Ava the avalanche rescue dog is trained to find skiers under the snow.
“We put people in really shallow snow caves underneath the snow for this exercise – it’s safe and there’s plenty of air,” said Hagerty. “She uses her sense of smell. And when she does find somebody, she keys in on that spot and then alerts the ski patrollers searching by digging down and barking. Once she gets to them, she tries to get them out of the snow with a tug-of-war toy. It’s the most exciting thing in the world for her. She gets super stoked when she finds somebody.”
Ava, an English Cream Golden Retriever, is Snowbowl’s first avalanche rescue dog. She was introduced to the mountain resort when Hagerty was an undergraduate student in public health at Northern Arizona University. “My capstone project was to start this Avalanche Rescue Dog Program up here.”
As she developed her project, Hagerty pitched the idea to Snowbowl. Today, at age 26, Hagerty is an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) on Ski Patrol as well as a nurse at Flagstaff Medical Center. Ava, her dog and co-worker, grew up on the mountain and now is a mom of six pups – all of which have found homes in Flagstaff.
“When people see us, they are welcome to come over and say hello and ask about what she does and ask to pet her,” said Hagerty. “Oftentimes she is working, so you can’t pet her then. But if you’re lucky enough to catch us on the mountain, we’d love to meet you!”
Hagerty grew up in Tucson, but has been skiing in Telluride since she was 6, while visiting her family’s home in nearby Dolores, Colorado. She also has always loved dogs and learned from other dog trainers before she began working with Ava. “Ava has had years of training, we go nonstop. She comes to work about 30 hours a week and trains probably for a couple hours every day. Some of it is training on a search and rescue drill. Some of it is training on riding chair lifts and snowmobiles and being around on mountain operations.”
Snowbowl’s Assistant Ski Patrol Director and Snow Safety Coordinator Derik Spice says dogs can be a key tool in search and rescue efforts because of their acute sense of smell and ability to cover more ground than humans. “The goal is to expand the dog program,” he said, “to ensure rescue readiness every day at the ski area, since Ava, of course, has days off, too.”
Despite avalanche safety efforts, the 2020-21 winter season already has proven to be among the deadliest in U.S. history. At least 22 people have died – more than half were skiers and snowboarders. The deadliest week in a century occurred from Jan. 30 to Feb. 6, 2021, when more than 15 perished. Included among the victims were four skiers who were caught in Utah’s Mill Creek Canyon avalanche on a steep, north facing slope on Saturday, Feb. 6. Four survived the event. Reports say they all were experienced skiers who were carrying avalanche safety gear such as beacons, shovels and probes.
Spice says avalanches are most likely to occur after fresh snowfall adds another layer to a snowpack. An overloaded snowpack can set off a slide. “We are concerned about avalanches when we receive eight inches of snow in 12 hours or 12 inches in 24 hours; significant wind transport; or even a rain on snow event,” said Spice. “The wind is a big factor, too.”
He also attributes some of the danger to more people wanting to be out in the backcountry because of COVID-19 restrictions. He says avalanche education is crucial for venturing outside of the ski area. The Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center, a local non-profit organization, provides courses and information about conditions on the San Francisco Peaks. Information can be found at kachinapeaks.org.
To reduce the risk, Snowbowl Ski Patrol members set off explosives in the upper bowl within the ski area to shake free unstable layers when a dangerous amount of snow accumulates. “One of our main jobs is to mitigate avalanche hazards before terrain can be opened to the public,” said Spice.
“The best chance for survival in an avalanche is to have a beacon, shovel, probe and a partner trained and ready to rescue,” said Hagerty. “But in the instance that they don’t have a beacon with them, a dog is their best chance of being found.”
Although Ava knows the drill and is ready to jump into action, Hagerty hopes the Ski Patrol never has to use her. “We hope she’s really here as a reminder for people to travel safely while they are in avalanche terrain, as well as just being safe on the mountain by being in control and avoiding collisions and making sure everybody has a great, safe time at Snowbowl.” FBN
By Bonnie Stevens, FBN
