Hood River, Ore. – Authorities said the search for a 57-year-old man who went missing Tuesday while skiing on Mt. Hood has become a recovery effort.
Sgt. Pete Hughes with the Hood River Sheriff’s Office said that after consulting with a doctor, authorities believe Steve Leavitt has not survived.
The Associated Press reports that Leavitt, a Subaru dealership sales manager in The Dalles, was skiing at Mt. Hood Meadows in the middle of a snowstorm that dropped more than 5 feet of snow over the week.
Searchers suspect Leavitt may have fallen into a deep tree well. Tree wells form when snow falls on an alpine tree, and branches keep the snow from building up at the trunk, creating a deep hole.
Photo courtesy of KGW TV
