Anthony Yates
An Argentine Tech CEO was fatally injured in a climbing accident near the summit of Mount Shasta in Northern California. He reportedly survived a more minor fall before sliding down a glacier and out of sight.
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What happened: According to a press release by the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, a man fell approximately 2000 feet down the Wintun Glacier along Mount Shasta’s Clear Creek climbing route. The incident occurred on September 12 at around 2:27 PM.
- Authorities have identified the victim as 45-year-old Matias Augusto Travizano. Per The Standard, Travizano was the co-founder of software company GranData.
- The Sheriff’s Office explains that earlier that day, three climbers had successfully reached the summit of Mount Shasta. However, during the descent, two of the hikers accidentally wandered off the trail. The pair became stranded on an ice sheet on the Wintun Glacier at around 13,500 feet.
- Authorities explain that once the climbers realized their error, they attempted to “glissade” down to a lower section of the mountain to rejoin the trail. Per Alpine Savvy, glissading is a controlled slide down a slope, either sitting or standing.
- During the descent, Travizano lost control of his slide and hit a boulder in front of his companion. The impact reportedly knocked him unconscious for several minutes while his colleague tried to reach him.
The Tech CEO Suffered A Second Drop
A fatal fall: The press release details that Travizano’s partner got within 80 feet of him before he regained consciousness.
- Authorities explain that Travizano started to move. However, his movement “dislodged” him from a rock he was on, and he slid down the glacier, out of sight. Shortly after, the third climber called the emergency services.
- Multiple search and rescue teams searched for Travizano. They ultimately located him two hours later, “deceased at an elevation of 10,200 feet” near the base of the glacier.
- The Sheriff’s Office notes that the Clear Creek Route is one of the safer trails to the summit, but more treacherous areas surround it. Poor visibility conditions can cause climbers to wander into them.
- Per the Daily Mail, Travizano is the second person to have died on Mount Shasta this year. Authorities reportedly found a 50-year-old at the bottom of a cliff last month with significant injuries.
