In 2012, Garrett Beckwith and his 19-year-old daughter Della set out to climb Mount Hooker in Wyoming’s Wind River Range. Known for its sheer granite walls and remote wilderness, the climb was meant to be another adventure in their long tradition of exploring together. Instead, it became the beginning of one of Wyoming’s most haunting mysteries.
Mount Hooker rises nearly 12,500 feet and demands days of backcountry travel just to reach. Garrett and Della were last seen starting their ascent, but when they failed to return, alarm quickly spread. Search-and-rescue teams scoured the area for weeks with helicopters, dogs, and crews—but not a single trace of the pair was ever found.
Theories soon filled the silence. Some believe they may have fallen during the climb, their remains hidden by the rugged terrain. Others suspect a sudden storm forced them off course. With the mountain’s isolation and vastness, the possibility that they vanished into unreachable ground remains painfully real.
For the Beckwith family, the greatest wound is the absence of answers. Garrett and Della are remembered not only for their disappearance but for their bond, their love of nature, and their shared courage. A decade later, Mount Hooker still stands as both a place of awe for climbers and a symbol of loss for those who remember the father and daughter who never came back.
