After nearly 20 years, American investigators have made progress in the search for Michelle Vanek, 35, who disappeared during a mountain trip in Colorado, USA, in 2005.

Vanek was on her way to the top of Mount Holy Cross with a friend. They were about to reach there when she was said to have been so tired that she chose instead to turn around, she wrote among others: Independent.

Since then, no one has seen the mother of four.

Now search teams – and an archaeologist – have discovered some of Vanek's belongings on the mountain.

Among the items they found were clothes, a small backpack and keys that matched the car she was driving that day, according to Emily Brown of the search team, who was interviewed by 9news.

The items will now be DNA tested. Police believe the discovery could provide insight into Vanek's final moments.

The findings offer a glimmer of hope for Michelle's family and friends, police said in a statement.

The disappearance on September 24, 2005, sparked the largest manhunt in Colorado history. 220 people participated in a seven-day search, but no trace was found after that.

“It’s really a mystery where Michelle is. What’s even more confusing is that we had five different search dogs where we know she was, and they didn’t find anything,” Tim Cochrane, president of Vail Mountain Rescue, told the Vail Daily at the time.

The area where the assets were found will now remain cordoned off out of respect for Vanek's memory and to facilitate further searches, write among other things: Independent.

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