Pioneering Skier Kasha Rigby Dies in Kosovo Avalanche

Editor’s note: New details about the fatal incident have been added to this report as of Feb. 15.

Renowned telemark, big mountain, and expedition skier Katherine “Kasha” Rigby, aged 54, is confirmed dead in an avalanche in Kosovo during her #tourdepiste project. Euro News Albania reported on Feb.13 that a 54-year-old foreign citizen lost her life in an avalanche at the Ski Center in Brezovica. The Police spokesperson for the Ferizaj region, Kanun Veseli, reported the incident to Radio Free Europe.

The Kosovo Mountain Search and Rescue Service received a call for help in the “Eagle’s Nest” area, known for its avalanche risks. Despite initial reports of two missing skiers, only one casualty was confirmed. Rescue teams provided medical aid on-site but were unable to save her. The service urged caution when skiing off-piste due to adverse weather conditions.

SKI was notified on Feb. 15 by those close to Rigby that it was a small avalanche at 2:30 pm local time and challenging weather conditions that led to her death.

Rigby suffered extreme trauma to the chest during a skiing incident, where she was caught in a small avalanche. The avalanche, measuring approximately 25 meters by 10 meters, occurred on a 35-degree slope that led to a high-force collision with trees, resulting in massive internal bleeding and damage to her organs, particularly her lungs.

Despite the quick response of her skiing partner, fiancé Magnus Wolfe, who reached her within 20 seconds and attempted CPR, Rigby’s injuries proved fatal, and she passed away within seconds.

The incident unfolded near the top of the run where Rigby dropped in, triggering the avalanche.

Tributes to Rigby continue to be posted on social media by those who knew her and were influenced by her ski career. Friend and professional skier Mary McIntyre penned a thoughtful obituary here.

In 1996, Rigby was featured in Outside Magazine for challenging the conventional perception of the sport by embracing speed and aggression typically associated with alpine skiing. Despite facing skepticism and prejudice, Rigby aimed to redefine telemarking with her high-speed, hard-driving style. In the 1996 U.S. Extreme Skiing Championships, Rigby sought to showcase her skills and earn recognition for telemarking by outperforming traditional alpine skiers. Outside also credited her as “the best female telemark skier in the known universe” when she appeared on the cover of Women Outside in the Fall of 1998.

Rigby achieved numerous feats in ski mountaineering and exploration, including the first telemark descent of Choy Oyu and the first ski descent of RFHP in India’s Himachal Pradesh region. Additionally, she accomplished the first ski descents of several peaks in Kamchatka and Lebanon, explored and descended peaks in Siberia, skied Ecuador’s Cotopaxi and Chimborazo volcanoes, completed multiple first descents in Baffin Island, conquered 21 peaks in 21 days in Bolivia, and appeared in Warren Miller’s 2001 film, “Cold Fusion.” She was also cast in “Ultimate Survival Alaska” Season 3 in 2015.

Rigby’s impactful career, marked by groundbreaking feats as a telemark skier, has left an indelible mark on the skiing community.