By WCCO reporter Ashley Grams

A Minnesota man is missing in Wyoming after spending a few days hiking in the Bighorn Mountains. 

The Big Horn County Sheriff's Office says Grant Gardner planned a three-day hike through the Misty Moon Lake area and summited Cloud Peak, at 13,000 feet, on July 29. 

The sheriff says Grant Gardner texted his wife at the summit and told her he made it, but the climb was "more taxing than he expected." 

The sheriff's office started a search and rescue operation on Aug. 1, and searchers found his car in the parking lot of a nearby trailhead.

Grant Gardner's brother, Justin Gardner, has been on the ground in Wyoming helping with the search. He describes his brother as an avid outdoorsman who is a loving husband and father of two.

"There's still a lot of hope that we'll find him," said Justin Gardner.

Friends of the Gardner family in Lakeville, Minnesota, say Grant Gardner often took solo trips and was used to cold conditions. 

"It was a well-thought-out, very planned, meticulous itinerary," said friend Becka Lyke, who said Grant Gardner's wife notified search teams of his absence. 

"Their family is one of the most amazing families," said friend Elaina Weiers. "I know Grant is a wonderful husband, you can tell he truly loves his wife and his kids." 

The women are asking for anyone who might have seen Gardner or spent time on Cloud Peak to share information with search and rescue teams. 

The sheriff's office says many agencies and community members are involved in the search, including the Wyoming Army National Guard and private pilots.

"In addition to high altitude and terrain challenges, difficult weather patterns including winds, thunder and lightning storms have made search efforts difficult at various times of the day," the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook.

The sheriff's office is asking anyone with information to reach out at 307-568-2324.