Rescuers recover missing kayaker in Jackson Lake

JACKSON (WNE) — Officials say they have recovered the body of a kayaker who has been missing for more than a year on Jackson Lake, according to Grand Teton National Park.

Wesley Dopkins, 43, of St. Paul, Minnesota, disappeared in a storm on June 15, 2024. He was not wearing a life vest, and some of his belongings were found later. Teton park searched the lake by air, water and land but was not able to find Dopkins’ body.

Following the unsuccessful search, Dopkins’ family requested that a Wisconsin-based search and rescue outfit, Bruce’s Legacy, continue the search. The organization, which uses specialized sonar to locate drowning victims, was part of a four-day search effort last fall and returned to the Tetons last week.

Searchers with Bruce’s Legacy found the remains Sunday after four days of probing, said Keith Cormican, the organization’s director and diver who conducted the search.

Teton County Coroner Brent Blue has not yet identified the remains.

“However, based on the characteristics of the remains and the location where they were recovered, they are believed to be those of Dopkins,” a park press release said.

Cormican used a remote operation vehicle to recover the remains.

“This is not a normal search and rescue setup,” he said. “It’s very sophisticated equipment.”

Dopkins was last seen kayaking with a friend around 2 p.m. on June 15, 2024. The two left Colter Bay midday, intending to cross the lake to reach Waterfalls Canyon on the west shore, park officials said at the time.

But a few hours later, they became separated, and the friend lost sight of Dopkins.

This story was published on Sept. 10, 2025.