Remains of mountaineer missing 38 years likely found in Rocky Mountain National Park

An experienced mountaineer vanished in Rocky Mountain National Park 38 years ago. Park officials now think they found his remains.

Rudi Moder, a 27-year-old from West Germany, departed for a two- or three-night ski mountaineering trip on February 13, 1983. His roommate reported him overdue a few days later, and he was never seen again.

“Search operations and further investigation were initiated, and search teams were in the field early on February 20, 1983,” park rangers in Colorado said Nov. 4 in a news release. “Over a foot of snow fell in the Never Summer Mountains on February 19, hampering search efforts in finding tracks and other clues.”

Park officials found a food cache, sleeping bag and other gear that belonged to Moder during their search. They were the only clue found for years.

Search teams continued to scour the area that spring and summer, but they never found anything, park officials said.

In August 2020, however, a hiker discovered skeletal remains in the same area as the initial search, according to the National Park Service.

At the time, rangers began an investigation at the scene. They couldn’t complete it because of wildfires and snow covering the high elevation, park rangers said.

“This summer, park rangers further searched the scene and found skis, poles and boots, along with remains of personal items believed to belong to Moder,” rangers said.

The FBI helped park rangers recover the remains, and they were sent to the Grand County Coroner’s office for identification. However, the results of identification tests through dental records were inconclusive.

Park officials still believe the remains are Moder, and they have worked with the German government to notify his family.

“In the decades following Moder’s disappearance, search efforts continued periodically by Rocky Mountain National Park staff and Larimer County Search and Rescue Teams,” the National Park Service said. “The discovery and recovery of Rudi Moder’s remains closes out a nearly four-decade-long cold case at Rocky Mountain National Park.”

This story was originally published November 4, 2021 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Remains of mountaineer missing 38 years likely found in Rocky Mountain National Park."