A Missouri deputy attorney general who vanished while attempting to summit Wyoming’s tallest peak was found alive on Wednesday (August 27) after six days lost in the Wind River Range, according to the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office. Shaun Mackelprang, who had set out from the Green River Lakes Trailhead on Thursday (August 20) to climb Gannett Peak, was located near Scott Lake by search crews using ground teams, drones, and a rescue helicopter.

The search for Mackelprang began after he was reported missing and his vehicle was found at the trailhead, as detailed by the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office. Rescuers reached him around 9:45 a.m. and airlifted him from the backcountry. Mackelprang was reportedly dehydrated and disoriented but able to be reunited with his family.

According to his brother Romel, Mackelprang had been working to reach the highest point in all 50 states, with Gannett Peak—Wyoming’s highest mountain at 13,804 feet—as his forty-fifth summit. Mackelprang signed the summit register, suggesting his trouble began on the descent.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway shared her relief at the rescue, stating, "We are thrilled to hear that Deputy Attorney General Shaun Mackelprang has been located. Our office is beyond grateful for everyone’s prayers and the steadfast work of the Sublette County Sheriff's Office and drone team, Tip Top Search and Rescue’s volunteers and helicopter crew, and Wyoming State leaders."

Authorities have not specified the exact circumstances of Mackelprang’s disappearance or how he survived for nearly a week in the wilderness. The sheriff’s office thanked other hikers and the public for sharing information and reviewing photographs and GPS data during the search. Mackelprang, who has worked in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office since May 2021, is now recovering and expected to reunite with loved ones.

Michelle Fay