Missing Snowboarder Found Safe

DAYTON – Thirty-two year old snowboarder, Able Cortinas, of Richland was reported missing at Ski Bluewood at 6 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 11 when he failed to arrive at the car of the group he was traveling with. He was found safe the following morning.

Ski Bluewood partnered with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, LifeFlight, U.S. Forest Service, Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office, and local volunteers and initiated a search Friday evening. Cortinas had last been seen at 4:30 p.m. in an area known as Vintner's Ridge at Ski Bluewood. The search was called off at 1:22 a.m. on Feb. 12 and resumed at 9 a.m. that same morning.

Cortinas was discovered walking down a snowmobile trail, by a group of snowmobilers, at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 12. He was transported to a ski patrol shack where he was medically checked by Ski Bluewood EMS personnel.

Cortinas had no apparent injuries. He said that once he realized he would be out all night, he built a shelter in a tree grove, and began walking at daybreak.