A hiker who was attempting a 3,100-mile trip through five states was found dead on a Wyoming hiking trail on Wednesday, according to the authorities.
The Teton County Sheriff’s Office identified the hiker as William Standish, 28, of Australia.
He was traveling the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail from Canada to Mexico, along the Rocky Mountains. He was thru-hiking, a continuous journey from the start to the end of a long-distance trail that can take months to complete.
After visiting Yellowstone National Park, Mr. Standish explored a remote trail system between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, according to Teton County Search and Rescue in Wyoming.
“Evidence suggests that he may have fallen from a steep, high-altitude ridgeline,” the group said on Facebook.
Mr. Standish fell an estimated 250 to 300 feet, according to Matt Carr, the Teton County sheriff.
Mr. Standish’s family filed a missing persons report in Australia on Monday after not hearing from him for four days, the search and rescue group said. The authorities then contacted Yellowstone and Grand Teton park officials.
Teton County Search and Rescue said it had obtained tracking data from a device that pinged Mr. Standish’s last known location.
The group assembled a helicopter team and flew to the coordinates. From the air, the team spotted a bright orange backpack and soon found Mr. Standish’s body.
The Teton County Coroner’s Office said that the cause of Mr. Standish’s death was pending.
Sheriff Carr on Friday described Mr. Standish as a very experienced hiker who kept up a good pace on the trail and had all the right supplies for his journey. “He was doing everything right,” the sheriff said.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail traverses Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
The journey can take five to seven months, according to a planning guide published by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, which describes the trail as one of the “most challenging landscapes in North America.”
Hiking the trail requires meticulous planning, according to the guide, which suggests starting the trail from mid-June to early July. Expect snow “immediately” on passes in Glacier National Park, the guide says.
It is not uncommon to detour and explore alternate routes from the trail.
Following the route that Mr. Standish chose, “you immediately start in difficult terrain,” according to the guide, which recommends checking in regularly with someone and letting the person know when you will be in contact next.
Devices, including emergency beacons, send check-in messages and alert the authorities in case of an emergency. It was unclear whether Mr. Standish had tried to call for help.
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