Tahoe City, CA – Rescuers on Thursday located the body of Shawnte Marie Willis, missing since snowboarding Tuesday at Alpine Meadows ski resort.nShawnte, 25, became separated from her friends Tuesday while riding at Alpine Meadows and was last seen leaving the ski area boundary. Rescuers initiated an air and ground search for the Tahoma, Calif. resident who worked as a Tahoe area ski instructor. Searchers had also earlier expressed concern regarding Shawnte’s history of epilepsy.

Rescue efforts were hampered by a storm that left nearly three feet of snow in the time that Shawnte was missing, accompanied by winds up to 100 miles per hour. On Thursday, Shawnte’s body was discovered in a tree well in the Granite Chief Wilderness area of Tahoe National Forest by searchers with Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. Placer County Sheriff’s Capt. Jeff Ausnow confirmed the discovery of Shawnte’s body during a Thursday morning news conference.

Shawnte’s body was removed by helicopter. An autopsy will be conducted next week to determine the cause of death.