Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
DUCHESNE COUNTY -- Deputies in Duchesne County need help finding a hiker who's been missing for more than a week.
Search and rescue crews are searching, but have little to go on after Eric Robinson, a 64-year-old hiker from Australia, disappeared in the mountains above Duchesne.
Robinson's wife Marilyn Koolstra says he planned to spend several days on the Highline Trail before heading to another trail in Canada.
July 28: Robinson leads Vernal headed for the Highline Trail
July 30: Hikers reported seeing Robinson near Fox Lake
August 2: Boy Scouts reported seeing Robinson in the Yellowstone Creek drainage
August 7: Robinson had arranged for a friend to pick him up at the Mirror Lake Trailhead 60 miles away
"He's absolutely passionate about hiking, loves mountains," she said.
But Robinson never came back as planned.
He was due to come back off the trail about eight days ago. Koolstra says her husband is more than capable of handling on his own, but what concerns her is that he's never been late before.
Duchesne County Sheriff Travis Mitchell is heading up the difficult search, covering the 60-mile trail in an area spanning about 400,000 acres.
"If we can get somebody that's seen him other than where we have now, then we can maybe narrow our search area. That would help us immensely," Mitchell said.
About 20 search and rescue personnel are involved in the effort, many of them being transported to hard-to-reach areas by helicopter.
In the meantime, Koolstra is doing what little she can to keep family members up to date as she closely watches the search.
"We have five children and nine grandchildren, and it's pretty hard for those back in Australia," she said.
Mitchell says crews plan to continue the search for now, evaluating after each day whether they have more ground to cover.
He says volunteers are helpful, but what he needs more than anything is to hear from somebody who has seen Robinson over the last few days.
Email: manderson@ksl.com
