Lost snowboarder at Alpine Meadows found safe

7;45 p.m. update: The snowboarder was found alive and well. He had hiked about three miles in the snow to an area known as Diamond Crossing. The Placer County Sheriff's Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team are currently hiking with him out of the back country.

* * *
A 32-year-old snowboarder is missing on the back side of Alpine Meadows Ski Resort after he became separated from a friend.

Twelve searchers from the Placer County Sheriff's Tahoe Nordic search and rescue teams are working on a full search.

The missing boarder was with a friend on the back side Saturday. The friend stopped and hiked his way back out, but the missing man made a left turn and headed further down.

When the friend made it back to the Alpine Meadows ski lodge he reported the incident to the resort's ski patrol who then contacted Placer County Sheriffs at 2:30 p.m.

Searchers have been able to follow the lost man's tracks. They have determined he took off his snowboard and is hiking along the creek in deep, fresh powder, so at this point they are trying to catch up with him.

We will post this story with updates as they become available.