Crews searching for missing skier at Whiteface
Posted: Feb 8th, '18, 20:58
WILMINGTON, N.Y. (WCAX) The search is on for a missing skier in the Adirondacks. He has not been seen since Wednesday and was reported missing after the lifts closed.
We know the skier is a 49-year-old intermediate skier who works as a firefighter in Toronto. He was visiting for the weekend with friends and family. His name has not been released.
New York State Police say the skier went missing at the same time a strong snowstorm was making visibility poor. More than a foot of snow has fallen there in the last 24 hours.
"We've been searching overnight and were searching to this very moment for the individual," said Jon Lundin, the spokesman for Whiteface Mountain.
That search startled some visitors like Ron Rollins of Long Island, New York.
"I noticed low-flying helicopters on a couple of occasions and on my last run down on one of the slopes, there was a ski patrol guy and a guy with a dog, you know looking in the woods," Rollins said.
When the man was reported missing after lifts closed Wednesday afternoon, Whiteface Mountain staff informed New York State Police, the Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Rangers. And the search began.
"We've searched the entire mountain. As a matter of fact, as we speak right now we have about 35-38 people on the hill and as of seven this morning we have searched up and down this mountain at least five times," Lundin said.
To put that into perspective, Whiteface has a total of 314 acres; 35 of those are considered "out of bounds."
But the search has not closed down the mountain. Many mountain-goers like Rollins have still come for the fresh powder.
"It was a great day, great conditions, great mountain," Rollins said.
Rollins says he takes precautions to make sure something like this doesn't happen to him.
"I stay on the trail and as you get older, you're a little more cautious, you know, control my speed, etc," he said.
He and other skiers were informed about the search as soon as they arrived at the mountain and were asked to keep an eye out.
"If they did see anything to please notify our ski patrol," Lundin said.
The search will continue overnight.
We know the skier is a 49-year-old intermediate skier who works as a firefighter in Toronto. He was visiting for the weekend with friends and family. His name has not been released.
New York State Police say the skier went missing at the same time a strong snowstorm was making visibility poor. More than a foot of snow has fallen there in the last 24 hours.
"We've been searching overnight and were searching to this very moment for the individual," said Jon Lundin, the spokesman for Whiteface Mountain.
That search startled some visitors like Ron Rollins of Long Island, New York.
"I noticed low-flying helicopters on a couple of occasions and on my last run down on one of the slopes, there was a ski patrol guy and a guy with a dog, you know looking in the woods," Rollins said.
When the man was reported missing after lifts closed Wednesday afternoon, Whiteface Mountain staff informed New York State Police, the Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Rangers. And the search began.
"We've searched the entire mountain. As a matter of fact, as we speak right now we have about 35-38 people on the hill and as of seven this morning we have searched up and down this mountain at least five times," Lundin said.
To put that into perspective, Whiteface has a total of 314 acres; 35 of those are considered "out of bounds."
But the search has not closed down the mountain. Many mountain-goers like Rollins have still come for the fresh powder.
"It was a great day, great conditions, great mountain," Rollins said.
Rollins says he takes precautions to make sure something like this doesn't happen to him.
"I stay on the trail and as you get older, you're a little more cautious, you know, control my speed, etc," he said.
He and other skiers were informed about the search as soon as they arrived at the mountain and were asked to keep an eye out.
"If they did see anything to please notify our ski patrol," Lundin said.
The search will continue overnight.