Skier lost on Whiteface Mtn found in California after seven days of search

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Yes, I spent 2 days on the mountain leading a SAR team. Searching in the very steep rugged deep snow bouldery terrain off the ski trails was brutal. You can do a google search to find the initial answers to most immediate questions. Little in the way of details you really want to know have been released so far. More to follow during a news conference scheduled for tomorrow. Toronto fire chief has already given a news presser video you can find now.
 
From this article http://www.adirondackdailyenterpris...ce-search-skier-turns-up-alive-in-california/ it appears that his friends had real reasons to believe he was missing on the mountain. I guess we will have some more clarity soon but this is already pretty strange.
I can't say much other than I had several of his buddies in my search crew with me on the mountain for 2 days. They seemed pretty close and appeared to know him well enough to believe he was truly without question still on the mountain.
 
Thinking his best bet is to keep with the Sgt. Shultz defense. I'm skeptical about it, we will see if his old phone ever shows up which may show where it had been. Glad that all the SAR folks are okay & we are only talking about lost family time and money.
 
I can't say much other than I had several of his buddies in my search crew with me on the mountain for 2 days. They seemed pretty close and appeared to know him well enough to believe he was truly without question still on the mountain.

Hey, Nessmuk: Thank you for your work and effort there.
 
Hey, Nessmuk: Thank you for your work and effort there.
Thanks, Chip. I really dodn't mind getting out on these things, regardless of the circumstances or the outcome. Not all are happy positive endings for family and friends of the missing person. This was probably one of the most mysterious and finally frustrating of any incident I have ben on in 20+ years of being on a SAR team. But as a bonus, I now have an experience I never could otherwise expect to have. I am not a downhill skier, but now I have a lift ticket from Whiteface to frame. Most volunteers just like to get outside and get on with a search. What we say when we are (temporarily) unsuccessful is "we can now confirm we know where the subject is not located", then we just move on with the next assignments given to us. Sometimes the most frustrating aspect is when while we are on the way responding to an incident, but get the call to stand down because the subject has been found before we get our chance to head out into the woods on the mission.
 
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Hey, Nessmuk: Thank you for your work and effort there.

Yes - I was going to say the same. I was with Spencer and Corenne last week and she spoke about being on the mountain for the search as well. Haven't heard too much follow-up since the discovery in CA.
 
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Nothing new to report AFAIK, but I sure would like to know what happened to his skis and poles. If they were still in the snow we would have found them with our probing. If in the lodge, then LE would have found them. Still in the truck, maybe?
 
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