A ski-area employee found a boot Wednesday afternoon that contained human remains, according to investigators.

The odd discovery took place at Eldora Mountain Resort, and the boot was found near the base of the mountain, according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office received a call about the boot at 4:40 p.m., a sheriff’s office release said.

“The employee had been working in a clearing near the base of the mountain when he discovered a single snow-style boot,” the sheriff’s office said. “When he examined the boot closer he observed what he believed to be human remains inside.”

Deputies went to the ski resort and met with the employee, who led them to the spot of the grisly discovery.

The boot was described as “wet and weathered.” It had likely been concealed by snowpack, which only recently melted.

It’s unknown how long the boot and remains had been in the clearing, the release said.

After the discovery, a further search of the area was carried out by members of the Nederland Fire Protection District, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Eldora Mountain Resort and the sheriff’s Emergency Services Unit.

Three cadaver dogs from Front Range Rescue Dogs were used during the search, which was halted at nightfall. As of 9 p.m., no “additional human remains” were found. The search is scheduled to resume Thursday morning.

Sheriff’s investigators will work with the Boulder County coroner’s office to identify the human remains.

In January, a 20-year-old resort employee, Ryder Johnson of Lafayette disappeared. He was last seen leaving his job at the resort.

A search for Johnson around Gross Reservoir came up empty.