BANFF - The community of Banff is mourning the loss of one of its young talented photographers this week after the death of Matt Snell on Friday (June 8).
BANFF - The community of Banff is mourning the loss of one of its young talented photographers this week after the death of Matt Snell on Friday (June 8).
According to the RCMP, the 26-year-old man was climbing on Tunnel Mountain when he stumbled and fell 25 to 40 metres along the rock face.
The climber was along Le Soulier (The Shoe), a popular moderate multi-pitch climbing route on Tunnel, when he fell and suffered fatal injuries as a result.
He has been identified as local photographer Matt Snell, who specialized in landscape, night and adventure photography. Originally from Ontario, Snell thrived in the mountain landscape and was making his mark on the photography world according to fellow Banff photographer Paul Zizka.
It was with great shock and sadness that I learned about the passing of fellow Banff photographer and friend Matt Snell in a climbing accident on Tunnel Mountain on Friday," wrote Zizka on his Facebook page. "His dedication to the craft and desire to explore were contagious. I will forever treasure the adventures I had with him, like this helicopter ride, which was the last time we went shooting together."
The young photographer's Instagram and Facebook pages show a portfolio full of mountain landscapes, auroras and adventurous night time photography using long exposures.
The picture posted to his Facebook is a self-portrait of Snell with the Milky Way rising over Mount Rundle in the background.
"Still in awe at how incredible this scene was last night," Snell wrote the morning of May 20. "The water was a perfect mirror and the loons called out from across lake as I sat in silence (aside from the odd camera shutter)."
Snell moved to Banff late 2016, early 2017 and began shooting images of the surrounding mountains. His online adventure blog details some of his adventures shooting auroras from the East End of Rundle, ice climbing at Johnston Canyon and trips to Michelle lakes and Mount Temple.
"Tired but determined with the summit just in reach, we pushed for the top," Snell wrote. "I raced ahead to capture our groups last hurrah to Temple's Summit. The feeling, the views - the moment was incredible! All around us were peaks and lakes, most notably the magnificent blue of Moraine Lake (you can imagine how many people are down there looking up at these peaks). We celebrated our successful summit, noted it in the log and just soaked in the beautiful views."
A celebration of life is being planned for later this week in Banff.
