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Missing skier is found dead in Grizzly Gulch

The 68-year-old man was due back at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Grizzly Gulch looms above the Alta Ski Area.

The body of a missing skier was located Thursday morning in the Grizzly Gulch backcountry skiing area, police said. He was later identified as 68-year-old Merrill Bitter from Cottonwood Heights, according to FOX 13.

“The rescuers said it looks like maybe there was a small slide,” said UPD Sgt. Melody Cutler. “He had suffered some trauma.”

Bitter was skiing alone “and we may never know what happened,” she said.

Authorities were notified Wednesday evening that a 68-year-old man who was due back at 3 p.m. had not returned and could not be reached by cellphone. (Police were originally told the man was 70.)

Search teams and a search helicopter were dispatched to the area and searched until about midnight. They resumed their search at sunrise on Thursday, and located the man’s body about 9:30 a.m.

See more at FOX 13.

— The Salt Lake Tribune and FOX 13 are content-sharing partners.