They Vanished Mountain Biking at Lake Tahoe, 5 Years Later This Is Found on 160ft Cliff… | HO!!

LAKE TAHOE, CA — The Sierra Nevada mountains are known for their breathtaking vistas and world-class mountain biking, but for the Kinsley family, they became the backdrop of a tragedy that haunted the region for half a decade.

The mysterious disappearance of Garrett Kinsley and his son Bryson during a birthday biking trip in July 2017 was a cold case that left their family and the local community grasping for answers. It would take five years and a bizarre discovery on a remote cliff to finally reignite the investigation—and expose a truth darker than anyone imagined.

A Birthday Adventure Turns Tragic

Garrett Kinsley, 37, was more than a mountain biking enthusiast—he was a professional trail developer, respected for his expertise and meticulous safety standards. For his son Bryson’s 12th birthday, Garrett had planned a celebratory weekend in the Tahoe region, blending challenging rides with the comfort of a resort stay. It was a tradition, a testament to the close-knit bond between father and son.

On July 15th, 2017, Garrett and Bryson checked into their resort, sent a quick message to Garrett’s wife, Olivia, and set out for the trails. Olivia, a nurse, was accustomed to their routine check-ins. But as the day wore on, her phone remained silent.

By the next morning, with still no word, Olivia’s unease turned to panic. When the resort confirmed their room had gone untouched, Olivia contacted the Placer County Sheriff’s Office and launched a search that would grip the region.

The Search: A Race Against Time

Search and rescue teams converged on the Granite Loop trailhead, where Garrett’s vehicle was found parked and undisturbed. The area was a hub for technical mountain biking, connecting to hundreds of miles of rugged terrain. Garrett’s expertise complicated the search—he and Bryson were capable of reaching the most remote and dangerous trails.

Helicopters scanned the ridges, ground teams combed the trails, and volunteers from the biking community joined the effort. The last confirmed sighting came from two hikers who saw the father and son near the Skyline Descent, an expert-level trail known for its steep drops and severe exposure. They appeared confident and well-prepared, but after that encounter, the pair vanished.

Despite exhaustive efforts, the wilderness offered no clues. No crash site, no scattered gear, no evidence of trauma—just silence. Olivia arrived at the command center, providing details about Garrett’s habits and Bryson’s skills, but the agonizing wait stretched on. Theories ranged from accident to wildlife attack to intentional disappearance, but with no evidence, the case soon went cold.

Five Years of Silence

For five years, the Kinsley case remained an unsolved mystery, symbolizing the unforgiving nature of the Sierra Nevada. Olivia lived in limbo, tormented by guilt over the delay in reporting and the absence of closure. The trails Garrett and Bryson loved became a silent witness to their disappearance, and the investigation was suspended, awaiting a break that seemed unlikely ever to come.

A Lone Hiker’s Discovery

The break came not from renewed investigation, but from chance. In August 2022, Ronan Vesper, a solo camper, was exploring a remote canyon miles southeast of the Granite Loop area. The landscape was starkly different—steep, eroding cliffs and a winding river below. As Vesper scanned the upper reaches of a 160-foot cliff, a glint of color caught his eye. Through binoculars, he saw two mountain bikes wedged vertically into a narrow fissure, stacked one atop the other, high above the canyon floor.

The lower bike was bright red and white, the upper cyan—distinctive, high-end machines. Vesper, recognizing the strangeness of the scene, marked the GPS coordinates, took photographs, and hiked out to report the finding to authorities.

The Evidence Reignites the Case

A deputy accompanied Vesper back to the site and confirmed the surreal sight. The bikes matched the descriptions from the Kinsley case—the distinctive red and white frame, the white suspension coil, and the cyan bike. The discovery instantly transformed the remote canyon into a critical crime scene.

Technical rescue teams were mobilized to retrieve the bikes, a dangerous operation given the unstable cliff face. After hours of painstaking work, the bikes were lowered safely to the canyon floor. Forensic examination began immediately.

The bikes showed signs of a significant fall—scratches, dents, and bends—but lacked the catastrophic damage typical of a high-speed crash. More crucially, exhaustive testing found no trace biological evidence: no blood, tissue, or fibers. The absence of such evidence suggested the bikes were not being ridden when they went over the edge; they had been thrown, not crashed.

A New Theory Emerges

Accident reconstruction experts analyzed the cliff and the physics of the fall. The probability of two riders simultaneously crashing and landing in the same fissure was deemed virtually impossible. Given Garrett’s expertise, the scenario was even less likely. The evidence pointed to intentional disposal—someone had thrown the bikes from the cliff, likely aiming for the river below to wash away evidence. By a fluke, the bikes became wedged in the rock.

The case was now a suspected homicide. Investigators refocused on Garrett’s professional life, uncovering a high-stakes rivalry in the competitive world of trail development. Garrett’s new project near Tahoe was set to eclipse the struggling Summit Slopes bike park, owned by Weston Price. The rivalry had boiled over in public confrontations, and Price had a powerful motive—his business and livelihood were on the verge of collapse.

A Breakthrough in Forensics

A second microscopic review of the bikes uncovered a critical clue: a small, custom-made aluminum pedal spacer lodged deep within Garrett’s bike. The component, not standard, was traced to a specialized machine shop in Reno—and to Weston Price, who had commissioned a batch for his personal bikes. The physical link was clear: Price’s bike had collided with Garrett’s, likely during a confrontation.

Digging deeper, detectives found that Price had been subcontracted for excavation work on Garrett’s new trail system. Records showed Price had rerouted a section of trail days after the disappearance, citing unstable ground. The area was isolated, accessible only by service roads.

The Mountain Yields Its Secret

In September 2022, investigators and cadaver dogs searched the rerouted section. Within hours, the dogs alerted to a spot near pine trees. Excavation revealed the remains of an adult male, buried deep with professional equipment. Dental records confirmed it was Garrett Kinsley; the cause of death was blunt force trauma consistent with a heavy tool.

Weston Price was arrested at his home, and the evidence against him was overwhelming. In interrogation, Price confessed to killing Garrett during a heated argument, describing a struggle and a fatal blow with a trail-building tool. He claimed Bryson fled the scene on his bike, but investigators doubted this account.

The Fate of Bryson

A search of Price’s property uncovered Bryson’s helmet, contradicting Price’s story. The helmet, identical to the one seen in photos, indicated Price had lied about the boy’s fate. Despite his confession, Price refused to reveal what happened to Bryson, and the boy’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Further investigation revealed Price had traveled to Idaho days after the murders, visiting a cousin who operated a controversial wilderness therapy camp. The camp, now abandoned, kept no records, and the cousin had since passed away. Detectives theorized Bryson may have been sent there, but the trail ended in silence.

A Community Seeks Closure

Weston Price was convicted of Garrett Kinsley’s murder and sentenced to life without parole. For Olivia Kinsley, the conviction brought justice for her husband but left the agony of uncertainty for Bryson. The investigation continues, but the fate of the boy remains a mystery.

The case is a stark reminder of the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of even the most idyllic landscapes. For the Tahoe community, the trails that once symbolized adventure now carry the weight of loss—and the hope that someday, the last secrets of the mountains will be revealed.