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In Memory of Stratton Matteson

On Thursday morning, news surfaced that professional splitboarder Stratton Matteson was caught and killed in an avalanche outside of Pemberton B.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Another loss in a seemingly endless string of avalanche fatalities across the world over the last two weeks.

Though I never met Stratton myself, his ethos—one that seemed equal parts splitboarder, environmentalist and badass, eccentric athlete—came to life in Tom Hallberg’s profile “Ignoring the Temptations of Convenience,” published last winter in Issue 162. Stratton was not only a Cardiff-sponsored rider, but for five years he chose a bike over a car every time he headed for the mountains, setting an impressive example for our resource-reliant sport.

Even exploring the backcountry has a carbon footprint—driving, gear manufacturing, flights to far-off destinations, etc.—and Stratton was determined to exemplify a low-impact approach. One that was self-reliant, required no gas guzzling and shrunk his environmental footprint drastically. All the while, he continued charting ambitious descents throughout his home Cascades.

I read and edited that article and was instantly impressed and inspired by Stratton. His endeavors made me keen to embrace more bike to ski adventures and challenged me to consider the footprint of my own backcountry adventures. When I moved to Washington, I took for granted that Stratton would continue to be a local legend orbiting in the same mountains as me, who I drew inspiration from.

Earlier this week, however, while riding near Joffre Peak outside of Pemberton, B.C., Stratton was caught and killed in an avalanche. A preliminary report by Avalanche Canada does not mention Stratton, but details a large avalanche on Anniversary Glacier.

If anything, the last two weeks or so in the backcountry ski community have been a harsh reminder to take nothing for granted. Not your time with your ski partners, not your perceived knowledge of the conditions and hazards, not returning home safely. It feels particularly hard to comprehend and process the duality of this recent onslaught of losses with the sport we love. I wish there was some profound nugget of wisdom to wrap this all up neatly, but I, too, am struggling to grasp this current moment. Perhaps what we can do best is take a breath, employ extra caution and, as Tom Hallberg told me earlier this week, hug your homies and ski low-angle pow.

In Stratton’s memory, we have published his profile online. It can be read here. If you are struggling with grief, trauma or loss in the mountains, there are resources out there. Many avalanche centers list local resources, and the American Alpine Club has a directory of mental health professionals as a part of their Climbing Grief Fund that can be found here.

—Greta

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