B.C. skyrunner's family believe she fell to her death on Italy's Matterhorn
Matterhorn runner Kalie McCrystal: family fears fatal fall on descent Missing Squamish athlete’s story and rescue search details draw urgent clicks
The family of Kalie McCrystal, a 38yearold mountain runner from Squamish, B.C., says they believe she died after falling while descending Italy’s Matterhorn. She had been missing since Sept. 1, 2026, when she was last seen training on the nearly 4,500metre peak.
Rescue teams from Italy’s Guardia di Finanza searched for her but were unable to find her. Her family described McCrystal as a skilled climber and said she had previously been on the Matterhorn.
In a statement released Sept. 15, her mother and sister said she was known for her determination and energy, and that her loss will be deeply felt in the skyrunning and Squamish communities.
Friends said they had planned to support her attempt to set a record for the fastest ascent and descent of the mountain. Skyrunning is a mountainrunning sport that takes athletes to highaltitude peaks over steep terrain.