July 28, 2025

High in the snowy reaches of the Himalayas, where ridgelines blur into cloud and silence dominates the slopes, a mystery has walked with the wind for centuries: the Yeti, also known as the Abominable Snowman. For generations, Sherpas, Tibetan monks, mountaineers, and myth-makers have all told stories of this elusive, humanoid creature — half spirit, half beast — that lives in the high-altitude wilderness.

But where did the legend begin? How did it grow into one of the world’s most famous cryptids? And are there still people looking for it today?

Let’s journey into the story of the Yeti — from sacred folklore to scientific expeditions.

Ancient Origins: A Being from the Old Beliefs

The word “Yeti” is derived from the Tibetan term “yeh-teh”, meaning “rock thing” or “that thing in the heights.” But this creature has existed in oral traditions for much longer — especially among Himalayan peoples like the Sherpas of Nepal, the Lepcha of Sikkim, and Tibetans across the Plateau.

In these traditions:

  • The Yeti is not simply an animal, but a spiritual creature tied to the wilderness.
  • It is often feared and revered as a protector of the mountains, or in some cases, a harbinger of doom.
  • Some monks believe the Yeti was a being tamed by Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) — a guardian turned servant of Buddhism.

This isn’t a “monster” in the Western sense — the Yeti is part of a spiritual ecosystem of gods, demons, and hidden forces that live beyond the human realm.

Early Western Encounters: Colonial Rumors and Strange Tracks

The first Western accounts of the Yeti emerged during the early 19th century, when British surveyors and soldiers began traveling deeper into the Himalayas.

In 1832, B.H. Hodgson, a British naturalist in Nepal, reported that his local porters saw a large, bipedal creature covered in dark hair in the mountains. He dismissed it as a bear — but the story stuck.

The real public fascination began in the 1920s and 1930s, during early mountaineering expeditions to Everest and surrounding peaks. Climbers like Frank Smythe and Eric Shipton reported seeing large, unexplainable footprints in snow, often at extreme altitudes where no known animal could roam.

In 1951, Shipton took now-famous photographs of giant footprints in the snow on the Menlung Glacier near Everest. These images were published in newspapers worldwide — and the “Abominable Snowman” became a global mystery.

Why “Abominable Snowman”?

The term comes from a translation error.

In 1921, Lt. Col. C.K. Howard-Bury, who led a British Everest reconnaissance expedition, noted tracks and learned the Sherpa word “metoh-kangmi” — “man-like wild creature of the snow.”

Journalist Henry Newman, writing for the Calcutta Statesman, mistranslated the phrase, mistaking “metoh” (wild) as “abominable.” The catchy phrase “Abominable Snowman” stuck — and Western media ran with it.

Yeti Mania: The Expeditions, the Evidence, and the Myths

By the 1950s and 60s, the Yeti had entered full-blown legend. Explorers, adventurers, and even governments took an interest.

1. Sir Edmund Hillary’s Yeti Hunt

  • After summiting Everest in 1953, Hillary returned to Nepal in 1960 with a mission to investigate Yeti reports.
  • He visited Pangboche Monastery, where a Yeti scalp and hand were kept.
  • Samples were collected (controversially) and later tested in the West — results were inconclusive, with some claiming they were from known animals.

2. Tom Slick and CIA Interest

  • American oil tycoon Tom Slick funded multiple Yeti expeditions in the 1950s.
  • Declassified documents show the CIA monitored these trips, worried they might be covers for espionage during the Cold War.
  • No definitive Yeti was found, but mysterious footprints and local stories continued to fuel the legend.

DNA, Debunking, and the New Scientific Era

In the 2000s and 2010s, DNA analysis was applied to hair and bone samples claimed to be from Yetis.

  • A 2014 Oxford University study found most samples came from Himalayan brown bears or Tibetan blue bears.
  • However, a few samples had unusual genetic markers, sparking debate about unknown hybrid species.

Skeptics argue the Yeti is simply a mix of local bear sightings, extreme altitude hallucinations, and mythology.

But for believers and many Himalayan locals, the absence of proof is not proof of absence.

The Yeti in Local Culture Today

  • In Khumjung, a replica of the Pangboche “Yeti scalp” is still displayed.
  • Sherpas may not speak openly of the Yeti with outsiders, but many still leave offerings or avoid certain valleys at night, just in case.
  • Thyangboche Monastery monks continue to acknowledge the Yeti’s spiritual presence in the highlands.

For filmmakers and cultural researchers, these traditions offer a deeper look at how the Yeti represents a relationship with nature, a fear of the unknown, and a reminder that some mysteries are meant to remain unsolved.


Whether a bear, spirit, or something yet unnamed, the Yeti endures — as guardian of the high snows, a symbol of nature’s mystery, and one of the Himalayas’ most captivating stories.