Missing hiker’s body found on Wyoming mountain range a month after eerie final text to wife
A Minnesota man who went missing while hiking in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains was found dead nearly a month after his last message to his wife, authorities said.
Grant Gardner, 38, was discovered under a ledge near the top of the 13,000-foot Cloud Peak by a professional climbing team from North Carolina, according to the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office.
Gardner disappeared on July 29 while hiking in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. He had planned a three-day trip near Misty Moon Lake and then to reach the summit of Cloud Peak. His last contact was a text to his wife saying he had made it to the summit but that the climb was harder than expected and he was very tired.
Search and rescue teams, along with volunteers, spent weeks looking for him without success. On Tuesday, climbers noticed a reflection near a ledge while descending the mountain and reported it. When rescuers arrived the next morning, they found Gardner’s body near his backpack. His clothing had blended in with the rocky terrain, making him hard to spot.
Gardner’s remains were recovered and returned to his family. He leaves behind his wife, Lauren, and their two children, ages 13 and 11. Lauren said her husband had been hiking for over 10 years and usually went alone.
The sheriff’s office said the case was passed to the county coroner, as is routine, but they believe Gardner’s death was a tragic accident.
They also thanked the climbing team for noticing the backpack and helping rescuers locate him, bringing closure to the family.
