Sun Sep 15 02:58:26 UTC 2024: ## Possible Remains of Missing Hiker Found After Nearly 19 Years
**EAGLE COUNTY, CO** – Nearly 19 years after she vanished, searchers have found personal items believed to belong to Michelle Vanek, who disappeared while hiking Mount of the Holy Cross in Eagle County. The discovery, made by the Vail Mountain Rescue Group, comes after years of searching and a breakthrough in 2023 when a boot confirmed to be Vanek’s was found in the wilderness south of Vail.
Vanek was 35 when she disappeared on September 24, 2005. Her disappearance sparked a massive search effort, involving hundreds of volunteers over the years.
The newly discovered items are said to closely resemble those Vanek was carrying when she went missing. The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office is currently waiting for forensic confirmation of the items.
“Finding these personal items is an emotional moment for all of us,” the Sheriff’s Office stated in a release. “For 19 years, Michelle’s family, friends, and this community have held on to hope.”
Sheriff James Van Beek, who has a search grid map of the area hanging in his office as a reminder of the unsolved case, emphasized the unwavering commitment to finding Vanek.
The discovery of these items brings a renewed sense of hope and possibility to the case, reigniting the search for answers after nearly two decades.
First Piper 