They’re calling off the search—after a week. If they’re up there, “they’re under the snow,” as a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff’s office told the Seattle Times yesterday. So unless the three missing snowboarders hiked out on their own and didn’t bother to call anyone—which seems highly unlikely—or have somehow managed to survive more than a week out there without food and without leaving a trace—even less likely—Kevin Carter, 26, Devlin Williams, 29, and Phillip Hollins, 41, are all dead. Their bodies aren’t likely to be discovered until spring, when the snow melts.

Which means, unfortunately, other snowboarders are going to be riding over their bodies for the next four months.

And, please, no asshole comments about how they were asking for it. People take calculated risks all the time in pursuit of pleasures—people die skiing into trees on clear, safe days; people are murdered walking home from nightclubs; people on bikes get hit by cars; that proverbial bus could run your ass over tomorrow.

In fact, I think I’ll just shut off the comments on this post.