That part is weird, admittedly. From what his brother said:
“He does do getaways, camping frequently, but never no contact,” he said.
“He hasn’t taken his phone with him, which is a bit unusual.
Maybe he forgot it in the car. I’ve definitely done that before. But who knows. We might never know.
I can’t wait for the encore!
It sounds 100% like a suicide to me. I don’t think that’s usually classified as “foul play”.
I’ve been to places where you turn your phone off because there is simply no cell coverage. Leaving it behind in the car makes even more sense n that situation. Death by accident in the wilderness is a hundred times more likely than death by homicide or suicide.
Normally I’d agree, but the message he posted on his website ("Transformation requires disappearance”) and disappearing in a way his family describes as out of character makes me think it wasn’t an accident.
ETA: another hint - Australian news sources are including lines like “If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14” at the end of reports about his death.
And his family says that on his previous hikes he stayed in communication, suggesting that he either chose hiking locations with at least some cell coverage, or that he had a phone with at least some satellite capability.
OK, yeah, that sounds like suicide, then.
Not sure what the weather was like, but hypothermia from exposure can come on without the patient noticing anything. And once brain functions are compromised people make bad and counterintuitive decisions that can lead to injury or death. Not saying that this happened here but it’s always a consideration with solo hikers.