Missing Missouri official rescued from Wyoming mountains
Shaun Mackelprang, a Missouri deputy attorney general, was found alive six days after disappearing on a hike in Wyoming's Wind River Range. He was airlifted near Scott Lake and treated for dehydration. Authorities say he is expected to fully recover.
Mackelprang, 55, had been hiking since Aug. 20 from the Green River Lakes trailhead toward Gannett Peak, Wyoming's tallest summit at 13,804 feet. Search efforts began after his vehicle was found at the trailhead and he was reported missing. He was airlifted Wednesday near Scott Lake in the Wind River Range.
The deputy attorney general, who joined Missouri's Attorney General's Office in 1998 and became deputy for the criminal division in 2021, was treated for dehydration. Sheriff K.C. Lehr described the outcome as a "miraculous recovery." Mackelprang thanked Tip Top Search and Rescue and sheriff's personnel, saying they put their lives on the line for a stranger.
This story could highlight the risks of backcountry hiking, even for experienced outdoorspeople, and may draw attention to the coordination between local search-and-rescue teams and public volunteers. It could also briefly humanize government officials, showing a state attorney general's staff member as someone who enjoys outdoor recreation. The positive outcome may reinforce public confidence in emergency response systems, while the privacy request could prompt discussion about how much detail officials should share about rescued individuals' experiences.