Catherine "Kasha" Rigby (1970 – February 13, 2024) was an American competitive skier from Utah.[1] She is most noted for her many achievements and first descents as "the pioneer of extreme telemark skiing."[2]
Kasha Rigby | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Catherine Rigby 1970 Stowe, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | (aged 54) near Brezovica, Kosovo |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Competitive skier |
| Known for | Extreme telemark skiing |
| Partner | Magnus Wolfe Murray |
Biography edit
Kasha Rigby was born in Stowe, Vermont.[3] She started skiing when she was very young. and began telemark skiing as a teenager. She began traveling at age 19, leaving college to explore Africa. She then headed to Crested Butte, Colorado,[3] where she became involved in telemark racing and extreme-skiing competitions.[2][4]
Rigby joined The North Face Ski Team in 1995 and has since skied in America, Canada, South America, New Zealand, Russia, Asia, Europe, India and even the Middle East. She skied first descents of some of the world's tallest/hardest peaks, including the Five Holy Peaks in Mongolia.[1][5]
Outside magazine credited her as being: "the best female telemark skier in the known universe", when she appeared on the cover of Women Outside in Fall 1998.[6]
In her 50s, she became engaged to Magnus Wolfe Murray.[3] On February 13, 2024, she was skiing at the Brezovica ski resort in Kosovo on her "Tour de Piste", when she died in an avalanche. Rigby was 54 years old.[3][7][8]
Career highlights edit
- Climb and ski descent of Cho Oyu 26,907 ft (8201m) (credited as the first telemark descent)[9][10][11][12]
- Mongolia Women's Ski Expedition: first ski descents of the Five Holy Peaks of Tavan Bogd (including Kuitan, the highest peak in Mongolia)[13]
- Mt. Waddington Ski Expedition: descent of Mt. Waddington and Combatant Couloir, British Columbia[14][15]
- Yukon Territories to Dry Bay, Alaska, ski exploration, accessed from the Tatshenshini River[16]
- Hanuman Tibba Women's Expedition: first ski descent of RFHP, a 2500m couloir in the Himachal Pradesh region of India[17][18][19]
- Kamchatka Women's Ski Expedition: First ski descent of Mt. Udina & Mt. Zimina, as well as the first female ski descent of Mt. Tolbachik (all telemarked)[20][21][22][23]
- Lebanon Ski Expedition: ski descent of Qornet as-Sawda, 3090m, traverse of the Mt. Lebanon Range[24][25]
- Mt. Belukha: ski exploration and descent of the highest peaks in Siberia[26] (photos)[27]
- Cotopaxi (5897m) and Chimborazo (6310m) volcanoes of Ecuador: ski descent of world's highest active volcano[28]
- Multiple first descents along Gibb's Fjord, Baffin Island[29][30][31][32][33][34]
- Ski and kite Greenland[35][36][37]
- 21 peaks in 21 days Bolivia[38]
- Trek of frozen Zanskar River – Ladakh, India[39]
Films and videos edit
- 1997 Scott Gaffney's Breathe
- 1999 Higher on the Mountain [40]
- 2001 Warren Miller's Cold Fusion[14][41]
- 2001 Transworld Television: Ski Nomads: A Traverse of Lebanon [24][42]
- 2001 OLN Adventure Series Mystery Mountain
- 2004 Incognito: Total Telemark 4 [43]
- 2006 Shelter from the Storm[44][45]
- 2009 Edge of Never [46]
- 2015 Ultimate Survival Alaska, Season 3 [47]
References edit
- ^ a b The North Face – Athletes – Kasha Rigby
- ^ a b "Skiing: Give Me Liberty...and a Lot of Monster Air | Outside Online". Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Hallberg, Tom; Close, Greta (February 15, 2024). "Teleskier, Humanitarian Kasha Rigby Leaves a Legacy of Uplifting Others". Backcountry Magazine. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Dandelion magazine, V.1, N.4
- ^ Meet The Crew
- ^ "Outside Online Archives | Outside Online". Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
- ^ Benavides, Angela (February 15, 2024). "Top U.S. Skier Kasha Rigby Dies in Kosovo Avalanche » Explorersweb". Explorersweb. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Shafer, Sierra (February 14, 2024). "New Details Emerge in Avalanche Death of Pioneering Skier Kasha Rigby". SKI. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ "The North Face - Cho Oyu, Tibet". Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "The Power of Two | Outside Online". Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
- ^ Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. - Bios
- ^ "Biglines.Com | Cho Oyu Blog Update". Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "The North Face - All-Women Mongolia Expedition". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ a b Mark Synnott :: Expeditions : Mt. Waddington
- ^ "The North Face - Mt. Waddington Expedition". Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "Paddler magazine online : Skiers Use Rafts to Access Tat Descents". Archived from the original on October 16, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "The North Face - A Woman's Ski Descent of Hanuman Tiba". Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "Alison Gannett". Archived from the original on February 20, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ Skiing magazine, February 2002
- ^ "The North Face - Kamchatka Expedition 2000". Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ SKIING Magazine, Feb 2004
- ^ Off-Piste Magazine, Iss. XVII, March 2003
- ^ Muscle & Fitness France - FEMMES DE L'EXTRÊME
- ^ a b "Ski Lebanon Adventure by Sarah Ferguson". Archived from the original on February 19, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ British Geographical Magazine, Feb 2000
- ^ "The North Face - Athlete to Athlete Interview - Kasha Rigby". Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ MountainZone.com | Altai Ski and Snowboard Post Expedition Gallery
- ^ "Stellar: Lifestyle by Adventure - Feature: Pregnant with Snow". Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "The North Face - Baffin Island Kite and Ski Expedition". Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ [web.archive.org/web/20061115131722/http://www.exploreepic.com/expeditions/aug06/baffin.shtml Archived 2006-11-15 at the Wayback Machine - Outdoor sports Resources and Information. Archive ]
- ^ OFF TO THE ICE: North Face Baffin Island expedition underway
- ^ "South Pole, North Pole News and Guide". Archived from the original on November 28, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "Mountain Gazette". Archived from the original on April 14, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ NANUK! - Never underestimate the powers of an Inuit man and his snowmobile
- ^ Figenshau and Griber Kite Couliors in Greenland
- ^ A1 – Asia
- ^ Skiing magazine, November 2003
- ^ "The North Face - Ultimate Bolivian Peak Bagger". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "The North Face - Zanskar - Chadar Ice Trek". Archived from the original on March 29, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ Higher on the Mountain (1999) (V) - Plot summary
- ^ Cold Fusion (2001)
- ^ "Lebanon". Archived from the original on June 19, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ Telemark Movie Incognito Review
- ^ "Vail Film Festival". Archived from the original on June 2, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ Shelter From the Storm North Face Expedition – AOL Television
- ^ "Edge of Never (film) cast (retrieved 1/16/2011)". Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
- ^ National Geographic
External links edit
Wikiquote has quotations related to Kasha Rigby.