Katie Heaven loved the mountains. By May 12, she had already summited 25 peaks in 2026 alone. Her Instagram documented every one of them Mount Townsend, Mount Yarrow, Whistler Mountain, Moose Mountain, and dozens more. She had been doing this for years.
On Saturday morning she was descending Mount Bryant in Kananaskis Country with a group of hikers. She fell. She did not survive.
Heaven, 47, of Airdrie, was confirmed deceased at approximately 10:45 a.m. on June 6 near Range Road 73A also known as Powderface Trail in Kananaskis Country. RCMP received the call at approximately 10:30 a.m. STARS Air Ambulance was dispatched and attended the scene but was not required for patient transport and returned to base. ALTA Paramedic Health crews were also on scene. Kananaskis Emergency Services, Alberta Parks' Kananaskis Mountain Rescue team, and Alberta Conservation Officer Service all responded.
No other members of the group were injured.
A friend and co-worker at MaxWell Capital Realty in Airdrie confirmed Heaven's identity. She was described as a devoted mother, active community volunteer, and an experienced outdoors person who was passionate about life in the mountains.
Who Katie Heaven was
Heaven was a realtor at MaxWell Capital Realty in Airdrie and a familiar face in the local community. She volunteered frequently at her children's school and was known for her enthusiasm and her presence in the Airdrie and mountain communities.
Her social media pages documented a life spent outdoors. She posted regularly from peaks across Kananaskis, the Bow Valley, and surrounding ranges. By mid-May she had already reached 25 summits in 2026 a pace that reflects not casual hiking but a genuine, deliberate pursuit of peaks.
Friend and fellow hiker Stephanie Salerno posted a tribute on Instagram after the news broke.
"Katie had an incredible way of making everyone feel like they were a part of the group, and her smile was as infectious as her love for the mountains," Salerno wrote. "Words cannot begin to describe my profound sadness at no longer seeing Katie's smiling face or having her lend a calming and soothing voice as she helped guide me through a tricky traverse."
What Mount Bryant is
Mount Bryant is a 2,600-metre peak in Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park in Kananaskis Country, southwest of Calgary. It is classified as a scramble not a technical climb requiring ropes or specialized equipment, but a mountain that demands physical fitness, route-finding ability, and careful footwork on steep, loose terrain.
Scrambling peaks like Bryant attract experienced hikers looking for a more demanding objective than a standard trail. The exposure is real. The terrain is unforgiving. And the descent as experienced mountaineers know is statistically where most accidents happen. Coming down a steep, rocky slope requires as much focus and care as going up, often more. Tired legs, loose rock, and the psychology of having already reached the summit all contribute to the elevated risk on the way down.
Kananaskis has seen a significant increase in backcountry visitors in recent years. The mountains draw people year-round and June, when snowmelt can leave wet, slippery rock on upper terrain, carries specific hazards that are not always visible until you are on the mountain.
Mountain safety reminders
RCMP and Alberta Parks do not comment on the specific circumstances of incidents while investigations are ongoing. No further details have been released about the nature of the fall.
If you are heading into the backcountry this summer, mountain rescue services ask that you: tell someone your route and expected return time, carry the ten essentials including a first aid kit and emergency communication device, check AllTrails and Alberta Parks for current trail and route conditions before you go, and turn around when conditions feel uncertain the mountain will still be there next time.
Kananaskis Emergency Services can be reached through RCMP at 403-591-7707 or through 911 in an emergency.
Sources:
Alberta RCMP, Cpl. Mathew Howell, spokesperson statement, June 6-8, 2026
ALTA Paramedic Health, Adam Loria, spokesperson statement, June 6, 2026
Alberta Ministry of Forestry and Parks, Riley Gough, spokesperson statement, June 8, 2026
STARS Air Ambulance, Blake Robert, spokesperson statement, June 6, 2026
Rocky Mountain Outlook, Airdrie woman dies in fall while hiking in Kananaskis Country, June 8, 2026 (rmoutlook.com)
