Account
Mar 27, 2012
May 31, 2023
Irene
Herding
109
75
60 inches
95 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the summer of 1990, a mystery began to unfold in the rugged wilderness of Washington state involving a 75-year-old woman named Irene B. Herding. An avid and experienced hiker, Irene was known for her love of the outdoors. On or about July 20, 1990, she left her home, presumably for one of her frequent hiking excursions into the mountains near Darrington, a town nestled in Snohomish County. In a departure from her usual routine, she did not inform anyone of her plans or her intended destination. This lack of a specific search area would soon prove to be a significant challenge for those who would eventually search for her. Her independence and passion for hiking were hallmarks of her character, but in this instance, it left a void of information when she failed to return. Nearly a week after Irene had set out, on July 26, 1990, a U.S. Forest Service employee discovered her vehicle, a 1977 Chrysler station wagon. The car was located in the Darrington area, a gateway to numerous trails in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Initially, the discovery may not have raised significant alarm, as it's common for hikers to leave vehicles for several days. However, as weeks turned into a month, the situation grew more concerning. It wasn't until August 23, 1990, that a closer inspection of the vehicle revealed a deeply troubling detail: Irene's purse and her camping equipment were still inside the car. This discovery strongly suggested that she had not been prepared for an extended trip and may have encountered trouble shortly after starting her hike. The realization prompted an immediate notification to the police, and a formal report was filed with the King County Sheriff's Office on September 23, 1990. The discovery of Irene's belongings inside her car triggered an extensive search and rescue operation in the vast and challenging terrain surrounding Darrington. Teams scoured the dense forests, steep mountainsides, and winding trails, hoping to find any sign of the missing 75-year-old. Despite the exhaustive efforts of search teams, not a single trace of Irene Herding was ever found. No clothing, no equipment, and no indication of her direction of travel or what might have befallen her came to light. The complete absence of clues left investigators and her loved ones with a painful void and a case that would quickly go cold. The disappearance of Irene Herding is a perplexing and somber case that highlights the unforgiving nature of the wilderness. She was an elderly, yet capable, hiker who vanished without a trace from an area she likely knew and loved. The fact that her vehicle and essential items like her purse and camping gear were left behind points away from a planned disappearance and towards an unforeseen and tragic event. Without any evidence or subsequent leads, her case has remained unsolved for decades, a quiet and enduring mystery in the mountains of Snohomish County. Irene Herding simply walked into the forest one day and was never seen or heard from again, leaving only questions behind.
Jul 20, 1990
Darrington
Washington
Snohomish County
No
11581
King County Sheriff's Office
Seattle
Washington
King County
98104
Janet Gregory
Project Program Mgr 3
516 3rd Avenue Room W-150, Washington
2062964155
County
Law Enforcement
90-241572
1990-09-23
King County Sheriff's Office
Gray or Partially Gray
Blue
Blue
06/19/2026
