Coroner says Thunder Bay snowboarder died on impact

A report from the Cook County coroner on the Thunder Bay woman found deceased at Lutsen Mountains after not returning home as expected on the evening of April 5, 2015, was released by Sheriff Pat Eliasen on April 21.

The Cook County Sheriff ’s Office was contacted at 11:03 p.m. on April 5 by the mother of Andrea Matyuska, 32, of Thunder Bay. Matyuska’s mother said she had expected her daughter home from a day of snowboarding at Lutsen earlier that evening.

A search of the ski hill area by Cook County Sheriff Deputies led to Matyuska’s vehicle. The surrounding area was searched with no results. Deputies notified the groomer operators to keep a lookout for the missing person while they conducted searches of the local hotels and resorts. Deputies remained on the scene and dispatch kept in contact with the groomer personnel.

When conditions permitted, Cook County Search & Rescue was called to the scene and an organized search was planned. In the meantime, Matyuska was located at the bottom of a steep drop in a narrow corridor by the groomer operator with the aid of the increased elevation that the groomer provided for the operator.

According to Sheriff Eliasen, upon discovery, Matyuska was promptly recovered and transported to the Cook County North Shore Hospital for examination by the coroner. The initial examination by the coroner revealed that Matyuska had perished upon impact when she went off the Moose Access trail.