Victorian rescue crews are continuing to search for an elderly hiker who has gone missing in Victoria's Alps.
Leslie Southwell, 88, had been hiking with friends in the state's north-east Alpine region over the past eight days.
He went missing on Thursday, after he became separated from friends on a 4.7-kilometre trek from Cleve Cole Memorial Hut to Michell Hut.
Police are concerned for his welfare due to his age and the weather conditions.
Wangaratta police area Acting Inspector Kevin Coughlan said temperatures were forecast to drop to -6 Celsius overnight and crews would have to stop searching at dusk.
"We have some issues in relation to the steep inclines and the gullies are an avalanche risk which has to be managed," he said.
"We can't commit into the gullies until the avalanche risk as been assessed as low."
About 30 specialist crew members are searching using a grid pattern.
Police Search and Rescue officers and Bush Search and Rescue members are involved in the search.
Commander Coughlan said there was a concern Mr Southwell might have injured himself.
"He is 88, but apparently he's an extremely fit 88-year-old, but what can you say, anything can happen," he said.
"We know it's a fairly popular area for out-of-bounds skiers and we would ask that anyone who may have left their names in intention books or may have seen him on their travels to contact either Crime Stoppers or Wangaratta police.
"We just hope he's still well somewhere and just waiting for us to find him."
Mr Southwell was carrying an orange single-man tent and a backpack with three days' worth of food.
He was wearing a dark Gore-Tex top and was carrying a royal blue backpack.
He is described as about 167 centimetres with a thin build and short grey hair.
The search will be called off at dusk and will resume at first light on Sunday.
