Authorities have reported that a Minnesota hiker was discovered deceased in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains nearly a month after sending a final text message to his wife, after which he went silent.
Grant Gardner, aged 38, was located beneath a ledge close to the summit of the 13,000-foot Cloud Peak. His body was found by a professional climbing team from North Carolina, as disclosed by the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office in a statement.
“While it’s not the outcome we hoped for, we are hopeful this will provide much needed peace and closure to the family,” the sheriff’s office said.
Gardner disappeared on July 29 in the Cloud Peak Wilderness during a planned three-day hike through the Misty Moon Lake area, which included summiting Cloud Peak.
Gardner’s body was recovered from the mountain and was brought home to his family.
Gardner’s wife previously told a local news outlet that her husband liked to go on solo hikes. (Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office)
According to Cowboy State Daily, the 38-year-old was the father of two children, aged 13 and 11. His wife, Lauren, shared that her husband, an experienced hiker for over a decade, preferred hiking solo.
“This situation feels completely unreal,” she expressed to the outlet while the search was still active. “I’m in shock and trying to stay strong for the kids. Throughout the years, nothing like this has occurred. He’s skilled and knowledgeable. I’m just hoping for the best.”
The case has been turned over to the Big Horn County Coroner’s Office to ascertain the time, manner, and cause of death, which is standard practice, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Nothing should be read into this transition,” the sheriff’s office said. “We believe Gardner succumbed to a tragic accident as we all have surmised.”
The sheriff’s office also thanked the professional climbing team for their help, saying they were in the right place at the right time.
“Special thanks to a spectacular professional group of technical climbers who were in exactly the right spot, at the right moment, with the right light, to notice a small piece of fabric on a pack that was otherwise undetectable, for selflessly aborting their plans and working with SAR Teams to find Gardner, providing closure to his family,” it said.
