Helicopter transceiver search for missing snowmobiler Travis Brown unsuccessful

Police receive tips locating Brown near the Boulder Mountain Cabin on Saturday

Helicopter searches with special detecting equipment unsuccessful on Tuesday

Boulder Mountain and Frisby Ridge to remain closed Wednesday to assist search

The search for missing Alberta snowmobiler Travis Allen Brown in a popular sledding area above Revelstoke stretched into day two on Tuesday, Nov. 8, with no sign of the missing man.

Travis Brown, 42, from Drayton Valley, Alberta. Photo: RCMP handoutve

Two search helicopters equipped with special equipment to detect a transceiver that Brown is believed to be carrying scoured the Boulder Mountain area on Tuesday, but returned back mid-afternoon with no new signs of the missing man.

Revelstoke Search & Rescue pressed on with a snowmobile search on the trails leading from the Boulder Mountain parking lot, where the Dayton Valley, Alberta man’s vehicle was first found abandoned on Sunday, but they too didn’t find any new sign of the man.

UPDATE: At noon on Wednesday, Revelstoke RCMP provided an update, saying they have not yet located Brown. The air and ground search on Wedensday involved helicopter, snowmobile and ski-based searchers. Police announced that the Frisby Ridge riding area has been reopened to the public and that the search is now concentrated on Boulder Mountain.

Revelstoke RCMP Staff-Sgt. Kurt Grabinsky said the rainy, heavily overcast skies impeded the search. Police were unable to deploy an RCMP helicopter with special infra-red sensors used to detect body heat.

Further up the trails that lead from the Boulder Mountain parking lot into alpine snowmobiling areas above, the rains transitioned into snow, covering up tracks that Brown may have left behind. Grabinsky said that at this point, it’s becoming too difficult to follow a track due to the new snow.

Grabinsky said the Tuesday afternoon ground search using snowmobiles focused on the trail network at lower elevations of the mountain. This effort was based on tips from fellow snowmobilers, who reported seeing Brown near the Boulder Mountain Cabin, a snowmobile facility that sits at the gateway to alpine riding areas on the mountain. A network of trails lead up to the cabin, and that was the focus of the ground search later in the afternoon, Grabinsky said.

In this image circulated to media, Travis Brown is seen on the red and white Polaris RMK sled with a distinct green matching jacket and pants he was believed to be wearing. Photo: MarckGagne

Police have learned this was Brown’s first snowmobiling trip to the area.

Brown was last in contact with family on Saturday morning, saying he was heading on a solo snowmobiling ride in the Boulder Mountain area. His abandoned truck was located in the Boulder Mountain parking area on Sunday, and he was officially listed missing on Monday when he failed to return home as scheduled.

In this file photo, a helicopter is used in a mountain rescue in the Revelstoke area. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer file photo

Police believe Brown’s disappearance is a result of a snowmobiling incident on the mountain, as opposed to any foul play later on. Brown’s pickup truck was found in a Boulder Mountain parking area, and the sled ramps were located in the back, minus his red and white, 2014 RMK snowmobile. “We presume he was snowmobiling,” Grabinsky said.

A Revelstoke Snowmobile Club spokesperson said good early season snow in Revelstoke means they get several hundred riders heading up the groomed trails to Boulder Mountain and nearby Frisby Ridge each day on the weekend.

Overcast weather continued to be an issue on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Here, snowmobilers fuel up at the Revelstoke Shell station with Boulder Mountain pictured in the background, its alpine areas obscured by thick, low clouds. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

The trails on Frisby Ridge and Boulder Mountain were closed on Tuesday to aid the search, and police have announced they will remain closed on Wednesday as the search continues.

Grabinsky said that tips RCMP have received from the public so far have helped the search, and they encouraged anyone who has been in contact with Brown since he arrived in Revelstoke on Saturday morning to get in touch.

Brown is described as a Caucasian male, 42, 185 cm tall (6’1”) and 77 kilos (170 lbs.) with blond hair and brown eyes. His family believes he was riding a 2014 Polaris RMK that is red and white in colour. He is believed to be wearing a brighter green Helly Hansen snowmobile outfit with a green leaf pattern on both the matching jacket and pants. He was wearing a snowmobile helmet with green camouflage goggles.

Police are requesting anyone who may have been in contact with Brown in the past 48 hours to call the Revelstoke RCMP at 250-837-5255 or call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

What could have happened?

An avalanche incident, a debilitating collision involving a tree or snowmobile rollover, crashing and getting stuck in a tree well, mechanical issues, or just getting lost in the large alpine area are all possibilities.

Revelstoke Search & Rescue assist an injured snowmobiler on Boulder Mountain on Nov. 28. Photo: Revelstoke Search & Rescue image

With many hundreds of sledders in the mountains on busy days in the Revelstoke area, incidents are bound to happen.

Last weekend, on Saturday, Nov. 28, Revelstoke Search & Rescue responded to Boulder Mountain to aid an injured sledder who broke his leg while riding.

The next day, on Sunday, Nov. 29, Revelstoke searchers attended Sale Mountain north of Revelstoke to assist a party of four stranded snowmobilers down the mountain.

Recently, on Nov. 21, Revelstoke SAR responded to Frisby Ridge to search for a missing snowmobiler, who was located in good condition by friends.