DENVER (KDVR) Late last year, the remains of a Colorado woman were found nearly two decades after she went missing on a hike. Now, a family member is using the tragedy as an opportunity to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.
In 2005, Michelle Vanek went missing while hiking Mount of the Holy Cross in Eagle County. Despite a massive search effort, she wasn’t found until last year, 19 years later.
Ethan Whitson was only six years old when his aunt Michelle disappeared.
“She was an incredible woman,” said Whitson.
Even at a young age, he had already grown close to her, and her loss was devastating.
“Having a family member, I think, ripped away from you at a young age like that is really impactful, especially someone you’re, you know, close with,” said Whitson.
At the time, one of the largest search parties in state history combed Mount of the Holy Cross.
“There was over 800 people involved in the search,” said Whitson. “Multiple helicopters, multiple different levels of government.”
But it was to no avail. For nearly 20 years, Vanek’s family had no closure.
“It’s always been a massive mystery and we’ve never known,” said Whitson.
Until late 2023, when two hikers found a boot that Vail Mountain Rescue Group was able to identify as Vanek’s, confirming they had been looking in the wrong place. The next year, in 2024, they found Vanek’s remains in the same area.
Whitson couldn’t believe it.
“I was walking around Steamboat Ski Resort and pretty much bawling my eyes out trying to process what happened,” he said.
Now, he hopes no other families will endure his same hardship. Whitson is raising money for Vail Mountain Rescue Group, which found Vanek.
“Search and rescue is very underfunded, and they play an absolute critical role in our mountains,” said Whitson.
He encourages hikers to never leave each other when hiking together and to always be aware of trail conditions.
“You can summit a mountain any day, they don’t move,” said Whitson. “If it’s not the right situation, you can always do it next year.”
Now, with the closure he was never sure he’d get, Whitson says he’ll never leave home without his aunt again.
“The alpine environment and mountains for me are kind of like my church, and every time I step out there, she’s in my thoughts,” said Whitson.
Whitson is running in the Leadville 100 race this week as a way to raise money for the Vail Mountain Rescue Group. He also started a GoFundMe for the same cause.
