PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. — An overdue snowboarder was found deceased in hazardous backcountry terrain near Snowmass Ski area on Thursday.
On Thursday, several agencies — the Aspen Ski Company, Snowmass Mountain Ski Patrol, Mountain Rescue Aspen, Flight for Life, Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Snowmass Police Department and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office — began to search David Cross, a 32-year-old snowboarder from Carbondale who was overdue.
He was reported missing from a friend on Tuesday, according to the sheriff's office.
Police were able to determine that he was last seen boarding the Village Express Lift on Tuesday around 11:50 a.m.
Search efforts began Tuesday and continued Wednesday, but both were unsuccessful, according to the sheriff's office.
On Thursday, search crews began looking inbounds on Snowmass Mountain but found evidence and a single snowboard track in the West Willow area off the Snowmass Ski area.
Ski patrol following the track and found Cross deceased, according to the sheriff's office. They said they found him in "very hazardous backcountry terrain."
Due to difficult terrain, time restraints and safety, crews could not recover his body and planned instead to return Friday. A seven member team was able to safely recover his body by 1:30. p.m. Friday.
The cause of his death is under investigation and will be released by the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office.
