Deterioriating Weather Forces Suspension of Search For Missing Backcountry Skiers at Grand Teton National Park

Deterioriating weather conditions Thursday forced a halt to the search for two backcountry skiers in Grand Teton National Park.

Winter-like storms, with heavy snow and gusting winds, shut down the hunt for 27-year-old Walker Pannel Kuhl, of Salt Lake City, and 31-year-old Gregory Seftick, of Columbia Falls, Montana, who have been missing since Monday.

The weather made it impossible to ferry rescue teams, including K9 search teams, into the park's high country surrounding the 13,770-foot Grand Teton, park officials said. Similar weather was in the forecast for Friday, so the search was placed on a standby status.

Saturday's weather is expected to be more promising and could allow for searchers to return to a large avalanche debris field in Garnet Canyon Meadows that is believed to be the "most probably location" where the two men might be found, park officials said.

Mr. Kuhl and Mr. Seftick had set out Saturday for an overnight trip. When Mr. Kuhl failed to show up for work on Monday, authorities were notified that they were overdue and a search was commenced.