(CNN) Ten days ago, Joey Peterson wandered out of his parents' rural Wyoming house wearing a sweatshirt and pajama pants.

It wasn't nearly enough to protect him from the brutal cold, which has dipped well below freezing

Now authorities are scouring the remote wilderness by both land and air in hopes of finding the 16-year-old boy with autism, even if he's not alive.

"Factoring the time frame, lack of clothing Joey was wearing, no food source and extreme weather conditions, the search for Joey at this time is consistent with a recovery," Natrona County Sheriff's investigator Taylor Courtney told reporters.

Joey was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and pajama pants. He may not be wearing shoes, Courtney said, but footprints suggest he could have traveled up to 6 miles.

Read More