BASIN, Wyo. - The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office reports a search has been launched for a missing hiker in the Cloud Peak Wilderness area of the Bighorn Mountains.
The sheriff's office said in a press release it received information on Aug. 1 regarding an overdue hiker and immediately began a search and rescue operation.
Grant Gardner of Minnesota had planned on an approximate three-day hike through the Misty Moon Lake area, eventually summiting Cloud Peak, and returning to his vehicle completing his journey, the press release states.
Gardner made contact with his wife on the evening of July 29, letting her know he’d made it to the summit. Since that time there has not been any contact with Gardner.
Gardner’s vehicle was located by searchers in the parking lot of the West Ten Sleep trailhead where he began his journey. The hiking log at the trailhead revealed he’d entered the wildness area as he had indicated in his hiking plan.
Phone records showed he summited the 13,000-foot Cloud Peak Summit at around 9 p.m. on July 29 and was preparing to head to a lower elevation for the night.
The late hour of his arrival on the summit was concerning to search managers, the press release states..
A text sent to his wife at the summit indicated the climb was more taxing than he expected and he was tired.
On the morning of Aug. 2, search and rescue teams from South Big Horn County, Sheridan County, Johnson County, Washakie County, and Park County Wyoming along with other rotor aircraft from First Flight of Wyoming, Wyoming Army National Guard, and private air craft, continued search efforts from the previous day.
Efforts to locate Gardner continued throughout the weekend in the Cloud Peak Wilderness area by these agencies. The sheriff's office said conditions in the area are extreme and very challenging, and at least two rescuers have suffered medical conditions and received medical care.
On Monday morning, additional assets arrived on scene for the search, including canine tracking dogs from various organizations around the state of Wyoming. Teton County Search and Rescue has arrived on scene with their helicopter and special electronic device tracking equipment were enroute to the scene.
FLIR (Forward Looking Inferred Radar) tracking equipment has been deployed in the search for Gardner.
"The search is rapidly evolving and ongoing in the Cloud Peak Wilderness area," the press release states. "In addition to high altitude and terrain challenges, difficult weather patterns including winds, thunder and lightning storms have made search efforts difficult at various times of the day."
The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office is requesting anyone who may have had contact with Gardner, please report to the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office at 307-568-2324 or the Wyoming Missing Person Tip line on the Wyoming DCI website. Gardner has been entered as a missing person per state statute.
