A body believed to be a Minnesota kayaker who disappeared at Jackson Lake in western Wyoming more than a year ago has been found by a recovery team.
Wesley Dopkins, 43, of St. Paul, was last seen paddling on the lake on June 15, 2024, according to Grand Teton National Park officials.
His foldable kayak, paddle and dry bag were found floating on the lake's east side soon after he disappeared. A search using a helicopter, boats, ground teams and dogs did not find him at that time, park officials said Tuesday in a statement.
A nonprofit search and recovery organization found the body Sunday and recovered it Monday from a depth of about 420 feet (130 meters).
Official identification by the Teton County Coroner's Office was still pending, but “characteristics of the remains” and where they were found suggested they were Dopkins', according to the statement.
Dopkins was not wearing a life jacket when he was seen paddling from Elk Island to Waterfalls Canyon on the west shore. What happened to him is still unknown, but hypothermia is a common hazard in chilly Wyoming waters.
Jackson Lake is a large reservoir on the Snake River at the foot of the Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park.
Another Minnesota man has been missing in Wyoming since July, and the search for him has been suspended. Big Horn County authorities say they are not going to continue the search and rescue operation for Grant Gardner who went for a three-day hike the Bighorn National Forest.
Gardner had contacted his wife on July 29 saying he had made it to the summit. That's the last time anyone heard from Gardner.
Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn says that they have to face the reality that the most optimistic survival odds have run out, and that recovery efforts will resume, as “time and evidence allow.”