Dozens of families brave the dark for annual Yeti hunt at Stanaback Park

A Yeti hides behind a tree waiting for families to spot him at the City of Kentwood’s Flashlight Yeti Hunt Feb. 27. (WKTV/Ruth Thornton)

Ruth Thornton is a WKTV Contributor. She holds master’s degrees in journalism and fisheries and wildlife, both from Michigan State University. Before working as a journalist, she worked in conservation for many years in Michigan, Minnesota and West Virginia. Her work has appeared in many media outlets, including MLive, the Detroit Free Press, Bridge Michigan, Capital News Service and Great Lakes Echo. You can follow her work via her Substack newsletter, Nature Signals, and at ruththornton.com.

By Ruth Thornton
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

As dusk began to darken the sky on a spring-like day, dozens of families with young kids descended on Kentwood’s Stanaback Park on February 27 to search for the Abominable Snowman – also known as the Yeti.

“Families are encouraged to bring their flashlights, and along the trail there will be signs and props, and clues to try to find the Yeti,” said Kya Hart, Kentwood Parks and Recreation enrichment program coordinator.

Yard signs, Yeti footprints, patches of fur and other clues and fun facts were scattered along the short loop trail located at 3717 Whitebud Drive SE in Kentwood. The search started at the park shelter and guided adventurous kids to find the Yeti at the end of the trail.

“If they find the Yeti, there will be an opportunity for them, if they choose, to take a picture with the Yeti,” Hart said. “To celebrate them finishing the trail.”

Refreshments, including bottled water and donuts sponsored by Tim Hortons, also were available for families afterwards.

City of Kentwood Yeti Hunt. (WKTV/Ruth Thornton)

Paul Milioto and Jessica Howard from Grandville were among those enjoying the search for the Yeti, together with their kids Henry, 6, and Matthew, 2.

“It was a fun event for the kids, a good family event,” Milioto said.

“They put up signs for clues, so that kept the kids engaged, which was awesome. Especially Henry, he was running way ahead of us. We found the actual Yeti at the end,” he said. “I think Matthew was a little scared, but he came around eventually.”

Milioto said he had just learned about the event that day on Facebook by a stroke of luck.

Many families took part in Kentwood’s Yeti Hunt. (WKTV/Ruth Thornton)

Hart said the event was originally scheduled for January 30, but it was postponed for safety reasons when temperatures were forecasted to plummet below zero degrees that evening.

The annual Yeti hunt was first held during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage community members to get out to local parks, she explained. Each year the event is held at a different park.

The hunt started at 5:30 p.m., with four 30-minute sessions scheduled for community members to choose between. The last session ended at 7:30 p.m., after dark. Registration was $7 per family.

Families were asked to register ahead of time to spread out the number of attendees, with a max of about 30 families per session, Hart said. “But we’ll never turn anyone away.” Around 50 families had registered.

Liz Chapman, from Kentwood, came with her kids Teddy, 6, and Charlie, 3, during the first session before sunset. She said she had participated last year as well, and enjoyed the warmer temperatures this time.

But, she said, “I think the boys probably had more fun when it was dark, it was a little easier to spot everything in the light.”

“I think we’ll probably come next year, but a little later, when it’s dark,” Chapman added. “This is a great community event for young kids.”