Minnesota hiker found dead after hiking accident in Wyoming
- Grant Gardner, a Minnesota resident, was last heard from while hiking in Bighorn Mountains on July 29, 2025.
- His body was discovered by a climbing team near his backpack approximately one month later, after extensive search efforts were suspended.
- The Big Horn County sheriff indicated that Gardner likely succumbed to a tragic accident and the recovery operation posed significant challenges.
In a tragic development, Grant Gardner, a Minnesota man who went missing during a hiking trip in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming, lost his life after an accident occurred during a planned three-day hike. Gardner had initially made contact with his wife on July 29, 2025, when he reached the summit of Cloud Peak, the highest peak in the Bighorn National Forest, situated over 13,000 feet above sea level. Unfortunately, after his message, no further contact was made, prompting concern among his family and search authorities. Following his disappearance, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office engaged in extensive search and rescue operations that spanned several weeks, but ultimately suspended their efforts due to diminishing chances of survival. The recovery operation faced numerous challenges, including difficult terrain, adverse weather conditions, and lack of visible trails in the rugged landscape that defines the area. During the intensive search, officials measured all possible probabilities of survival based on weather models and expert assessments regarding Gardner's chances of having survived in the wilderness for so long. On August 25, 2025, a professional climbing team from North Carolina, who was summiting Cloud Peak, discovered a backpack next to Gardner's remains while establishing a high-altitude camp. The team contacted the sheriff’s office to report their finding, which initiated a dangerous recovery operation that ultimately confirmed the identity of the body found nearby. Authorities discussed the difficulty of reaching the site where Gardner was located, noting it had previously been thoroughly searched by air and ground teams. The Big Horn County Coroner's Office was tasked with determining the cause of death, but it is believed that Gardner succumbed to an accident related to his ordeal in the unforgiving wilderness. Though the outcome of the search was not the one everyone had hoped for, law enforcement expressed hope that this resolution would bring peace and closure to the grieving family, Becker’s relatives who now have to cope with the unexpected and heartbreaking loss of their loved one, Grant Gardner.