It has been a week since a Saskatchewan man from Midale was last seen in the mountains North of Banff, at Lake Abraham in Clearwater County. After an extensive search the family believes he has passed away.
According to Alberta RCMP, 48-year-old, Jeff Newton was last seen on Tuesday Sept. 3.
RCMP recovered his 2012 Chrysler car on Thursday Sept. 5.
“There’s no possible way he can survive out there this long. With the assumption of death, [we’re] just finding some peace and tranquility in the fact that he died doing something he loved,” Newton’s sister, Jennifer Just, said. “He was so passionate about climbing. He just started it not that long ago and became an avid climber and very overconfident.”
The search for Newton began last Friday with over 40 people searching on foot, by helicopter and with the use of drones that use infrared technology. The rainy weather the past three days has halted search efforts by helicopter.
Newton's sister says the family is hopeful they can find him, but given the conditions and how long he has been missing, they believe he has died.
