Catherine “Kasha” Rigby, a renowned expedition skier originally from our region, has died in an avalanche in Europe.Rescuers say Rigby was skiing out of the tourist lanes when the avalanche hit. Her death made an impact on many neighbors in Stowe as community members remembered her legacy and stressed the importance of preparation on the mountain. “She was a prolific ski racer, an extreme skiing competitor back in the early nineties and really put herself on the map as one of the best telemark skiers in the entire world,” said Dave Hatoff with Mountain Ops Outdoor Gear. “She so polarizing and mesmerizing. She had a certain aura about her that respect.”The incident left many wondering what they would do in the event of an avalanche.According to Stowe Mountain Rescue, Vermont’s avalanche terrain is located near Smuggler’s Notch and high in the alpine zones of Mt. Mansfield.”The entire slope just starts to move all at once. It can be very loud, and it’s very sudden. It happens really quickly,” said Tom Rogers at Stowe Mountain Rescue. “An avalanche can sweep down a thousand-foot gully in a matter of seconds.”Rogers said knowing the terrain and packing the proper gear is crucial when out in the backcountry. That includes a probe, beacons, and metal shovels.”If you start getting caught in it and trapped in it and swept down in it, it’s going to be like a river of snow and debris, and you want to fight as hard as you can to get to the top of that snowpack,” Rogers said. “By the time we’re able to respond and get up there, it’s very unlikely that we’d be able to dig somebody out alive.”Safety experts say the best chance for survival is to always have some company while in the backcountry and to always turn around if necessary.”Just be prepared. If you’re going to ski a certain objective, you might have to turn around. It’s not really worth losing your life over to turn around and come back home to say you can ski another day,” Hatoff said. As the community mourns the tragic loss of Rigby, neighbors said they hope her death serves as an important reminder for other skiers to always have all the tools they need for a safe time outdoors.
Catherine “Kasha” Rigby, a renowned expedition skier originally from our region, has died in an avalanche in Europe.
Rescuers say Rigby was skiing out of the tourist lanes when the avalanche hit.
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Her death made an impact on many neighbors in Stowe as community members remembered her legacy and stressed the importance of preparation on the mountain.
“She was a prolific ski racer, an extreme skiing competitor back in the early nineties and really put herself on the map as one of the best telemark skiers in the entire world,” said Dave Hatoff with Mountain Ops Outdoor Gear. “She [was] so polarizing and mesmerizing. She had a certain aura about her that [demanded] respect.”
The incident left many wondering what they would do in the event of an avalanche.
According to Stowe Mountain Rescue, Vermont’s avalanche terrain is located near Smuggler’s Notch and high in the alpine zones of Mt. Mansfield.
“The entire slope just starts to move all at once. It can be very loud, and it’s very sudden. It happens really quickly,” said Tom Rogers at Stowe Mountain Rescue. “An avalanche can sweep down a thousand-foot gully in a matter of seconds.”
Rogers said knowing the terrain and packing the proper gear is crucial when out in the backcountry. That includes a probe, beacons, and metal shovels.
“If you start getting caught in it and trapped in it and swept down in it, it’s going to be like a river of snow and debris, and you want to fight as hard as you can to get to the top of that snowpack,” Rogers said. “By the time we’re able to respond and get up there, it’s very unlikely that we’d be able to dig somebody out alive.”
Safety experts say the best chance for survival is to always have some company while in the backcountry and to always turn around if necessary.
“Just be prepared. If you’re going to ski a certain objective, you might have to turn around. It’s not really worth losing your life over to turn around and come back home to say you can ski another day,” Hatoff said.
As the community mourns the tragic loss of Rigby, neighbors said they hope her death serves as an important reminder for other skiers to always have all the tools they need for a safe time outdoors.
