Nearly two decades after a hiker disappeared on one of Colorado's highest peaks, a discovery may help bring some closure to this long-running mystery.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Eagle County Sheriff's Office reported that Vail Mountain Rescue Group has found personal items that "closely resemble" those of missing hiker Michelle Vanek on Mount of the Holy Cross, a peak in the Sawatch Range south of Vail.
"This discovery marks a milestone in the long search for Michelle," writes the ECSO.
"We are filled with hope as a recent discovery in the area may finally bring her family, friends, and the entire community the closure they have long sought."
Vanek's case has become notorious in the hiking community after the 34-year-old mother of four disappeared while hiking the 14,011-foot peak on September 24, 2005. Vanek had set off with a friend to summit what was to be her first Colorado 14er – a peak over 14,000 ft tall – but she never made it to the top.
Things reportedly got off on the wrong foot when the pair could not find the correct trailhead, then set off late on the wrong trail, which took them on a much longer and more difficult route than planned. Just a few hundred yards from the summit, Vanek's partner says she told him she was unable to continue. She had run out of water, and it is thought she was likely suffering from altitude sickness and was poorly dressed for high altitude hiking.
She told her partner to continue, and he directed her to begin her descent, telling her he would catch up with her on the way down. That was the last time anybody ever saw Vanek.
Vanek's disappearance prompted a massive search of the boulder field where she was last seen – the biggest in the state's history – but efforts were fruitless. Search efforts were called off with the arrival of snow, but the ECSO reports that the case has always remained important to them.
"Sheriff James Van Beek has a search grid map from that very search hanging on his office wall, placed there by his predecessor as a constant reminder of a case unresolved and a family left incomplete."
No trace of the woman has ever been found until last year, when we reported that a Sorel Asystec hiking boot found below Angelica Couloir had been forensically confirmed to belong to Vanek.
The ECSO reports that due to the sensitive nature of the case and the need for further searches, they are not revealing the exact location of the discovery, which they describe as a "milestone" in the case.
14er safety
Hiking or climbing a mountain over 4,900 feet high is officially classified as high altitude hiking and it requires a different skill set (and equipment) from hiking at lower levels.
Vanek's case highlights the importance of hiking safety, and it's a good reminder to follow certain principles if you're planning to venture into higher elevations:
- Always stick within your ability level and know when to turn back – remember the top is only half way.
- Do your research beforehand and be clear about which trail you are planning to take.
- Carry a map and compass in addition to using GPS navigation.
- Carry a satellite communicator that you can use to call for help in remote areas where cell service often isn't available.
- Carry snacks and more water than you think you need – the general rule is one liter for every two hours of hiking which means a larger hydration bladder is best for long hikes such as Holy Cross.
- Hike with a partner and always stick together – if one turns back, you both turn back.
- Pack the hiking essentials.
It’s often easier to get lost on a 14er than on a trail through the woods. Though treeline varies from one region to another, any 14er is bound to take you up above it. Once you leave the trees, any soft, well-maintained path tends to give way to boulder fields where you have to rely on rock cairns to navigate. This is tricky and a bit disorienting, and many unsuspecting hikers have spent an unplanned night out in the cold as a result. Read more in our article on hiking 14ers in Colorado.
