The body of missing skier Rory Angelotta was found Saturday morning by volunteer searchers, Placer County authorities said.

Angelotta was found thanks to a rescue canine from the California Rescue Dog Association, according to a news release from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

His body was discovered around a half mile from a residential neighborhood, near Shaffer Mill Creek.

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According to the release, Angelotta had traveled a substantial distance out of bounds from the backside of Northstar. Due to the sizable distance Angelotta had traveled from the resort, the area he was found in had not been included in the original emergency search efforts.

Searchers believe Angelotta had gotten lost during the harsh conditions on the day he went missing.

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The release states it’s possible Angelotta was attempting to find the neighborhood near Truckee when he succumbed to the elements.

There was no indication of any suspicious or unusual activity.

Chris Lockrem, a close friend of Angelotta, said that one of his fondest memories of Angelotta was trekking through the Grand Tetons for three days together.

“He was always up for an adventure,” Lockrem said.

Originally from Ohio, Angelotta dreamed of living and playing in the mountains and had decided to make the leap to Colorado in order to pursue those dreams.

“I was going to school in Colorado… he moved out the next fall to live with me in Fort Collins and he just fell in love with Colorado,” Lockrem said. “I took him snowboarding for the first time with my dad and he just started falling in love with the mountains. He was such a free spirit and always just had a very positive attitude.”

He saw Angelotta at a Phish concert over Labor Day. That’s when Angelotta told him how excited he was to move to Truckee and work for Surefoot. It was the last time he saw Angelotta.

“…he passed doing something that he loves to do. I wish we could have found him before he passed,” Lockrem said.

MISSING ON CHRISTMAS

Friends noticed that Angelotta was missing when he did not show up for dinner Christmas night.

His sister, Kelsey Angelotta, flew in from Colorado to help search for her brother and did not stop until he was found.

The search was suspended Dec. 30, as it was “determined there (was) no realistic possibility Rory has survived the severe winter conditions,” according to a release.

The search resumed this past weekend as a recovery operation.

Around 13,000 personnel hours were committed to the search, with around 220 personnel from 17 different agencies and rescue organizations braving extreme and hazardous winter mountain conditions in their search.

A GoFundMe entitled “Ski With Rory” has been set up for the Angelotta family.

The organizer, Marissa Ferrante, wrote on the fundraiser page, “Rory has been found. We are heartbroken, but the Angelotta family has asked to reopen the GoFundMe to support the family as they seek ways to prevent this tragedy from happening in the future. Thank you for your support.”

To donate, visit http://www.gofundme.com/f/yperm4-bring-rory-home.

Elizabeth White is a staff writer with the Sierra Sun. She can be reached at ewhite@sierrasun.com