56-year-old man dies after fall in remote Albany County terrain
Michael Werkeiser died after slipping into Mullen Creek near Falls Overlook, where crews rappelled 30 feet into steep terrain with little cell service. A texted 911 call set off a multi-agency rescue.
A 56-year-old man died after a fall in steep, remote terrain near Falls Overlook on Forest Service Road 307, where little or no cellular service forced rescuers to coordinate by text as the emergency unfolded Friday evening.
Albany County officials identified the man as Michael Werkeiser. Deputies were dispatched at about 7:47 p.m. on May 29 after a 911 text message reported a person who was unconscious and having trouble breathing. A second text soon followed saying the person was no longer breathing, CPR had been underway for about 10 minutes, and the victim was trapped in the river.
That change in information prompted an expanded response from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, which requested help from Albany County Search and Rescue, Lifeline Air Medical, Classic Air Medical and later water-rescue support. High-angle rescuers eventually found that Werkeiser had slipped while descending steep terrain into a narrow crevice and fallen into Mullen Creek, where the water was flowing rapidly. Investigators believe he struck his head and lost consciousness.
One person in Werkeiser’s hiking party entered the water in an effort to help and stayed with him until crews arrived. Deputies, the sheriff’s office high-angle rescue team, Laramie Fire Department and Centennial Volunteer Fire Department then worked together to recover him after rappelling about 30 feet into the creek. Emergency medical personnel evaluated both people at the scene. Werkeiser was pronounced dead there, and the other person refused medical treatment.
The call shows how fast an outing in Albany County’s backcountry can turn deadly when steep slopes, narrow drainages and moving water leave little room for error. The lack of reliable cell service at Falls Overlook slowed communication and made the initial rescue harder to organize, a reminder that anyone heading into remote terrain needs to tell someone the exact route and expected return time, carry a working way to call or text for help, and know that crews may have to reach them by rope, water or air if an accident happens far from a road.
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