Audrie Lorrain Pelosi, a climbing guide and beloved member of the Baraboo, Wisconsin, community, passed away on May 30, 2026, at Devil’s Lake State Park in a climbing incident.
Known for her adventurous spirit, infectious kindness, and deep roots in the local outdoor community, Audrie leaves behind a husband, friends, colleagues, and a community still grappling with the shock of her sudden loss.
Audrie was more than just a climbing guide. She was a snowboarder, cyclist, and someone who moved through life with an easy generosity that drew people to her naturally.
She met her husband Jimmy at a snowboarding event, and the two were married at Mount Bohemia, a fitting ceremony for a couple whose love was built around adventure and the outdoors. Those who knew them described the pair as inseparable and perfectly matched.
Friends remember Audrie not for grand gestures but for the small, genuine moments that revealed who she truly was.
A coworker, Anastasia Exterovich, who organized a memorial fundraiser in her name, recalled a passing joke Audrie made about selling her handmade bike chain link earrings for “free.99.”
It was the kind of offhand comment that said everything. Even when she had little, she gave freely, whether that was a smile, a laugh, a quick bike tune-up, or a belay at the crag.
A Light in the Local Outdoor Scene
Amanda Payne, who managed the local farmers market and got to know Audrie through her work with DBI, described their friendship as something that happened almost by accident.
The two connected over cinnamon rolls and easy conversation. Audrie once brought Amanda a sticker, saying it reminded her of her, quirky, weird, and cute.
That small gesture sealed a friendship neither of them had planned. Amanda wrote publicly about her grief, saying she barely had time to know Audrie before she was gone, and mourning the hike and rock climbing outing they never got around to.
The Devil’s Lake State Park community group on Facebook also shared a tribute, calling Audrie a climber, an outdoor enthusiast, a kind soul, a nature lover, and a true community member. The post reflected the widespread sense of loss felt across Baraboo and the broader outdoor community in the region.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that Audrie was being remembered for her adventurous spirit and kindness following the climbing incident at the park she loved so dearly.
A GoFundMe campaign set up by Exterovich to help Jimmy and Audrie’s family cover burial and service costs has already surpassed its initial goal of $5,000, raising more than $21,000 from over 200 donors in just days. The outpouring of support reflects just how widely Audrie was loved.
Those who knew Audrie are being encouraged to share their favorite memories of her in the fundraiser comments as a way of keeping her spirit alive and giving the community a space to grieve together.
Audrie Pelosi was the kind of person who made wherever she went feel warmer. Devil’s Lake State Park, the climbing walls, the farmers market, the snowy slopes, all of these places carry her memory now. Baraboo has lost one of its brightest lights, and those who crossed her path, even briefly, are better for it.
