Human Remains Discovered by Hiker in Utah Canyon: 'We Don't Know Exactly How Long They've Been There'

No missing person cases have been linked to the remains

Utah County Sheriff's Office Images released by the Utah County Sheriff's Office regarding the discovery of human remains on Oct. 26, 2024

Utah County Sheriff's Office

Images released by the Utah County Sheriff's Office regarding the discovery of human remains on Oct. 26, 2024

Utah authorities are seeking the public’s help in identifying human remains found by a hiker at a canyon last week.

The Utah County Sheriff's Office announced that they received a report on Saturday, Oct. 26, that a hiker found what appeared to be human remains in an area commonly known as Springville Rock Canyon in the mountains east of Springville, UT.

The hiker told investigators he was “climbing in very steep terrain above the northeast part of Springville when he came upon" the remains.

Related: Remains of Idaho Hiker Found 7 Years After He Disappeared: 'Nobody Had Any Idea He Was Off the Trail Like That'

The sheriff’s office said that a medical examiner later confirmed they were human remains.

Utah County Sheriff's Office An image released by the Utah County Sheriff's Office in connection with human remains found on Oct. 26, 2024

Utah County Sheriff's Office

An image released by the Utah County Sheriff's Office in connection with human remains found on Oct. 26, 2024

Authorities said investigators have contacted local law enforcement agencies who say they have no missing person cases that could be linked to the remains.

"Additional efforts to collect evidence are being made, but very little is known about the remains that were found," officials shared in a press release.

Related: Calif. Rescuers Find Hiker Who Was Lost in National Forest for 30 Hours — and Bump into Jay Leno

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In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) about the case, the sheriff’s office also said the remains “do not appear to be recent, but they also do not appear to be historic.”

Related: Mummified Remains of Missing American Mountaineer Found 22 Years After He Vanished in Peru

Sgt. Spencer Cannon of the Utah County Sheriff's Office told Fox affiliate KSTU, "The problem right now is that we don't know who this person is, we don't know if it's a man or a woman, we don't know exactly how long they've been there.”

Those with information that could help authorities identify the victim should call the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau at 801-851-4010.