Avalanche dogs are often a vital aspect of a resort’s ski patrol, working to locate buried victims in the event of an avalanche. They’re highly trained, working faster and more accurately than most people could. Les Arcs ski resort in France is one of many that employ the pups. This is what a day in the lift of a French avalanche dog looks like.
As you can tell in the video, most days in an avalanche dog’s life are fortunately spent training for the possibility of a tragic accident. While they are hardworking animals, most of their training is joyful play to them with rewards like treats and toys being offered in cases of success.
Beacons are common in the backcountry, but most skiers and snowboarders don’t wear them while riding in resort. In the event of an in-bound avalanche, though they may be rare, finding a buried individual can take a long time, often times too long. With an avalanche dog, that search can be reduced by a lifesaving amount of time. Be grateful for the pups on your favorite mountain.
