With heavy hearts, we report the tragic death of beloved telemark skier and all-around badass Kasha Rigby, who was caught in an avalanche Tuesday afternoon at Brezovica resort in Kosovo. Though the avalanche was small, it swept her into the trees and she was killed by the impact. She was 54.
A beloved member of the skiing community, Catherine “Kasha” Rigby led the way for many in her life, especially opening doors for female athletes. Originally from Stowe, Vermont, she started skiing as soon as she could walk and developed her chops on East Coast ice, picking up telemark skiing as a teenager. She relocated to Crested Butte, Colorado, where she started racing and competing at age 22.
Her passion for skiing was a driving force and guiding light throughout her life. In the fall of 1998, she appeared on the cover of Outside, which credited her as “the best female telemark skier in the known universe”. She appeared in Warren Miller’s 2001 film, Cold Fusion.
Rigby was also an experienced and talented mountaineer, securing first descents on several peaks around the world, including a first descent of the world’s highest active volcano, Chimborazo (6310m), in Ecuador, among a long list of other feats and accolades.
Kasha also found a calling in service to others, spending much of her time in recent years working in Nepal, Bangladesh, Turkey, and other areas. Kasha’s passion for skiing and adventurous spirit touched the lives of many. She was a legend, and her legacy will long be remembered with respect and admiration.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with memorial expenses.
