The person at the center of this case
Hildegard Hendrickson, 79-year-old
Missing Person · Unsolved - Declared legally dead in 2015
299 days waiting
Hildegard Hendrickson
Justice for Hildegard Hendrickson, 79-year-old — the trail went cold in 2025, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Who was the unidentified man in the blue van encountered by Wanda and Michelle on June 17? Christopher was cleared, but was this the same individual Hildegard may have encountered?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What caused the foul odor detected on the embankment near Chickaman Creek drainage on September 12, 2013? Why couldn't cadaver dogs locate it two days later?
📍
location
Lead #3Why would Hildegard, described as safety-conscious and never venturing far from her vehicle, hike alone into rough terrain with a bad knee on June 8 after deciding against it on June 6?
Hildegard Hendrickson, a 79-year-old experienced mushroom hunter from Seattle, disappeared on June 8, 2013, after hiking the Minnow Creek Trail near Leavenworth, Washington. Despite one of the most thorough search efforts on record involving over 5,200 man-hours, cadaver dogs, and extensive ground teams, no trace of Hildegard was ever found. A suspicious encounter with an unidentified man in a blue van near the trailhead raised questions about foul play, though the lead was never conclusively resolved.
Case
#73
Shellane County Sheriff's Office
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4What significance do the four sets of coordinates provided by psychics hold, and were all high-probability areas truly exhausted given the extensive terrain?
👤
person
Lead #5What was the relationship between the territorial mushroom hunters in the area, and could territorial disputes over morel harvesting have played a role in her disappearance?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Hildegard Hendrickson was a renowned mycologist and Seattle University professor, widely regarded as the "godmother of Washington mushroom hunting" who mysteriously vanished in 2013 during a mushroom foraging trip in the Cascades.
Timeline of Events
👁️
2013-06-06
Last confirmed sighting with friends
Hildegard visited Minnow Creek Trail area with Wanda and Lynne but decided not to hike due to rough terrain and her knee condition
👤
2013-06-08
Disappearance date
Hildegard's Ford Focus was found at Minnow Creek Trailhead. She had returned alone to the area after being directed to Basalt Peak Burn by Igor near Rock Creek Campground that morning
👥
2013-06-17
Suspicious encounter at trailhead
Wanda reported meeting a suspicious man in a metallic royal blue van with flatbed, approximately 40 years old, 6 feet tall, with dirty hands and a scar on his nose, carrying hunting knife and mushroom buckets
🕵️
2013-09-14
Final 2013 search operation
Cadaver dog conducted six-hour search of embankment after foul odor detected on September 12; odor theorized to be bear activity. This marked the final follow-up search in 2013
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:June 6, 2013
Last Updated:September 8, 2025
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Case Information
Incident:June 6, 2013
Last Updated:September 8, 2025
Submit a Tip
Login Required
Please log in to submit tips for the Hildegard Hendrickson case.