Australian Hiker Found Dead Along Canadian Trail

UPDATE Jun 14, 2023 6:09 AM CDT

The Australian woman who failed to return from a hike in Canada has been found dead. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed Wednesday that the body of Julia-Mary Lane had been located, adding her death is "not considered suspicious." "It looks accidental, due to steep terrain," RCMP corporal James Grandy told the Guardian. "All evidence of the scene shows she accidentally maybe lost her footing." Grandy added Lane was alone, per 9 News. Lane's family described the loss of "our beautiful baby girl" in an "unfortunate hiking accident" in a statement that asked for "space to process this incredibly sad news," per CTV News Vancouver.

Jun 13, 2023 12:46 PM CDT

An Australian woman living in Canada has gone silent during a weeklong hiking trip in what the Guardian describes as "bear country," prompting fears for her safety. Julia-Mary Lane, a 24-year-old Brisbane native also known as "JM," has been living in Alberta since January. According to ABC Australia, she traveled to neighboring British Columbia with plans to house-sit and hike before starting a job in finance. Information from her smartwatch indicates she was hiking Friday south of the town of Kimberley.

Janet Hamilton, who describes herself as Lane's "housemate," contacted her family early Tuesday Australian time, saying she hadn't seen Lane since Saturday afternoon. Family members "are normally in contact with her daily and have not heard from her since Saturday morning," Hamilton wrote on Facebook, per the Guardian. Lane's family contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who reportedly located Lane's car at the Bear Lake Trail near Kimberley, where a search is underway. "Last we heard from her she was on a hike/heading for a hike," Lane's brother Conor wrote on social media, per the Guardian. "Please reach out and let me know if you have seen her or have any info on where she might be."

story continues below

Lane's mother tells ABC that family members are "trying not to think of the worst-case scenario" but "will quite probably" travel to Canada amid the search. "I just hope she comes home safely," she says. Days before her disappearance, Lane had posted to a Facebook group, requesting "to join any moderate to challenging hikes anyone has planned" in the region, per the Guardian. She added, "I am comfortable hiking solo but would prefer to go with a group to minimize bear risk." (More missing person stories.)