Raise a carrot for Riggins: Mt. Bachelor honors beloved avalanche rescue dog

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) - The Mt. Bachelor community is mourning Riggins, a beloved avalanche rescue dog, teammate, and friend, who passed away Thursday, Dec. 18.

Betsy Norsen, a Mt. Bachelor veteran of nearly 26 years and longtime Patrol and Mountain Operations leader, brought Riggins to the mountain in 2011, when he took his first ride tucked in her jacket at just seven weeks old on the Fourth of July.

Riggins patrolled full time through 2022 and kept visiting the mountain in retirement, taking his final chairlift ride this past summer.

Riggins went by many nicknames over the years, including Riggy, Riggles, Ribbons, Riglet, and Riggs.

Betsy Norsen says his late brother, Kenai (also an avalanche dog) was his best friend, and their family finds peace in knowing that the two will be reunited in the afterlife.

The Mt. Bachelor team invites everyone to raise a carrot, apple, or anything crunchy for Riggins, whose legacy will always live on across the mountain he called home.