Deputies rescue stranded hikers in Vedauwoo after gear shortage

Albany County sheriff’s deputies hauled two stranded hikers out of the Vedauwoo Recreation Area by four-wheeler after the pair pushed about five miles into rugged backcountry without adequate equipment. No injuries were reported, but the nighttime rescue still pulled deputies into rough terrain and turned an avoidable gear problem into a response call.

The incident happened April 15 in one of Albany County’s most recognizable outdoor destinations, where the Medicine Bow National Forest’s Laramie Ranger District meets the granite outcrops of Pole Mountain. The U.S. Forest Service describes Vedauwoo as a group of spectacular granite rock formations, and Travel Wyoming says the formations sit about 27 miles west of Cheyenne and were shaped by ice, wind and water. The area’s boulders, slabs and cliffs make it a destination for climbers and hikers, but they also make navigation and access harder once someone moves away from the trailhead.

That contrast is part of why a short outing can become a rescue. The Turtle Rock Trail, a popular 2.8-mile loop through the Vedauwoo Day Use Area, winds around the formations and beaver ponds, but the hikers in this case were far beyond that easy loop and into the backcountry when they needed help. Deputies had to reach them at night, using four-wheelers to get through the rugged terrain.

For Albany County, even a no-injury rescue has a cost. Albany County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue operates under the sheriff, relies on trained volunteers, and provides services free of charge, backed by tax-deductible donations. Every call can draw on volunteer manpower, deputies and specialized vehicles, whether the outcome is a medical evacuation or, as in this case, a recovery that ends safely.

Vedauwoo has a history of rescue operations. On May 31, 2018, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, Albany County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue and members of the Air National Guard rescued an injured hiker there and transported that person for medical care. The latest call reinforces the same lesson: once hikers leave the road-facing side of Vedauwoo and move into the rock, wind and distance of the backcountry, proper gear matters.

Before entering Vedauwoo, carry enough water, warm layers, a map or navigation device, and a light for any delay after dark. In a place where cell service can be limited and help is far from the trailhead, preparation is the difference between a hike and a rescue.