Officials said on Tuesday that three bodies found on Washington’s Mount Rainier could be those of some missing hikers.
According to Reuters, three bodies were discovered on the same mountain where a group of four climbers and two guides disappeared in May while trying to summit the peak.
The group of experienced climbers were attempting to tackle the Liberty Ridge hike, which is the most technically-challenging climbs in the area. The group is believed to have encountered trouble with icy conditions and fallen from a height of about 3,000 feet.
The Associated Press noted that national park spokeswoman Patti Wold said that park staffers located the bodies from a helicopter last week and have been assessing the safest way to reach them.
"Rock and ice fall off the steep wall and an increase in new crevasses in the glacier below make this one of the most hazardous locations in the park," she said.
Recovery efforts in the dangerous terrain can take a lot of time. Just last month the body of a hiker missing since 1982 was located and identified.
If the bodies found prove to be that of the missing hikers, hopefully the other three members of the group will also be found quickly.