We spent a nice Christmas there in the early 70’s and I’ve been there numerous times as a boy scout.
I trekked up and down it for 30 years. Grandparents lived at the base of it and I was always up there for friends, skiing, hiking, shooting, the lake and even flew into the airport a few times. I believe there is only 2 or 3 highways up that mountain (one front and one back) so he would have had to know that they could be closed off really fast. that is why i dont think he was on the mountain when that truck lit up.