San Francisco Climber & Tech CEO Matias Travizano Dies After 2,000-Foot Fall On Mount Shasta’s Wintun Glacier

San Francisco, September 21: A tragic accident occurred on Mount Shasta in California when 45-year-old mountain climber and techie Matias Augusto Travizano of San Francisco and Argentina died after falling nearly 2,000 feet while descending the Wintun Glacier on September 12, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.

Travizano who was an engineer and entrepreneur, was also the former CEO of GranData and had ties to Argentina’s President Javier Milei’s 2024 visit to Silicon Valley, as per reports from Record Searchlight.

Authorities said Travizano and two fellow climbers successfully summited Mt. Shasta earlier that morning. While descending via the Clear Creek climbing route, they mistakenly moved onto an icy section of the glacier around the 13,500-foot mark. Attempting to glissade (slide down on snow while seated), Travizano lost control, struck a boulder and was briefly knocked unconscious.

Although he regained consciousness, he moved again and slipped further down the glacier, sliding out of sight. Rescue teams from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service Climbing Rangers and California Highway Patrol launched an immediate search. About two hours later, his body was recovered near the base of the glacier at around the 10,200-foot level.

Officials noted that while the Clear Creek Route is considered one of the safer trails on Mt. Shasta, low visibility can disorient climbers during descent, often leading them into more dangerous glacier areas where fatal accidents are more likely.

Travizano, who had been living in San Francisco, is remembered not only for his professional achievements but also as a passionate adventurer who lost his life on the mountain he sought to conquer.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office offered condolences to Travizano’s family and thanked the rescue teams for their work. They also warned that the Clear Creek Route can be dangerous, especially when visibility is poor.