Snowboarder missing for over 20 hours found dead at Idaho ski area, officials say

A snowboarder was found dead after he was missing at an Idaho ski area for more than 20 hours, officials said.

Riley Hadeen was reported missing at about 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 26, according to Schweitzer ski area officials. Hadeen was snowboarding in the North Bowl area of the resort outside Sandpoint in North Idaho when he vanished.

Schweitzer ski patrol rescuers began a search that went on for hours. At the time, however, multiple agencies denied the use of a helicopter because of increasingly bad weather.

At about 10 p.m., a search and rescue aircraft was able to fly over the ski area to search for Hadeen using thermal sensors.

“Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in locating the individual during their flight,” Schweitzer officials said in a Dec. 27 statement. “Search efforts began again this morning with Schweitzer Ski Patrol, working with other local and regional agencies, leading the effort to locate the individual.”

At about 10 a.m. Monday, ski patrol found Hadeen and began performing CPR. He was airlifted to Sandpoint Airport, where paramedics from Bonner County were ready to assist.

Hadeen was declared dead at the airport, though, the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office told McClatchy News.

The official cause of death hasn’t been determined, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“Schweitzer’s focus is on supporting the family during this intense process — our hearts go out to all of the friends and family,” ski area officials said.

Schweitzer Mountain is the largest ski area in Washington and Idaho, according to its website. It encompasses 2,900 acres.

This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 8:23 AM with the headline "Snowboarder missing for over 20 hours found dead at Idaho ski area, officials say."