Search for missing Seattle climber called off until spring

The search for the body of U.S. mountain climber Christine Boskoff on a remote peak in China has been called off until spring, a spokesman for Boskoff's Seattle-based travel adventure company said today. David Jones, a director of Mountain Madness, said winter weather has made it unsafe to continue looking for Boskoff's body.

Boskoff, who divided her time between Seattle and Colorado, disappeared along with fellow climber and photographer Charlie Fowler weeks ago while they were approaching China's 20,354-foot Genyen Peak. A body found in the snow was identified as Fowler, friends of the pair said Thursday.

Fowler and Boskoff were not roped together when they were buried by an avalanche high on the peak, as friends initially believed they would be. Jones said that it has been snowing at the 17,000-foot level, and searchers were called out of the avalanche field because conditions were too dangerous.

He said Mountain Madness officials will keep in contact with people in China and will resume the search when conditions permit.

Fowler's body was being removed, but will take days to leave the remote area, Jones said. His body was found Wednesday and recovered Thursday.

Boskoff, a top female climber and the owner of Mountain Madness, and Fowler, a well-known climbing guide and photographer from Norwood, Colo., were reported missing after they failed to return to the United States on Dec. 4.

The search was hampered initially because the two did not leave details of where they planned to climb.