Featured Image Credit: YouTube/@snakebitmgee
Topics: US News, Social Media, Film and TV, YouTube
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: US News, Social Media, Film and TV, YouTube
Hiker and YouTuber Kenny Veach hasn't been seen since setting out in search for a 'hidden' cave near Area 51.
The 47-year-old experienced hiker first discovered a 'hidden' cave near Area 51 in 2014.
After publicly documenting and speaking about his findings on YouTube, Veach was urged by followers to retrace his tracks, find the cave again and investigate further.
Little did people realize the explorer's third expedition would be his last.
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After discovering the cave in 2014, Veach first publicly spoke about his findings in the comments section of a video posted by extraterrestrial study group Sirius Disclosure.
Posted to a video titled 'Son of an Area 51 Technician', he wrote: "One time during one of my hikes out by Nellis Air Force Base, I found a hidden cave..The entrance to the cave was shaped like a perfect capital M. I always enter every cave I find, but as I began to enter this particular cave, my whole body began to vibrate.
"The closer I got to the cave entrance, the worse the vibrating became. Suddenly I became very scared and high-tailed it out of there."
Despite his fear, encouraged by his followers, Veach returned to the cave.
As per Nevada magazine, the 47-year-old was armed with a nine-millimeter handgun and a video camera as he started the 10 hour hike on 'very dangerous terrain' back to find the cave in a mountain located 'right next to a bombing range'.
However, Veach couldn't find the mysterious cave.
"I found a tarantula, a tortoise and a ram, but I could not find the cave," he wrote on social media.
He decided to venture back for a third time on 10 November, 2014, after his followers were left disappointed by the outcome of his second expedition.
Alas, one comment now haunts Veach's page: "No! Do not go back there. If you find that cave entrance, don't go in, you won't get out."
After not returning from the 'short, overnight trip' he told his family he was going on, the search for Veach began.
The hiker's cellphone was located near an abandoned mine shaft but the trail then grew cold.
Conspiracy theories surrounding what happened to Veach flooded the internet - Veach unveiling government secrets, alien forces, seeing a drug deal, being attacked by an animal, faking his death - however, the hiker's alleged girlfriend eventually took to YouTube to address his disappearance.
She explained she used to hike with Veach 'all over the Nevada desert,' investigating 'abandoned mining towns' as well as 'many caves and mine shafts' but that he was 'a bit more daring' than she was.
Ultimately, Veach's alleged girlfriend - a user named Sheryon Pilgrim - revealed she believes the hiker died by suicide - Veach 'battling depression for many years' and reportedly refusing to 'take medication or see a doctor'.
Pilgrim said: "He quit his job a little more than a year before he disappeared… The search for him was started within a couple days of my call. Over 30 search and rescue team members searched three different times on foot. One helicopter fly over was done and there was no trace of Kenny or any of his camping things.
"They found his car in the area I told them it would be. They did find his cell phone by the mine shaft in the video. The mine shaft was only about a four-hour hike from his car. It is my feeling he left it behind so that he could not be tracked from the GPS in it. He also did not take his video camera with him on this solo hike. It was left in his home. So, he had no intention of filming anything.
"[...] Share this with you for two reasons. First, so that you have more of an understanding who Kenny was and to bring some peace or understanding to the situation. Secondly, if any of you do decide to go out into our desert to look for him or the M Cave, be careful and bring enough water and food."
Cameras were reportedly lowered into the mine shaft near where Veach's phone was located, but no sign of the hiker was found.
His body has still never been recovered and so the mystery remains unsolved.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
You can also call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 at the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline.