The family of Canadian skyrunner and mountaineer Kalie McCrystal believes she fell while descending the Matterhorn in the Alps, following an extensive search that has failed to locate her. McCrystal, a 38-year-old athlete from Squamish, B.C., was last seen on September 1 while preparing for an attempt to break a mountain-running record on the Matterhorn, a 4,478-metre peak on the Switzerland-Italy border.
In a statement shared by British Columbia MLA Amelia Boultbee, McCrystal’s mother, Wendy Cooper, and sister, Jody McCrystal, said the family’s understanding of the circumstances points to a fall during her descent. “Despite Kalie’s exceptional skill and experience in technical mountain terrain, including her previous experience on the Matterhorn itself, everything we now know suggests she fell while descending,” the family said. The statement expressed gratitude to the Guardia di Finanza mountain rescue team, the RCMP and the Canadian Embassy for their assistance. Friends and loved ones from around the world also mobilized in efforts to locate McCrystal and bring her home. McCrystal was undertaking a reconnaissance effort as part of her preparations for a mountain-running record attempt. She had extensive experience in technical and high-altitude environments and had previously climbed the Matterhorn. The family acknowledged that the outcome of the search was not what they had hoped for and said the loss has been difficult to accept. They described McCrystal as a determined and enthusiastic person whose absence would be deeply felt across the skyrunning community, Squamish and beyond. “While we desperately wish we could have found her, we find peace in knowing that she was doing what made her feel most alive until her very last moments, and that she remains among the mountains where she felt most at home,” the statement said. McCrystal’s disappearance has drawn attention from the international mountain-running community, where she was known for her athletic achievements and commitment to the sport.
The family’s statement did not provide further details about the circumstances of the suspected fall. The search efforts and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain subject to information from authorities.