Provo Canyon

The Midnight Gamble In the mid-1970s, a young college couple sat in a Utah diner, realizing their first date was a complete bust. There was no spark, no chemistry—just the polite, hollow conversation of two people ready to call it a night. On a whim, the young man decided to break the monotony by suggesting a late-night hike to a remote overlook in Provo Canyon. Surprisingly, the girl agreed, and the shared risk of the unknown suddenly breathed life into their dying connection. The Shift in the Shadows As they stepped off the paved trail and into the thick darkness of the forest, the atmosphere curdled. The lighthearted laughter died. An overwhelming sense of dread washed over both of them simultaneously, yet neither spoke it aloud. They entered a state of hyper-vigilance, speed-walking toward the overlook just to get the experience over with. Their hands were joined not in romance, but in a survivalist's grip, anchored by a fear they couldn't name. The Soft Threshold In the pitch black, the man’s foot landed on something unexpectedly soft. At the same moment, a rustle echoed from the brush just inches away. In a rare moment of perfect, wordless synchronization, the couple didn't stop to investigate or shine a light. They turned and sprinted back to the car. They escaped what they assumed was a large animal, eventually marrying and turning the story into a humorous anecdote about the night they got spooked in the woods. A Decade of Distorted Reality Ten years later, the truth shattered their domestic peace. While watching a televised interview with Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer recounted the one time he was almost caught. He described disposing of a body in Provo Canyon when a young couple walked right over him. He had been crouching in the dark, inches away, watching them step on his victim’s body, prepared to kill them both if they looked down. Their decision to trust their discomfort without question was the only reason they survived.