In the summer of 2018, 33-year-old Tyler Gorrell vanished, leaving behind a life in Denver, Colorado, and a family awaiting his arrival at a gathering. He was last seen in the vicinity of west 10th Avenue and Hazel Court on August 3, 2018. When he failed to appear at the family event, concern grew, initiating a search for the young man. The initial search yielded no clues as to his whereabouts, and for a week, his absence was a complete mystery.
The first significant break in the case came on August 10, when his gray Ford Escape was discovered abandoned at the Rock Creek trailhead in Grand County, a mountainous region known for its rugged terrain. This discovery shifted the focus of the investigation to the vast and challenging backcountry near Silverthorne.
The location of his vehicle at a trailhead suggested that Tyler, who was known to have some familiarity with the hiking trails in Summit County, may have embarked on a hike and encountered trouble. He was described as being 5'9' and weighing around 200 pounds, with long brown hair that he often wore in a ponytail. A tattoo on his upper back, just below his neck, was another distinguishing feature. It is believed he may have been carrying a grey backpack at the time of his disappearance. The Summit County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the Denver Police Department, launched an extensive search of the area surrounding the Rock Creek trailhead, a popular but potentially treacherous part of the Gore Range.
Despite a massive search effort, no trace of Tyler Gorrell was ever found. Search and rescue teams, including K9 units and the Civil Air Patrol, scoured the rugged landscape for days, covering a significant area around where his car was found. Hundreds of man-hours were dedicated to the search, with teams exploring numerous trails and off-trail areas. Flyers with his picture and description were distributed to hikers in the area, in the hopes that someone might have seen him. After an exhaustive search yielded no new leads or evidence, the official search was reluctantly suspended. The case of Tyler Gorrell remains an unsolved missing person case, a story that began with a missed family function and ended with an abandoned car at the edge of the wilderness, leaving his family with unanswered questions and the enduring pain of not knowing what became of him.Last Seen: Aug 3, 2018
