatures, including the likes of the Loch Ness Monster and the Moth Man, which individuals claim to have encountered).

It isn’t my purpose to champion either side in an all out Yeti/Big Foot brawl, though by the end of this article, I think you’ll know who I’d bet on.

My purpose is merely to showcase that mythical or real, the Yeti and the Big Foot are very different creatures, something that is often lost in casual conversations *

[* I don’t know why – or who – you’d be casually taking to about Yeti and Big Foots, but it’s not my place to judge the social functions you attend or the friends you keep].

Appearance:

Both are large, hairy and bi-pedal, with foot prints allegedly sometimes over two feet long and close to a foot across.

Pseudonyms:

Big Foot also goes by the name Sasquatch.

Yetis have been known to go under the name Abominable Snowmen.

Terrains:

Big Foot: Woodlands, hills, forests; typically temperate climes.

Yeti: Mountains, icy terrain. Originally native to Tibet and surrounding areas, they may be spreading to other cold climes as well.

Temperament:

From composite reports, Big Feet tend to be shy; they will respond to provocation, but they do not seek out human contact.

Yeti are protectors of Sacred Mountains. Like the guards at Area 51, they shoot first and invent answers later.

Belief Score:

According to a 2014 Associated Press poll, as many Americans believe in Big Foot as there are Americans who believe in the Big Bang.

However, there’s no official Big Foot stamp. The Yeti have their own, as seen here from Kyrgyzstan:

Mythic Score:

Big Foot: Medium

While many of the indigenous tribes have accounts of Sasquatch, these vary by communities and sometimes even households.

While Big Foot is generally met with a degree of reverence – and occasionally fear – the general attitude seems to be one of “live and let live” with these mysterious forest dwellers.

Yeti: High

For the Sherpas of the Himalayas, the Yeti are Wrathful divine guardians of sacred spaces.

In other words, if you encounter a Big Foot, back away slowly.

If you come across a Yeti, pray to Heaven and run like Hell.

In the Ring:

Sorry Big Foot, I’m betting on the Yeti.

Fortean end note:

I struggled on whether or not I should include the following information in this post. It’s grizzly, and hardly conclusive, but it is worth considering, in a Fortean manor.

Called the Dyatlov Pass Incident, it occurred in the former Soviet Union in 1959.

A group of nine experienced hikers were found dead from hypothermia and extreme physical violence. They fled from something in a hurry, knifing their way out of their tents with barely any clothing on.

Some claim this was a Yeti attack, though counter claims have been offered.

Either way, I’ll leave you to explore that Yeti hole on your own…