In July 1974 the provincial government had contracted to build a new road up to the ski lifts at the Hollyburn Mountain site. A large parking lot had been created at Cypress Bowl and it was at this location all the heavy equipment was stored when not in use. Due to prior acts of vandalism to the "cats", plus a Volkswagen Bug that had been driven over the edge of the lot by an inebriated youth, a gate had been installed for protection.
As all this equipment had to be refueled each day, Gulf Oil on the Barnett Highway, Port Coquitlam, had applied for and received the contract. On this particular night M. H. and K. S. loaded up with diesel fuel and set off on a routine job. For K. S., who was sixteen, it was his first night on the job. It was to be a memorable one.
Arriving at the end of the newly created road at Cypress Bowl, they saw above the parking lot an illuminated "tent" on the rock surface. Undoing the locked gate they proceeded to commence topping up the machines parked there. After an hour they had just about completed half of the machines and turned slowly back towards the gate they had entered by. As they did so the truck lights reflected off the metallic surface of the "tent's" base. Surprised at this effect, M. H. turned on the two aircraft landing lights mounted on the truck. The beams revealed an object sitting on the ground.
Unable to drive up to the craft they returned to the parking lot entrance. Leaving the engine running, each of them picked up a piece of wood from the ground and then set off up the bank towards the UFO Neither of them felt afraid, only curious. As they got closer they could see that the vehicle was about 15 feet across and eight feet high to the top of the illuminated dome. Which K. S. said was similar in appearance to a BB pellet. What was more unusual was a black oval shaped "ball" that was bouncing around wildly within the translucent dome. It was from here that the light was emerging.
About five yards from the craft a thought suddenly popped into each man's head, "leave it alone". With that, a loud klaxon like noise was emitted from the craft, about every four seconds. Without a word each man dropped his club, turned around and walked back to the truck. Since they had left it, a total of about three minutes had elapsed. Sitting in the truck, with the motor still running, the klaxon sound could still be heard. Then they became scared and left in a hurry. No further fueling was done on any more equipment that night. They got back to Gulf Oil about five a.m. and recounted the story. Scorn and ridicule was their reward, from Lornie, Ike, etc.
That day the owner of the depot, M. H.'s father, drove up to the parking lot with some interested friends. They found "burn" marks on the rock face and also observed that the UFO had been located right under some power lines!
Interestingly enough T. H. believed his son's story, as he, a commercial pilot, had also seen a UFO some time previously.
K.S. added that the night in question was clear and starry, visibility therefore was excellent. He had no previous knowledge that Hollyburn mountain had a lengthy history of UFO reports. More than once when describing the craft as they approached its resting place, he expressed frustration that he had something else to tell us that he observed, but he could not recall what it was.
Interview 22nd April 1978 . . . . . Interviewers Brian Fewster, Graham Conway
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