Search efforts continue Tuesday evening for a 76-year-old California man who hasn’t not returned from a Saturday day hike in Wyoming’s Wind River Range.
Steve Keller was on a group hike to Deadman Lake in the Wind River Range when he disappeared, according to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and his family. He was last seen near Steamboat Lake on Saturday.
Steve is 6 feet tall and 170 pounds. He was wearing a green windbreaker jacket and a blue/black/green Patagonia fleece. He was not carrying a backpack at the time of his disappearance.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office launched a search effort involving at least 15 volunteers on foot and a helicopter in coordination with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Shoshone and Arapaho Fish and Game. The search has encountered several weather-related setbacks.
“Crews were inserted into the area by helicopter on the morning of (Sunday) and the search has been underway since,” according to a Tuesday update from the FCSO. “Weather conditions have severely impacted the search effort as thunderstorms have moved through the area and limited the ability to conduct air operations at times.”
Steve’s niece, Betsy Briggs-Miller, posted a public call for help on Facebook, which has been shared in many Wyoming news and missing persons groups.
“He is an expert outdoorsman and very tough,” she said. “No health issues. He was leaving for a day hike, and his pack was left at the campsite, unfortunately.”
Briggs-Miller said Keller had done this backpacking trip multiple times and that in the past, he had taken the trail to Alpine Lake.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
