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Search Ends After Human Remains Found At Eldora Mountain Resort

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Detectives wrapped up their search for more clues on Thursday after human remains were found inside a snow boot at a ski resort.

"Some bones found in it," said Boulder County Emergency Services Sgt. Dave Booton.

Boulder County Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Mike Wagner says an employee at Eldora Mountain Resort west of Boulder called police on Wednesday after finding a boot in a clearing near the base of the mountain.

ELDORA REMAINS
Copter4 flew over Eldora ski area (credit: CBS)

"Between the trees where they just drive their snow cats back and forth in the winter time to go up to the slopes. It was found low down by the building," said Booton.

Detectives searched the area but didn't find any additional remains Wednesday night.

What caused the foot and only the foot to be separated from its body is a mystery for now.

Eldora human remains boot
The boot where the human remains were found (credit: Boulder County Sheriff's Office)

It appears that animals may have placed the boot there because of teeth and chew marks on the bones.

"We do know there has been a lot of mountain lion activity, a lot of bear activity, there's a family of coyotes that's been close by," said Booton.

Detectives don't know how long the remains were in the clearing. Authorities are trying to determine if they are the remains of a man reported missing last year. There are two unresolved missing person cases in Boulder County.

ELDORA REMAINS  (2)
(credit: CBS)

"The preliminary investigation has led investigators to believe the remains are not those of Ryder Johnson, a 20-year-old Lafayette man who was reported missing in January and had ties to the ski resort," the sheriff's office said in a statement released Thursday morning.

Ryder Johnson
Ryder Johnson (credit: Boulder County Sheriff's Office)

Booton with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said 33 members of multiple agencies, some on horseback, along with six dogs searched the ski resort on Thursday. The search of 180 acres wrapped up about 5 p.m. Thursday and nothing of significance was found.

The sheriff's office is working with the Boulder County Coroner's Office to identify the remains using DNA.

 

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