The summer of 2012 promised adventure for Garrett Beckwith and his 19-year-old daughter, Della. The two shared more than just a family bond—they shared a love of wild places and the challenges they presented. For Garrett, an experienced outdoorsman, and Della, eager to test her strength against the rugged terrain, their chosen destination seemed both daunting and exhilarating: Mount Hooker, deep in Wyoming’s Wind River Range.

Mount Hooker is not a mountain for casual hikers. Towering nearly 12,500 feet, its massive granite face is considered one of the most formidable climbs in the continental United States. Just reaching its base requires days of strenuous trekking through wilderness where weather can change in an instant. It is a place where preparation and skill are vital, and where one mistake can mean catastrophe.

On that summer trip, Garrett and Della were last seen preparing for their ascent. Nothing about their departure suggested trouble, but when the days passed and they did not return as scheduled, concern quickly turned to alarm. Family and friends raised the call, and soon the area buzzed with search-and-rescue activity.

Authorities launched an extensive operation. Helicopters swept the skies, scanning the treacherous cliffs and valleys. Ground crews pushed through rugged terrain. Search dogs strained their senses against the thin mountain air. Volunteers and professionals alike devoted weeks to finding the pair. But Mount Hooker revealed nothing. Not a trace of equipment, clothing, or even a misplaced footprint was uncovered.

The silence was devastating. For loved ones, the lack of closure was a wound that deepened with each passing day. For investigators, it was a puzzle with too many missing pieces.

Speculation quickly filled the void left by facts. Some believe Garrett and Della may have fallen during their climb, their bodies hidden in inaccessible crevasses or buried beneath rockfall. Others suggest a sudden storm, common in the Wind River Range, may have forced them off course. Still, the absence of any physical evidence makes even these theories frustratingly uncertain.

For Garrett’s family, the disappearance was more than a tragic accident—it was a cruel mystery that stole not only two lives but also the comfort of knowing what had happened. For Della’s friends, the loss was especially cutting. She was only 19, standing at the threshold of adulthood, her life filled with possibility and promise.

In the years since their disappearance, Mount Hooker has remained unchanged. Its granite cliffs still rise with the same unyielding defiance, daring climbers to test themselves against its vertical walls. But for those who remember Garrett and Della, the mountain is a monument not just to challenge but to heartbreak.

Their story has become one of the most haunting mysteries of the Wind River Range. Unlike accidents where remains are eventually recovered, the Beckwiths’ fate remains unresolved. For searchers who risked their lives on the mountain, the absence of answers was a sobering reminder of how vast and unforgiving the wilderness can be. For the family, the unanswered questions remain a constant shadow.

More than a decade later, their disappearance is still discussed among climbers and rescuers. To some, it is a cautionary tale of nature’s power. To others, it is a reminder of the thin line between adventure and tragedy. And to those who loved Garrett and Della, it is a lingering sorrow, a story that ends not with clarity but with silence.

Yet they are remembered not only for how they vanished, but for how they lived. Garrett, who passed on his passion for climbing to his daughter, and Della, who embraced adventure with fearless determination, are honored in memories and stories shared by those who knew them. Their bond, forged in family and in the wilderness, is a testament to love, courage, and the pursuit of life’s most extraordinary experiences.

Mount Hooker still stands as it always has—unyielding, remote, and silent. And in its silence, it holds the story of two climbers who set out for adventure and never returned.