William Standish, a 28-year-old Australian hiker, was found dead on Wednesday morning, July 31, 2026, in the Wigwams, a series of rocky peaks on the west slope of the Teton mountain range in Wyoming. Authorities believe he likely suffered a fatal fall.
Standish had been attempting a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail, a 3,100-mile route starting in Canada and passing through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. He lost contact with his family on July 23, 2026, after last updating them via a Garmin GPS device and Facebook Messenger. This prompted a search led by Teton County rescue crews.
Evidence suggests Standish may have fallen from a steep ridgeline separating Grand Teton and the Jedediah Smith wilderness. A helicopter team discovered his remains after spotting an orange backpack below the ridge.
Prior to his disappearance, on July 19, Standish provided an update near Old Faithful, outlining his planned route through the Tetons, Gros Ventre wilderness, the Wind River range, and the Divide Basin.
In related regional incidents, The Colorado Sun reported a 15-year-old boy died after being struck by lightning on Mount Blue Sky on Monday, and the CBC reported a 65-year-old from Calgary fell from Mount Temple in Banff three days earlier.
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