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Kayaker found dead in Yellowstone Lake in YNP

The waters of Yellowstone Lake, with a cloudy sky reflected off the still surface.
Hannah Habermann
/
Wyoming Public Media
A photo of Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, taken from an overlook on the west side of the lake.

This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.

Boaters found a deceased kayaker in Yellowstone Lake earlier this week.

Forty-one-year-old Brandon Rhea of Denver was discovered in the water on the northwest shore of the lake near Bridge Bay in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) on June 8.

National Park Service rangers responded and recovered the body, as well as a capsized kayak and personal belongings.

The death is under investigation and the agency has provided no other details beyond a June 11 press release at this time.

Hannah Habermann is the rural and tribal reporter for Wyoming Public Radio. She has a degree in Environmental Studies and Non-Fiction Writing from Middlebury College and was the co-creator of the podcast Yonder Lies: Unpacking the Myths of Jackson Hole. Hannah also received the Pattie Layser Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing & Journalism Fellowship from the Wyoming Arts Council in 2021 and has taught backpacking and climbing courses throughout the West.

Have a question or a tip? Reach out to hhaberm2@uwyo.edu. Thank you!
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