A 20-year-old snowboarder's body was found in bounds on Blackcomb Mountain after he didn't make it to the base of the mountain on Christmas Eve.

By mid-day Christmas Day searchers found the young man, who was on vacation from California with his family, partially submerged in a creek, said Doug Forseth, Whistler Blackcomb's senior vice-president of operations.

"Our hearts go out to his family," said Forseth. "This is a tough thing. But to have it happen on Christmas is very difficult."

The snowboarder had been on the mountain with family in low-visibility conditions, which some skiers described as a "white out." He was separated from his family and last seen by his cousin at 3 p.m. near the Jersey Cream Chair and the Crystal Chair.

The Blackcomb Ski Patrol and the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association teams searched the area until darkness and heavy snowfall forced them to stop.

"Our guys were there until 6:15 but it was snowing heavily," said Forseth.

The search resumed Saturday. A dog team found the snowboarder's body trapped in a creek amid a group of trees near the Zig Zag and White Light runs.

"The area he was found was in steep terrain and heavy snowfall," said Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair of the Whistler RCMP.

Forseth said he had fallen through a hole in the snow cover and landed face down in the creek.

LeClair said there may be an autopsy to determine more about the cause of death.

Thousands of skiers go up to Whistler each Christmas season. Conde Nast Traveller Magazine named the resort as the best skiing destination in North America.

When the mountain is deadly, it's the skiers that go out of bounds that tend to get hurt.

Two years ago, four skiers and boarders died in a 10-day period, including a 37 year old construction worker who was swept off a cliff after an avalanche rumbled down Ruby Bowl. Another avalanche claimed a 26-year-old snowboarder in an area known as secret chutes near the Symphony Bowl.

Mountain officials are warning skiers and boarders to stay away from out of bounds areas. They can't remember the last time someone died in bounds on the mountain.

The RCMP won't release the boarder's name, but officers are warning skiers to go slow and stay together.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward