The search for Grant Gardner, the Minnesota hiker who went missing on Aug. 1 in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains, has been suspended.

Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn made the announcement on Wednesday, calling the decision made jointly with Gardner's family "heartbreaking and difficult."

"Our teams have exhausted all resources and personnel over the last 20 days," Blackburn wrote in a statement. "With weather conditions and other factors updated in our search models, we have to face the reality that the most optimistic survival odds have run out."

Blackburn said search teams will rest before pivoting to a recovery mission, but there are "many citizen volunteers and outdoors people" still looking for Gardner, a husband and father of two from Lakeville.

"While grieving, [the Gardners] are humbled, and grateful beyond words," he wrote. "Many team members feel like they have lost a battle by not finding Grant at this time, however, it was not for a lack of effort on anyone's part."

Blackburn said earlier this month Gardner texted his wife on July 29 after making the 13,000-foot summit to Cloud Peak, saying the climb was "more taxing than he expected." Crews found Gardner's car the next day in a trailhead parking lot.

WCCO's Ashley Grams spoke with family friend Becka Lyke on Aug. 5, who said Gardner regularly embarked on solo hiking trips.

"It was a well-thought-out, very planned, meticulous itinerary," Lyke said.

Blackburn said Wednesday he hopes "clues will surface that will help bring a final closure to this tragedy in due time."

NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Aug. 14, 2025.