The finding of skeletal remains appears to have solved the 4-decades-old mystery of a missing German skier who vanished in the Never Summer Mountains, according to US authorities.
On February 13, 1983, Rudi Moder, who was 27 at the time, set out via the snow-covered range. It is part of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. He never came back.
A week later, his frightened roommate raised the alarm. Thereby, sparking a high-altitude search that included avalanche detection dogs, ski and snowshoe rescues, and aircraft reconnaissance.
Teams were impeded by heavy snow throughout the four-day mission. But they recovered a food cache as well as a nearby snow cave containing Moder’s sleeping bag and other items.
Following that, the trail fell cold, and subsequent searches in the months and years that followed found no results.
Then, in August of last year, a hiker discovered human bones near avalanche debris in the Skeleton Gulch area, at an elevation of roughly 11,000 feet (3,350 meters), according to the National Park Service.
“This summer, park rangers further searched the scene and found skis, poles, and boots, along with remains of personal items believed to belong to Moder,” a statement said.
The FBI’s Evidence Response Team went to assist in the recovery and preservation of the remains.
A coroner’s attempt to positively identify the bone remains using dental records failed, according to the park service.
However, officials believed they had solved the issue of the 4-decades-old missing skier. It is after considerable consultation with the German government and Moder’s family.