Uinta Triangle | Episode 7

Discovery of human remains near Alsop Lake Uinta Highline Trail

Five years after Eric Robinson vanished from the Uinta Highline Trail, a family horsepacking trip produced an extraordinary and heartbreaking discovery. Kelvin Judd and his relatives found a red backpack, a single hiking boot, and partial human remains tucked into talus below a narrow saddle between Alsop Lake and Dead Horse Lake. What looked like ordinary backcountry debris quickly proved to be the key to answering years of unanswered questions for an Australian family and Uinta-area searchers.

How a red backpack led to solving a five-year missing hiker case

The backpack contained identifying items: an Australian driver’s license, a camera with an SD card, a GPS, and food items that dated the pack to years earlier. Those small artifacts allowed investigators to tie the scene to Eric Robinson, whose disappearance in 2011 had launched searches and left loved ones in prolonged uncertainty. Kelvin’s decision to document the discovery and trigger official response moved the case from supposition into evidence-based inquiry.

Why county jurisdiction prevented earlier discovery in the Uintas

A critical detail in the story is the administrative boundary. The saddle where remains were later found sits inside a neighboring county’s jurisdiction. Initial searches concentrated along the Highline Trail on the original county side, and the area west of the crest received limited attention. That boundary, combined with rugged terrain and no obvious trail between the lakes, helps explain how remains could go undiscovered for half a decade.

Forensic findings and unanswered questions about the final hours

Medical examiners recovered partial bones and clothing, but decomposition and animal activity left cause and manner of death unresolved. Officials suggested a fall from cliffs as a possible scenario, but the evidence did not definitively describe what happened in Eric’s last moments. The presence of an emergency beacon among the gear raised difficult questions about whether it was reachable after injury.

Practical guidance for backcountry discoveries and family aftermath

This episode underscores tangible lessons: preserve a scene, record precise locations, and report discoveries to authorities rather than attempting further investigation. It also highlights the legal and emotional complications families face when a disappearance leaves estates, wills, and power of attorney unsettled. For those who love remote country, the story is a reminder that careful planning, communication, and respect for jurisdictions can change outcomes.

• Emotional closure can arrive late. Even partial discovery can shift families from unknown to unresolved grief.
• Small artifacts matter. A license, camera, or food label can turn chance finds into identification.

The Alsop Lake discovery is a study in randomness, perseverance, and the interplay between human systems and wild places. It demonstrates how ordinary trips can reveal long-buried truths, and why careful, coordinated searches across administrative lines remain essential in mountainous terrain.