Ever since Bart Pickard went missing at Lost Trail Powder Mountain in Montana, guesses as to what happened have swirled among locals and police officials. However, a few hypotheses have popped up and the Ravalli Counry Sheriff’s Office believes that Pickard’s resting place is probably in a tree-well somewhere on the mountain.
In an interview with the Independent Record, Sheriff Chris Hoffman commented on the missing person’s whereabouts saying, “Our guess is he fell into a tree well, but there were no tracks and too much snow in the areas he was known to frequent.
He later added that search efforts have since ceased. “We realized, in consensus with the family, that there was nowhere else to look,” said the Sheriff.
Related:Â The Dangers of Tree Wells and Ski Immersion Suffocation
Search efforts were intensive as crews scoured the mountain for any sign of the Corvallis man whose car was found in the employee parking lot at the ski area. However, with massive amounts of new snow and blowing winds, search efforts were hampered. Since the search was called off, over a foot and a half of fresh snow has fallen on the mountain.
Employees at the ski area continue to look but many believe his body won’t be found until spring when the snow melts.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.
Read the entire Independent Record article here:Â Sheriff says ‘guess is’ missing Lost Trail skier fell in tree well