California officials reported that a 45-year-old man from Argentina tragically fell about 2,000 feet to his death on Mount Shasta earlier this month.
Matthias Augusto Travisano reached the summit on September 12, capturing photos along the Clear Creek route, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
During his descent, he and another climber—also 45—lost their way, ending up on an icy area at the northern edge of Winton Glacier, around 13,500 feet up.
Realizing they were not on the correct path, they attempted to slide down the mountain more safely. However, Travisano lost control and crashed into a boulder 300 feet below, rendering him unconscious.
Another hiker managed to get close to Travisano, providing assistance just as he regained consciousness and started moving. Unfortunately, as he shifted, he fell again down the glacier and disappeared from view.
A third climber, at a safer location, called 911 to report the incident, prompting a search and rescue operation by the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, supported by the US Forest Service and a climbing ranger, by 2:30 PM.
After several hours of searching, crews requested air support and eventually located Travisano’s body at about 10,200 feet near the base of Winton Glacier.
Sheriff’s spokesman Sage Milestone noted the challenges in navigation on the mountain and the dangers of getting lost, especially in poor visibility conditions.
Previously, a 50-year-old man had also died on the Clear Creek Trail during a summer snowstorm back in August.
Mount Shasta, which stands at 14,179 feet in Northern California’s Cascade Mountains, sees over 5,000 attempts to summit each year, according to the U.S. Forest Service. While it is known for being accessible and its stunning views, on average, the mountain has one fatality each year.
Milestone cautioned against underestimating Mount Shasta’s dangers, emphasizing that even what appears to be a mild day can lead to drastic changes in summit conditions.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has already conducted 15 rescue missions on Mount Shasta this season, with air support for nine of these operations and additional teams responding on the ground for six cases.
The Clear Creek route is generally viewed as one of the safer paths to the peak, but officials warned that climbers can easily become confused in poor visibility, especially when descending from the summit plateau. Straying off the trail might lead them into more hazardous areas, increasing the likelihood of accidents.
