A body recovered from more than 400 feet deep in Jackson Lake at Grand Teton National Park is believed to be that of a kayaker who disappeared in June 2024.
A park release said the body, believed to be that of Wesley Dopkins of St. Paul, Minnesota, was recovered Monday with the help of specialized sonar technology.
The technology, known as Bruce's Legacy, had initially joined the search effort last fall before returning last week. That team's expertise, experience, and advanced equipment enabled them to successfully locate the remains within the search area, at a depth of about 420 feet.
Dopkins was last seen paddling a foldable Oru kayak across Jackson Lake and was not wearing a life jacket, the park release said.
"Shortly after his disappearance, his kayak, paddle, and dry bag were discovered floating off Moose Island near Leeks Marina," the release added. "At that time, National Park Service rangers conducted an extensive interagency search, using boats, ground teams, dog teams and the Teton County Search and Rescue helicopter."
Positive identification will be made by the Teton County Coroner’s Office. However, based on the characteristics of the remains and the location where they were recovered, they are believed to be those of Dopkins.
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