AUSTRALIAN HIKER FOUND DEAD IN WYOMING DURING CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL ATTEMPT

Will Standish, 28, from Melbourne, was found dead in a remote area of Wyoming on 31 July during an attempt to complete the Continental Divide Trail, a 3,100-mile hiking route extending from Mexico to Canada. Search and rescue teams located Standish nearly a week after his family last received communication from him. His family had been receiving regular updates via a Garmin satellite device, with Standish's final message sent on 19 July detailing his planned movements. Four days later, on 23 July, he sent a check-in alongside video footage showing his location in the Tetons, a mountain range south of Yellowstone National Park in northern Wyoming.

Standish's family reported him missing on 27 July after failing to receive further contact. Search and rescue teams spotted his bright orange backpack from a helicopter and recovered his body two days later. The hiker was on his second attempt at the Continental Divide Trail, described as a gruelling multi-thousand-mile expedition. His family said they had maintained contact throughout his journey using the satellite device to track his progress and wellbeing.

Standish's family released a tribute describing him as "funny, cheeky, adorable, smart and kind" and thanked search and rescue teams for their efforts. In a message to their son, they wrote: "We love you. We will carry you with us forever. Rest in eternal sunshine. Dance with the stars." A friend, Katie Jackson, characterised Standish as "a funny, adventurous spirit that brought laughter to every situation."