Catherine “Kasha” Rigby, a renowned skier from Utah, tragically died in an avalanche while skiing near Brezovica, Kosovo’s only ski resort. Rigby, 54, originally from Vermont, was working on her global off-piste skiing project, Tour de Piste, at the time of the accident.

The avalanche occurred on a slope called the Eagle’s Nest, sweeping Rigby into trees. Despite efforts from her fiancé, Magnus Wolfe Murray, who was with her, she could not be revived.

Rigby was a pioneer in telemark skiing, gaining fame in the 1990s for her fast and aggressive style. She skied high mountains worldwide, including Cho Oyu and peaks in India, Kamchatka, the Andes, and the Himalayas. Rigby appeared in nine skiing films and was admired for her daring spirit. She also shared many adventures with Hilaree Nelson, another legendary skier who tragically died in 2022.