Earl Rocky Ashworth, III went missing on August 10, 2018, after traveling with four acquaintances to an area near mile marker 56 of the Seward Highway, south of Anchorage, to explore a gold mine. He stayed at the campsite with his ten-year-old dog Cruiser while the others descended to the mine. When the group returned at about 11:00 p.m., Cruiser was alone and Ashworth was gone; he was last seen at approximately 5:00 p.m. wearing a blue t-shirt with cutoff sleeves and an American Eagle emblem, blue jeans, and either rubber boots or flip-flops.

Ashworth, 56, is described as a white male with blond hair and blue eyes, 6 feet 2 inches tall and about 185 pounds. The Alaska State Troopers led searches that included a helicopter, volunteer teams from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and search dogs, and later large-scale searches of the rugged terrain, but no trace was found. Investigators noted he was not an experienced hiker and had health issues, examined phone records, and interviewed those who were with him; three people from the group were later seen at his apartment moving items out shortly after he disappeared. No conclusive evidence has been reported.

Anyone who knew Earl, Cruisers movements that day, or saw him near mile marker 56 on August 10, 2018 is asked to come forward with information.