‘A bright light’: Colleagues mourn the loss of UW surgery fellow in hiking accident

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A Middleton doctor who was found dead in Iron County last weekend was hiking along a river when a steep embankment likely collapsed beneath her, authorities said Wednesday.

Dr. Kelsey Musgrove, 30, was reported missing on March 30 after she didn’t return from a solo hiking trip near Potato River Falls in Gurney.

Her body was found on Sunday, partially buried in the debris of a clay embankment. An autopsy revealed that she died of traumatic injuries from the fall.

According to the Iron County Sheriff’s Department, Musgrove had likely ventured off trail to get closer to the water when the ground beneath her collapsed and she fell to her death.

Iron County Forest and Parks Administrator Eric Peterson said large clay riverbanks may look safe but are prone to sloughing off.

“We advise people not to mess around on those things because there’s always a risk for those to slough and or collapse and catch you in (it),” Peterson said.

He said the best precaution while hiking is to stay on marked and maintained trails. This is especially true during the springtime when a mix of snow, ice and mud can make footing difficult.

“Hiking off of those main trails can lead you into dangerous situations that you might not be prepared for or even be aware of,” Peterson said.

Musgrove was a cardiothoracic surgery fellow at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

A statement released Thursday by the medical school’s surgery department described Musgrove as a promising and “dearly loved” colleague.

“She was held in the highest esteem by her colleagues for her incisive intelligence and surgical excellence. Close friends and passing colleagues alike regarded her as a rising star with unbridled potential,” the statement said.

Musgrove earned her medical degree from Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami. She went on to do her residency at West Virginia University School of Medicine, where she helped establish a resident mentorship and wellness program.

Alongside her blossoming medical career, Musgrove was an avid volunteer in the community. According to the UW statement, she led mission trips to Haiti, read to children and helped first-generation students apply to college.

“Kelsey was a bright light who impacted all those whose lives she touched with her incredibly kind spirit. We will miss her greatly,” the statement said.