The skeletal remains found last month in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are human.

The remains were found at a campsite belonging to a New Mexico man who planned to spend the winter in the woods. Jordan Grider of Moriarty, N.M., an experienced outdoorsman, gave his family the general location where he would be and sent photos from the campsite.

Officers from the U.S. Forest Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources learned about his plans after they found his vehicle in October at the trailhead to the Sioux Hustler Trail, which loops around several BWCA lakes. They searched for his campsite but failed to find it. Forest Service officers returned to the area in early April and found a campsite about 1 ½ miles from the trail's entrance off the Echo Trail. They discovered a large amount of blood inside the tent, and investigators from the Sheriff's Office along with the St. Louis County Rescue Squad were called to the site. They determined Grider had camped there, but he was nowhere to be found.

The search for Grider was called off until the deep snow melted. When investigators returned about three weeks later, they found remains scattered across a large area near the campsite.

Investigators don't suspect foul play.

An initial report from a forensic anthropologist indicates the remains are human, the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office said Thursday. Further examination is needed to identify who the remains belong to.

Mary Lynn Smith • 612-673-4788