Stephan Rydholm was a 24-year-old Swedish outdoorsman traveling in Alaska when he disappeared in the summer of 1978. He was last seen on or around August 5 near milepost 27 in the McCarthy area, reportedly fixing a flat tire on his red Schwinn bicycle with plans to hike toward the Kennecott Glacier.

Searchers eventually recovered some of Stephan’s personal effects near the Kennecott River, including his eyeglasses and a torn green hooded nylon parka. Those items, and the rugged terrain described, raised concern that he had met trouble in the backcountry. The Alaskan State Troopers opened an investigation but the wilderness and elapsed time have complicated efforts to determine exactly what happened.

Anyone who was in the McCarthy or Kennecott area around early August 1978, or who has information about Stephan’s red Schwinn bicycle or the items found near the river, is asked to come forward.