American skier Katherine “Kasha” Rigby, known for her pioneering telemark skiing and joining The North Face team in 1995, has tragically passed away in an avalanche near a Kosovo ski resort. Rigby, 54, was on her Tour de Piste, skiing backcountry areas near ski resorts, when the avalanche struck at Eagle’s Nest, also claiming the life of another skier.

By the Numbers
  • Katherine Rigby, 54 years old, died in an avalanche while skiing near a Kosovo ski resort
  • Known for pioneering telemark skiing and making first descents down dozens of peaks worldwide
State of Play
  • Rigby was on her Tour de Piste, skiing backcountry areas near ski resorts
  • The avalanche struck at Eagle’s Nest, also claiming the life of another skier
  • Rigby was the first to telemark ski Cho You, the sixth-highest mountain in the world
  • She joined The North Face team in 1995 and was known for redefining telemarking with her high-speed, hard-driving style
Bottom Line

Katherine “Kasha” Rigby, a legendary telemark skier and member of The North Face team, has tragically passed away in an avalanche near a Kosovo ski resort at the age of 54.