Canadian athlete Kalie McCrystal has gone missing while preparing for a record attempt on the Matterhorn, a famous mountain located on the border of Switzerland and Italy. McCrystal, from Squamish in British Columbia, was conducting a "reconnaissance/training session" ahead of her goal to ascend and descend the 14,692 ft (4,478 m) peak in under five hours. According to the Skyrunner World Series, a global organization that promotes high-altitude running events, McCrystal was last seen on Tuesday after she reached the summit and was descending the Italian side of the mountain. She was last spotted near a shelter at an altitude of about 12,500 ft. "There has been no further contact with her, and no one has seen or heard from her since," the Skyrunner World Series stated in a press release. Skyrunning is a sport that combines running and scrambling at altitudes higher than 6,600 ft, often on challenging terrain. McCrystal had previously climbed the Matterhorn and was described by the Skyrunner World Series as having "many years of experience in high-altitude and technical mountain terrain." A friend of McCrystal, Duncan O’Regan, a fellow mountain runner, told CBC that he did not believe she had taken unnecessary risks. "I know that this objective was well within her capabilities," O’Regan said. "She’s done much more difficult things, and this is not something that is beyond her capabilities. She’s comfortable in this terrain." McCrystal has set several skyrunning records in Canada and Europe and is also a lawyer and staff member at Capilano University in North Vancouver. A helicopter search for her was called off on Friday after rescuers found no trace of the athlete. Despite the challenges of the mountain environment, McCrystal’s experience and training had previously prepared her for such endeavors. Her disappearance has raised concerns among her community and the broader skyrunning community. Capilano University’s president and vice-chancellor, Jason Dewling, expressed his support for McCrystal and those involved in the search. "Our thoughts are with Kalie’s family, friends and colleagues, and with everyone involved in the search efforts during this incredibly difficult time," he said. As the search continues, the focus remains on finding McCrystal and ensuring her safety.