Australian who died hiking US trail remembered as 'adventurous spirit'

Will Standish, a 28-year-old from Melbourne, Australia, is being remembered as an "adventurous spirit" following his death while hiking a remote trail in the United States. He was on a trek along the Continental Divide Trail, a vast 5,000-kilometer route stretching between Mexico and Canada.

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Will was a funny, adventurous spirit that brought laughter to every situation.

Standish was reported missing by his family after he failed to check in with them. His body was eventually located by a search and rescue crew last Wednesday. He had been regularly updating his family in Australia using a satellite device, with his last confirmed update on July 19 detailing his planned route. Officials from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks noted a Garmin check-in without coordinates or a message four days later, followed by a Facebook Messenger video they believe placed him in the Tetons.

Concerns were raised by his family on July 27, leading to a search effort. Two days later, Teton County Search and Rescue found his body near an area known as the Wigwams on the western slope of the Tetons. A helicopter team spotted his bright orange backpack and located him below a ridge south of North Wigwam Peak. Evidence suggests he may have fallen from a steep, high-altitude ridgeline.

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To be around him was to be infused with his unbridled joy for every aspect of life.

Friends have described Standish as having a "uniquely large heart" and a "funny, adventurous spirit that brought laughter to every situation." He was known for his love of adventure, music, snowboarding, and his family and friends. Fellow hikers also described him as "competent, prepared and experienced," noting his passion for backpacking and climbing. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to his family, who now face the challenge of bringing him home.

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Evidence suggests that he may have fallen from a steep, high altitude ridgeline that separates Grand Teton National Park and the Jedediah Smith Wilderness.