Dad and Daughter Vanished Climbing Mt. Hooker, 11 Years Later Their Cliff Camp Is Found…

The Mysterious Disappearance of Garrett and Della Beckwith

In the rugged Wind River Range of Wyoming, Mount Hooker towers like a granite cathedral, drawing elite climbers from across the globe. Its towering walls have long been a proving ground for those who dare to scale its sheer, vertical cliffs.

For Garrett Beckwith, a seasoned outdoorsman, and his 19-year-old daughter, Della, it was meant to be another father-daughter adventure—one of countless they had shared. But in 2012, what began as a thrilling expedition became one of Wyoming’s most haunting mysteries.

Eleven years later, a chance discovery on a cliff face would reignite a desperate search for answers. What two climbers stumbled upon that day has turned this cold case into one of the most unsettling unsolved disappearances in modern mountaineering history.

Setting Out on the Climb

Garrett Beckwith, 46, was known among his friends and fellow climbers as methodical, resilient, and deeply experienced in backcountry travel. He had been climbing for decades and was determined to pass on his skills to his daughter. Della, a college sophomore, had inherited her father’s adventurous spirit. By 2012, she had already accompanied him on numerous treks and climbs across the Rockies.

On that late summer morning, the pair set off for Mount Hooker’s legendary north face. Their truck, parked at the trailhead, was neatly packed with extra supplies—including two satellite phones. But in a detail that would later haunt investigators, the phones remained in the vehicle.

Leaving them behind seemed like a small decision at the time. But when the father and daughter failed to make their scheduled check-in that evening, it was the one decision that would transform their disappearance into a full-blown mystery.

The Disappearance

When Garrett and Della didn’t return as planned, concern spread quickly. Friends reported them missing, and by the next day, search-and-rescue teams were dispatched. Helicopters circled the jagged peaks, scanning for bright colors of tents or gear. Ground crews battled dense forests and icy slopes, while tracking dogs followed faint trails that seemed to vanish into the granite walls.

But Mount Hooker gave nothing back. No ropes, no footprints, no trace of their ascent or descent. Their truck sat untouched at the trailhead, as though they had simply evaporated into the wilderness.

As days turned into weeks, the search expanded. Teams rappelled down cliff faces, probing ledges where stranded climbers might cling to survival. Drones swept over ridgelines. Nothing surfaced. The Wind River Range, vast and unforgiving, swallowed the father and daughter whole.

The Search That Became a National Story

The Beckwiths’ disappearance captured headlines far beyond Wyoming. National news outlets ran nightly features. Outdoor forums lit up with speculation, with climbers debating what could have gone wrong. Some suggested a rockfall. Others theorized they had been caught in one of the sudden storms that sweep through the range.

Search teams refused to give up. For nearly a month, rescue workers, volunteers, and fellow climbers combed the area. But with no evidence, hope dwindled. By October 2012, the official search was suspended, leaving the Beckwith family devastated and without closure.

For the next decade, their case lingered like an open wound in the mountaineering community. Each summer brought new speculation—had their route simply taken them too far off course? Had they fallen into a hidden crevasse? No one knew. The silence of Mount Hooker was deafening.

A Family’s Long Wait

For Garrett’s wife and Della’s mother, every year passed in unbearable limbo. They organized vigils, raised awareness, and clung to hope. “Not knowing is the hardest part,” she said in a 2018 interview. “If they had been taken by the mountain, we could mourn. But without answers, we can’t move forward.”

The Beckwiths’ story became emblematic of the countless families left waiting when loved ones vanish in the wilderness. Across the U.S., thousands of missing person cases unfold in remote areas each year. Most are resolved within days. But some, like the Beckwiths’, become legends of the unknown.

The Shocking Discovery

In July 2023, two climbers attempting a technical route on Mount Hooker spotted something strange. Suspended on a narrow cliff ledge, partially hidden by weathered rock and ice, was an old camp.

As they rappelled closer, the climbers realized they had stumbled upon a site frozen in time. A tattered tent clung to the granite. A rope dangled lifelessly, swaying in the alpine wind. And then they saw the sleeping bag.

Inside were human remains.

The climbers immediately reported their discovery to authorities. Within days, investigators confirmed the remains belonged to at least one of the missing Beckwiths. DNA testing later verified it was Della. Garrett’s body, however, was not recovered at the site.

Renewed Investigation

The discovery electrified the community. After eleven years, the first tangible evidence of what happened to Garrett and Della had finally emerged. Search teams once again descended on Mount Hooker, scouring the cliffs for additional remains or gear.

The sleeping bag and camp were carefully analyzed. Weathered equipment suggested the Beckwiths had established a high camp on the cliff face before tragedy struck. But the exact nature of that tragedy remains unclear.

Did Garrett fall while attempting a route, leaving Della stranded? Did severe weather pin them down, forcing them to huddle together in the tent until one succumbed? Why was only one set of remains discovered?

For investigators, every possibility remains on the table.

Theories and Speculation

Climbers who studied the discovery have offered competing theories:

Fall Accident: Some suggest Garrett may have fallen while leading a pitch, leaving Della unable to descend alone.
Weather Exposure: A sudden alpine storm may have trapped them, leading to hypothermia.
Separation: The discovery of only Della’s remains raises the possibility that Garrett descended for help and perished elsewhere.

Each theory highlights the risks climbers face in such unforgiving terrain, where even small mistakes can become fatal.

Community Response

The mountaineering community reacted with sorrow and solidarity. Forums filled with climbers sharing memories of their own close calls on Mount Hooker. “It’s a beautiful but brutal place,” one veteran climber wrote. “The mountain doesn’t forgive.”

For the Beckwith family, the discovery brought a complicated mix of grief and relief. After more than a decade of silence, they finally had something tangible. But with Garrett still missing, closure remains elusive.

The Broader Context: Disappearances in the Wilderness

The Beckwith case underscores the unique challenges of search and rescue in remote terrain. The Wind River Range, sprawling and treacherous, has claimed dozens of climbers and hikers over the years. Without satellite communication, missing persons can go undetected for days. Bad weather can ground helicopters. And time works against recovery efforts.

The decision to leave the satellite phones in the truck looms large in hindsight. “It was the difference between a routine rescue and an eleven-year mystery,” one search coordinator admitted.

Their story has since fueled discussions about mandatory satellite communication for climbers in remote areas. Advocates argue such measures could prevent similar tragedies and spare families years of uncertainty.

The Quest for Closure

As of 2023, the search for Garrett continues. Authorities believe his remains may still lie somewhere on Mount Hooker, concealed by cliffs, snow, or rockfall. Each new climbing season brings the possibility of another discovery.

For the Beckwith family, closure remains just out of reach. But the discovery of the cliff camp has reignited hope that one day, they may finally lay both father and daughter to rest.

Conclusion: A Haunting Legacy

The disappearance of Garrett and Della Beckwith is more than a climbing tragedy—it is a story of family, love, and the cruel unpredictability of nature. For eleven years, their fate was hidden in the granite walls of Mount Hooker. Now, piece by piece, the mountain is finally giving up its secrets.

The discovery of their cliffside camp reminds us of the fragility of human life against the vastness of wilderness. It is a cautionary tale for adventurers and a haunting reminder for families of the missing that sometimes, answers come only after years of silence.

Until Garrett’s fate is known, the mystery remains. But for those who loved the Beckwiths—and for the climbing community at large—the search continues, driven by the same perseverance and spirit of adventure that led a father and daughter onto the towering face of Mount Hooker.