Body of overdue snowboarder found near B.C. ski resort

FILE - A warning is posted on top of the Gem Lake chair telling skiers and snowboarders to stay away from the area out of boundaries at the Big White ski resort near Kelowna B.C., Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. (Jacques Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The body of an overdue snowboarder has been found near a B.C. ski resort.

Kelowna RCMP said in a news release Monday that its members, the Central Okanagan Search and Rescue, and North Shore Rescue looked for the snowboarder who didn't return to meet his friends on Boxing Day.

Mounties were called shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday. The snowboarder, a 42-year-old man from Kelowna, was snowboarding with his friends near the Gem Lake chair lift. He'd prepared to do his last run of the day at about 1 p.m., Mounties said.

A search was started Sunday night, but had to be stopped just before 1 a.m. Monday because of "inclement weather and poor visibility."

The search continued later Monday morning, which is when his body was found, Mounties said in an update in the afternoon. A recovery effort with Penticton and District Search and Rescue - Helicopter External Transport System is underway.

"The man’s next of kin has been notified and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time," Mounties said in their update. 

The search happened while much of B.C. is under weather warnings for cold temperatures. 

While Kelowna itself isn't under one of those alerts, Big White Ski Resort's forecast for the mountain said it was -25 C at 10 a.m. Temperatures aren't expected to get higher than -18 C at the resort on Monday. 

The BC Coroners Service will now conduct its own investigation into the man's death.