Ride In Peace, Stratton Matteson

Stratton Matteson walked the walk.

Those words are not my own. They are the words of a friend of Matteson’s posted on Instagram shortly after his death. The professional splitboarder died in an avalanche in British Columbia on February 24, 2026, in a remote area of the Anniversary Glacier, near Mt. Joffre and Mt. Matier.

The Pemberton Royal Canadian Mounted Police were notified of a missing person around 2 p.m. Those with Matteson saw the avalanche and started a search, but could not find his transceiver signal, RCMP said.

The 28-year-old from Bend, Oregon, first appeared on the pages of The Snowboarder’s Journal six years ago, when the publication ran an interview with him about his “Bike To Board” initiative.

“Stratton…saw a disconnect between his snowboarding and his ideals—he wasn’t comfortable driving and flying to far-flung locales to ride,” Colin Wiseman wrote. “So, last summer, he got on his bike. Since then, he’s been pedaling to trailheads and splitboarding from there.”

The Snowboarder’s Journal published a follow-up feature on Matteson just earlier this season.

“He leads through action, driven by a strong internal compass and  a commitment to being his truest self. Yet he balances that stance with humor and lightness,” Kael Martin wrote. “Often smiling, Stratton brings a grounded, refreshing combination of traits that can easily be lost in today’s attention economy.”

“I always had so much respect for Stratton’s approach to life. He was young, strong and motivated- leading the charge for the younger generation of splitboarders and taking human powered snowboarding to a level that is hard to comprehend. We never got the chance to do any proper riding together, though we talked about it for years. I’m sad we’ll never get that session. Sending all my love to the Bend crew and the greater mountain community for this tragic loss.”
- Nick Russell

"He was a bright light and spirited, enthusiastic young man who was kind to everyone.”
- George Wuerthner, Matteson’s father, to the CBC.

“The things Stratton accomplished on his snowboard were wild by any measure; the fact he did it all by human power and on his bike is an entirely different level of bad ass. But it was his humility, kindness and love for the mountains that inspired us most, and is what left an indelible mark on those lucky enough to have met him.”
- Patagonia

“You made the world and everyone around you better, Stratton, and we’re grateful for it.”
- Central Oregon Avalanche Center

"First things first, thank you. For inspiring me, for inspiring the thousands. For living unapologetically authentic. You infected those around you with positivity. You didn’t just say you wanted to “protect our winters”, you took it upon yourself to actually be the change you wanted to see in the world. You chose a spot and showed the world what can be done via human power. Your energy was your true power, your energy was your gift."
-Alex Gavic

Rest in peace, Stratton Matteson. Your impact on the people around you was enormous, and though I never met you, it is obvious that you will be tremendously missed.