Missing Missouri Deputy AG is found ALIVE 6 days after disappearing during Wyoming hike
Missouri Deputy Attorney General Shaun Mackelprang has been found alive after disappearing for six days during a solo hike in Wyoming’s Wind River Range. His rescue ended a large search operation and highlights the risks posed by remote, high-altitude mountain routes and rapidly changing weather.
Mackelprang, 55, began his walk from the Green River Lakes trailhead on 20 August and reached the 13,804-foot Gannett Peak summit the following day, where he signed the register. His family reported him missing after he failed to return as planned; rescuers found him near a lake on Wednesday morning and evacuated him by helicopter. He was reportedly dehydrated and disorientated, received an IV and was taken to a medical facility, while search teams included police, volunteers, drones and a rescue helicopter.
- Missing Missouri official rescued alive after six days in Wyoming.
- He was dehydrated and disorientated when found.
- Searchers used ground teams, drones and a helicopter.
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Wyoming’s Wind River Range is a remote mountain area in the western United States, with high peaks and routes that can be difficult to reach. Gannett Peak, at 13,804 feet, is the highest mountain in Wyoming, and reaching it can involve challenging terrain and changeable weather.
Shaun Mackelprang is a lawyer who serves as a deputy attorney general in Missouri, a state far from Wyoming. His hike was planned as a solo trip, so when he did not return as expected, his family raised the alarm and search teams had to look across a large, rugged area.
The case draws attention to the practical risks of hiking in isolated, high-altitude places, where injury, exhaustion or weather can make it hard to get help. Rescue efforts in such terrain can require coordination among public agencies, volunteers and specialist aircraft.