Rachel Marsden

Julia had left contact information for the local news stations. Devin suggested they invite reporters to come interview Marilynne.

Julia had left contact information for the local news stations. Devin suggested they invite reporters to come interview Marilynne.

Her reluctance wasn't just about going off the cuff. She had almost lost her nerve just a few hours before. Her emotions were still raw. Marilyn, the stoic, didn't want to expose herself like that.

Her reluctance wasn't just about going off the cuff. She had almost lost her nerve just a few hours before. Her emotions were still raw. Marilyn, the stoic, didn't want to expose herself like that.

So they called KSL TV and invited them to send a reporter to interview Marilyn. Art Lang and Dan McCool left Lambert Meadow, where they had encountered the sheep herd, on the morning of Thursday, August 11th, day four of the search for Eric Robinson. The Highline Trail drops down a hill there and meets the Lake Fork River.

So they called KSL TV and invited them to send a reporter to interview Marilyn. Art Lang and Dan McCool left Lambert Meadow, where they had encountered the sheep herd, on the morning of Thursday, August 11th, day four of the search for Eric Robinson. The Highline Trail drops down a hill there and meets the Lake Fork River.

The trail then makes a 90-degree turn to follow the river up to its source at the bottom of Red Knob Pass. The craggy face of Mount Lavinia dominates the view to the right, rising so abruptly you can't see the summit from the trail. Art and Dan ran into a group of hikers from Indiana somewhere in this area. The Hoosiers were headed the opposite direction. They warned Art to turn around.

The trail then makes a 90-degree turn to follow the river up to its source at the bottom of Red Knob Pass. The craggy face of Mount Lavinia dominates the view to the right, rising so abruptly you can't see the summit from the trail. Art and Dan ran into a group of hikers from Indiana somewhere in this area. The Hoosiers were headed the opposite direction. They warned Art to turn around.

They said he shouldn't push his luck by going over Red Knob and on to Deadhorse. Dead Horse Pass, they said, was too dangerous to cross because of snow.

They said he shouldn't push his luck by going over Red Knob and on to Deadhorse. Dead Horse Pass, they said, was too dangerous to cross because of snow.

And it looms large in the minds of hikers on the Uinta High Line. I still remember the first time I set eyes on Dead Horse Pass, years ago. It intimidated me. Just the name Dead Horse tells you why. I've literally found horse bones and bits of old bridle leather in the rocks at the bottom of the pass. It doesn't seem like a likely place for a trail.

And it looms large in the minds of hikers on the Uinta High Line. I still remember the first time I set eyes on Dead Horse Pass, years ago. It intimidated me. Just the name Dead Horse tells you why. I've literally found horse bones and bits of old bridle leather in the rocks at the bottom of the pass. It doesn't seem like a likely place for a trail.

I wanted to find out who first crossed it, and who named it. That research introduced me to a figure from history, a Mormon pioneer named George Beard. He came to Utah as a boy in the mid-1800s and started venturing into the Uintas in search of inspiration.

I wanted to find out who first crossed it, and who named it. That research introduced me to a figure from history, a Mormon pioneer named George Beard. He came to Utah as a boy in the mid-1800s and started venturing into the Uintas in search of inspiration.

Beard was an amateur painter. He and his wife Lavinia often traveled into the Uintas together. Beard later described their first trip in a letter, read here by a voice actor.

Beard was an amateur painter. He and his wife Lavinia often traveled into the Uintas together. Beard later described their first trip in a letter, read here by a voice actor.

They left their mark on maps we still use today. George named Grandaddy Lake, a popular Uinta camping spot. And one of the highest Uinta peaks, a place I mentioned a moment ago, bears the name Mount Lavinia. Beard carried a camera and captured some of the first known photos of the high Uintas. I've gone through hundreds of them. One shows a group of men leading horses over Dead Horse Pass.

They left their mark on maps we still use today. George named Grandaddy Lake, a popular Uinta camping spot. And one of the highest Uinta peaks, a place I mentioned a moment ago, bears the name Mount Lavinia. Beard carried a camera and captured some of the first known photos of the high Uintas. I've gone through hundreds of them. One shows a group of men leading horses over Dead Horse Pass.

Towering walls of vertical rock rise above them. A steep slope falls away below. Beard painted that same scene. The Salt Lake Tribune wrote about the painting, quoting Beard as saying the person who first forged the trail over Dead Horse left a sign that read...

Towering walls of vertical rock rise above them. A steep slope falls away below. Beard painted that same scene. The Salt Lake Tribune wrote about the painting, quoting Beard as saying the person who first forged the trail over Dead Horse left a sign that read...