The family of renowned Canadian skyrunner and mountaineer Kalie McCrystal, who went missing on the Matterhorn in the Alps over two weeks ago, has stated that she “remains in the mountains where she found solace.” According to her mother and sister, all indications from the extensive search suggest that she had a fall while descending the mountain.
The family’s statement, conveyed by British Columbia provincial legislator Amelia Boultbee, a close friend of McCrystal, commends the search and rescue teams for their tireless efforts and expresses confidence that every possible measure has been taken to locate her. McCrystal was last sighted on September 1 while endeavoring to set a mountain-running record in the Alps near the Switzerland-Italy border, scaling the 4,481-meter-high Matterhorn.
The family statement acknowledges the global outpouring of support from friends and well-wishers who went to great lengths to assist in the search for McCrystal. Despite the disappointment of not finding her, they express difficulty in coming to terms with this outcome. Describing McCrystal as a remarkable individual who navigated life with determination and joy, the statement laments the void her absence will create in the skyrunning community, Squamish, and beyond.
The statement reflects on McCrystal’s passion for the mountains, stating, “While we deeply yearn to have located her, we take comfort in knowing that she was engaged in what brought her the greatest joy until the very end, and that she remains in the mountains where she felt most connected.”
