Meet Dasha, Solitude's Adorable New Avalanche Rescue Dog In Training

The avalanche dog team at Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah, is getting a whole lot cuter. 

The resort, in a social media post, introduced Dasha, a black nine-week-old Australian Shepherd Lab mix, alongside her patrol handler, PJ.

For now, she’s a puppy still learning the ropes. But before long, Dasha could be on the front lines, helping sniff out skiers stuck in the snow. Check out more photos of Dasha below.

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Dogs have long been a part of ski resort avalanche mitigation and safety programs. 

The history of canine mountain assistants dates back at least as far as the early 18th century, when St. Bernards helped monks rescue travellers in the snow in the Alps. The Smithsonian credits those dogs with about 2,000 rescue missions. In the 1900s, the job title of “avalanche rescue dog” became official in Switzerland when the country launched a training program.

These days, avalanche dogs are a common sight at ski resorts. You’ll spot them on chairlifts, cat tracks, or riding on the shoulders of their ski patrol handlers. 

Their keen sense of smell makes them invaluable in burial situations, letting them sniff out people who’ve disappeared into the snow. According to Ski Utah, a dog can search the same area as 150 humans using probes in equal or less time. That’s particularly useful in a ski resort context, where skiers often don’t wear avalanche beacons that can make finding them easier.

For the dogs, getting to that point takes lots of training, though—they’re working animals with a specialized skillset and certification process. Typically, their careers last between eight and ten years. 

With that in mind, give these dogs a wide berth while they’re on the job so they can stay focused, unless you’re at a meet and greet event. If you’re in doubt, ask the dog’s handler before saying hi. After all, you probably wouldn’t give a lift operator or snowcat driver a treat unprompted (although they might appreciate it, depending on the kind of treat). 

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