Missing Minnesota hiker found dead in Wyoming wilderness

BIG HORN COUNTY, Wyo. (FOX 9) - The body of the missing Minnesota hiker was found in Wyoming on Wednesday. 

Grant Gardner's body found

What we know:

According to the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office in Wyoming, in the late afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 26, a group of climbers were in the Cloud Peak Wilderness preparing to summit Woolsey Peak, when they spotted a slight reflection from their high-altitude camp. 

The climbers believed what they saw was a backpack a few hundred feet above them underneath a ledge, and they notified the sheriff's office. 

On Wednesday, authorities responded to the camp and began to search the area. 

The body of Minnesota hiker Grant Gardner was eventually found near the backpack, authorities said. Law enforcement described the recovery process of Gardner's body as "difficult and dangerous." 

The sheriff's office noted his body was located in one of the primary search areas, which had been "covered by air and other means, underscoring how difficult this mission has been," the press release reads.

Gardner's body was taken to the Big Horn County Coroner's Office to determine the time and cause of death, but authorities believe he died from an accident. 

What we don't know:

Authorities did not say the official cause of death for Gardner, or what led up to his death. 

The search for Gardner

The backstory:

Search operations have been ongoing since Gardner was formally reported missing in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming on Aug. 1.

Despite the hard work of search crews in difficult conditions and the use of advanced technology, Gardner remained unaccounted for.

Timeline:

Gardner was on a hiking trip through the Misty Moon Lake area when he disappeared. He last made contact with his family on July 29, after reaching the summit at Cloud Peak.

Authorities say he reached the peak around 9 p.m. and was trying to head to a lower elevation for the night. Since then, he hasn't made contact with his family and never made it back to his vehicle, which remained parked near the West Ten Sleep trailhead when search efforts began.

On Aug. 21, the sheriff's office made the announcement that they would be suspending the rescue operations for Gardner.