By Mike Rogge and Tim Mutrie, Powder

Overdue since late Tuesday from a ski mountaineering outing to Split Mountain, south of Bishop, the bodies of Kip Garre and Allison Kreutzen were discovered today during a search-and-rescue operation, Powder.com has confirmed.

Garre, 38, an accomplished skier, guide and mountaineer, and his girlfriend, Allison Kreutzen, intended to climb the Split Couloir on April 26. They did not return. Both Garre and Kreutzen lived in the Tahoe area.

When reached via telephone by Powder.com this afternoon, Inyo County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Carma Roper said, “There was a search and rescue effort launched at 8 a.m. this morning. They were two very experienced hikers/skiers and they were overdue, near the Split Mountain area.”

Roper later confirmed that two bodies had been discovered; Powder.com independently confirmed Garre and Kreutzen as the two skiers involved. “The wind situation right now is horrendous and the helicopters aren’t able to get into certain areas that they should be able to,” Roper added.

Seven of Garre’s and Kreutzen’s friends assisted in the search-and-rescue operation, according to Roper. Powder.com reached one of those skiers this evening, California time, just as they were making their way out of the mountains. That person declined to discuss details of the situation until first connecting with friends and family.

Garre grew up in Hancock, New Hampshire. Captivated by the freeskiing movement of the early 90s, Garre moved to Squaw Valley and was an early supporter in the park scene before shifting his focus to ski mountaineering and backcountry adventures. He made descents down some of the world’s most elusive mountains, including in Kashmir, Pakistan, China, the Tetons, the Alps, Alaska, Antarctica and his beloved Sierra.

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