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Missouri deputy attorney general found alive 6 days after vanishing on Wyoming mountain

Shaun Mackelprang was located near Scott Lake in the Wind River Range after going missing during a backcountry hike up Gannett Peak.

Updated Aug 27, 2026 · 13:21 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • Missouri Deputy Attorney General Shaun Mackelprang, 55, was found alive on Aug. 27 after missing for six days in Wyoming's Wind River Range.
  • Mackelprang set out on Aug. 20 to climb Gannett Peak as part of an effort to reach the highest elevation points in all 50 states.
  • Search teams using aircraft, ground crews, and drones located him dehydrated and disoriented near Scott Lake before airlifting him out by helicopter.
  • Authorities have not yet officially disclosed the exact details of what occurred during the six days he was missing.

Key facts

  • Shaun Mackelprang went missing on Aug. 20 after setting out from the Green River Lakes Trailhead to summit Wyoming's 13,804-foot Gannett Peak.[Fox News · CBS News]
  • The Sublette County Sheriff's Office and volunteer organization Tip Top Search and Rescue located Mackelprang near Scott Lake on Wednesday morning and evacuated him by helicopter.[Fox News · CBS News]
  • Rescuers found Mackelprang's vehicle abandoned at the trailhead after he was reported missing.[Fox News · CBS News]
  • Mackelprang's brother stated that his brother signed the summit register, indicating that issues arose during his descent when he became dehydrated, disoriented, and encountered adverse weather.[Fox News · CBS News]
  • Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway issued a public statement expressing gratitude to the rescue personnel and volunteers involved in the search.[Fox News · CBS News]

What remains uncertain

  • Law enforcement officials have not released an official account detailing what caused Mackelprang's disorientation or his exact movements over the six-day period.[Fox News · CBS News]
  • It remains unverified by medical officials whether Mackelprang sustained physical injuries during the ordeal beyond being found dehydrated and disoriented.[Fox News · CBS News]

Sources