Police have stopped actively searching for missing hiker Niels Becker and believe he most likely succumbed to hypothermia.
Mr Becker's family has not heard from him in more than a fortnight after he set out to hike in Victoria's north-east.
A team of about 70 people was looking for him until the weekend but the ground search has now been significantly scaled back.
Senior Sergeant Damian Keegan said authorities were still appealing to the public for information.
"Like with any of those searches, we always strive to return loved ones back to their family," he said.
"We'll continue on with that view that at some stage we will find Niels and will be able to give some closure to the family."
Senior Sergeant Keegan said police had a few theories about what had happened to Mr Becker.
"There were some very cold nights ... hypothermia may have kicked in," he said.
"But he may very well have walked out of that search area."
Mr Becker, 39, was described as a "strong, fit and resilient" hiker who had prepared for months for the five-day solo hike in the Alpine National Park.
He left the Upper Jamieson Hut on October 24 and sent a message to his family that he was heading back to his car on October 29, but he never returned.
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