Canadian athlete Kalie McCrystal has gone missing in the Alps during a reconnaissance and training session ahead of a mountain-running record attempt on the 14,692-foot (4,478-meter) Matterhorn, according to statements from Athletics Canada and the Skyrunner World Series reported by The Guardian. McCrystal, a 38-year-old lawyer, part-time instructor at the Capilano University School of Legal Studies, and resident of Squamish, British Columbia, was last seen on Tuesday after reaching the summit of the Matterhorn and descending the Italian side of the peak.
Canadian Skyrunner Kalie McCrystal Missing on the Matterhorn
According to the Skyrunner World Series, the last sighting of McCrystal placed her near a shelter at an altitude of approximately 12,500 feet. There has been no further contact with her, and no one has seen or heard from her since,
the organization stated. A helicopter search for the missing athlete was called off on Friday after rescuers were unable to find any trace of her, though her family has continued working with mountain rescue services and Italian authorities.
Background and Experience in Technical Alpine Terrain
Friends, family, and national sports officials have emphasized McCrystal’s extensive background in high-altitude environments. Athletics Canada noted that she is an experienced skyrunner and mountaineer with many years of familiarity in technical alpine terrain, and that this was not her first ascent of the mountain. In August, she successfully traversed the Matterhorn on the Hörnli Ridge round trip from Zermatt, Switzerland, finishing in 6 hours, 47 minutes and 33 seconds according to the Fastest Known Time database. Her previous competitive achievements also include winning the 4 Refugios Non-Stop race in Bariloche, Argentina, in February, where she completed a nearly 40-kilometer course peaking at 3,350 meters in 6 hours, 21 minutes and 10 seconds.
Friends have expressed confidence in her abilities while voicing deep concern over her disappearance. Duncan O’Regan, a friend and fellow mountain runner, stated that the objective was well within her capabilities. She’s done much more difficult things, and this is not something that is beyond her capabilities. She’s comfortable in this terrain,
O’Regan said. Amelia Boultbee, a close friend from law school at the University of British Columbia, described McCrystal as an elite athlete in peak physical condition who is extremely focused and disciplined. Riley Webb, another close friend from Squamish, highlighted her passion and dedication to championing women in the sport.
Search Efforts and Community Response
As the search continues, friends and institutional colleagues have rallied around McCrystal and her family. Capilano University President and Vice-Chancellor Jason Dewling shared a statement offering thoughts from the university community to her family, friends, and colleagues during the difficult time. Meanwhile, supporters have utilized social media channels to help gather information. Boultbee asked anyone who may have had contact with McCrystal between 15:45 CET on Tuesday and 9:26 CET on Wednesday to reach out via her X account to help determine when the athlete’s phone last stopped receiving messages.
