In the summer of 2012, Garrett Beckwith and his 19-year-old daughter Della embarked on what should have been another thrilling adventure together. For years, father and daughter had shared a deep bond forged on trails, cliffs, and mountaintops—a love of climbing that connected them beyond words. Their chosen destination that summer was Mount Hooker in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, a peak that has both awed and terrified climbers for generations.
The Mountain
Mount Hooker rises nearly 12,500 feet, with a north face notorious for its difficulty. The climb demands stamina, precision, and absolute respect for the dangers lurking in the wilderness. Even reaching its base requires days of trekking through remote backcountry, far from roads, cell service, or rescue stations. Climbers attempting Hooker accept that mistakes can be deadly. Sudden storms, rockfalls, and hidden crevasses create an unforgiving environment where nature follows its own rules.
Vanishing Without a Trace
Garrett and Della were last seen setting off with their gear, aiming to tackle the north face. When they failed to return on schedule, worry quickly turned to alarm. Calls went unanswered. Days turned into weeks as search-and-rescue teams combed the trails, campsites, and ledges, deploying helicopters, dogs, and ground crews. But the wilderness gave up nothing. No gear, no clothing, no bodies—only the mountain, silent and unyielding.
Theories and Questions
In the absence of evidence, speculation ran rampant. Some climbers surmised they may have fallen during their ascent, their remains hidden in crevasses or buried by rockslides. Others suggested a sudden storm could have forced them off route, leaving them stranded in terrain too treacherous to traverse. Every theory seemed plausible—and yet impossible to prove.
For the Beckwith family, the lack of closure was its own torment. Questions lingered: Did they suffer? Did they reach the summit? Were their final moments peaceful? Without answers, grief became a shadow that never lifted.
The Legacy of Love and Adventure
Yet those who knew them chose to remember their lives, not just their disappearance. Garrett was a devoted father, a man who found joy in the outdoors and instilled that passion in his daughter. Della was adventurous and determined, with a future brimming with potential. Together, they embodied the spirit of exploration that draws countless climbers to the mountains.
Even more than a decade later, Garrett and Della’s story continues to resonate. Mount Hooker remains a monument to their courage and a cautionary symbol of nature’s power. Climbers pause in silent reflection, reminded of the dangers of pursuing the heights.
A Mountain That Remembers
For their family, each passing year is a reminder of lives cut short and moments never lived. The mountain keeps its secrets, unyielding and silent, holding the story of Garrett and Della Beckwith close.
Every rope tossed over a ledge, every climber facing Hooker’s granite wall, carries a piece of their memory. Their disappearance is more than a mystery—it is a testament to love, courage, and the unbreakable bond between a father and daughter who dared to climb into the unknown, together.
