Crews searched for missing snowboarder Connor Gill on Vail Mountain. Gill went missing amid a large storm cycle that blanketed Vail in snow and was found on February 28.
The body of missing snowboarder Connor Gill was found on Friday, Feb. Gill had been missing since Feb.
Connor Gillis, 26, went missing from the Chair 2 area Feb. 14. Gill was an intermediate snowboarder from the Denver area who went missing in the Chair 2 area of Vail Mountain during extremely snowy conditions.
An exhaustive search of Vail Mountain ensued, led by Vail Ski Patrol and Vail Mountain Rescue.
The Vail Daily reports heavy snow complicated the search-and-rescue mission.
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On Feb. 14, Vail’s mid-mountain snow stake (located near the Chair 2 area where Gill was last seen) recorded 4 inches of fresh snow and was cleared at that time. And more snow continued to hamper search efforts, as another 11 inches was recorded on Sunday morning, another 8 inches on Monday, 6 inches on Tuesday and 5 inches on Wednesday. On Friday - a week after Gill was reported missing - 6 inches of fresh snow was recorded on Vail Mountain.
Crews probed tight trees as well as open areas in the search for missing snowboarder Connor Gill this week.
When Gill was finally discovered on Feb. 28, it was after several days of no snow and warm conditions. His body was found only after warmer weather hit Vail, with no snow falling for several days.
A crew discovered a body on Feb. 28, and the Eagle County Coroner identified the victim as Gillis on Monday. The coroner has not yet released a specific cause of death.
After Gillis went missing, photos of him in his orange snowsuit were shared widely on social media, and national news outlets picked up his story.
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“On behalf of Vail Mountain and Vail Ski Patrol, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of our guest,” said Beth Howard, Vail Mountain Chief Operating Officer. “We appreciate all of the rescue agencies who conducted this search alongside Vail Ski Patrol.”
“On behalf of Vail Mountain and Vail Ski Patrol, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of our guest,” said Beth Howard, Vail Mountain Chief Operating Officer.
In any given winter, it’s estimated that more skiers and boarders typically die at Colorado’s ski resorts than in backcountry avalanches, though resorts are not required to disclose deaths. The Colorado Sun has begun counting ski area fatalities. It found that last winter, at least 15 people died at Colorado resorts.
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