Hiker falls 2,000 ft to his death on California mountain after controlled slide down glacier goes disastrously wrong

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A tech entrepreneur from Argentina died last week following a tragic fall while descending Mt. Shasta in Northern California.

Matías Augusto Travizano, 45, reached the 14,179‑foot summit by hiking the Clear Creek Trail, a non‑technical route often used during late summer and fall. After summiting on September 12, he was descending with two other individual climbers when poor visibility caused by cloud cover led them off course, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said.

Straying from the trail, they found themselves stranded on an ice sheet near the Wintun Glacier, at about 13,500 feet, officials said. Travizano and one companion attempted to “glissade,” slide down snow or ice, to return to safer terrain, officials said. During the slide, Travizano struck a boulder and briefly lost consciousness.

For roughly five to 10 minutes, Travizano remained motionless as the second climber tried to descend and assist him, officials said.

When the second climber got within 80 feet, Travizano regained consciousness and began moving, but slipped again and fell out of sight, ultimately plummeting nearly 2,000 feet over ice and rocky terrain. The third climber arrived shortly after and contacted emergency services.

Mt. Shasta attracts up to 6,000 summit attempts every year (Getty Images)

Search and rescue efforts responded, including a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew. Travizano’s body was located later that day near the base of the glacier, at about 10,200 feet.

Travizano was an engineer and entrepreneur who had ties to San Francisco as the former CEO of GranData. According to the Argentine newspaper La Nación, he also had connections to Argentine President Javier Milei’s 2024 visit to Silicon Valley.

The stratovolcano in the Cascade Range typically sees about one fatality per year, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Despite the risks, it remains a popular destination for climbers, attracting 5,000 to 6,000 summit attempts annually thanks to its easy road access, challenging terrain, and breathtaking views of snow-covered peaks and forested landscapes.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has conducted 15 rescue missions on Mt. Shasta this year, six of which required ground teams and nine involving helicopter extractions by CHP Northern Air Operations.

Officials have since stressed the importance of not hiking alone, as having a partner can be critical in emergencies.