A-Basin Avalanche Dogs Ride Lifts & Rescue Skiers
ARAPAHOE COUNTY (CBS4) - One of the most useful tools in an avalanche rescue is a dog, and one Colorado ski area felt it needed one.
Just another hardworking employee of Arapahoe Basin, Rio the Golden Retriever has passed her tests and is a certified rescue dog.
A year ago CBS4 reported on Rio training for avalanche deployment with the Flight for Life helicopter.
She was also on a real mission to the deadly avalanche near Torrey's Peak on New Year's Eve.
As Matt Norfleet, Ski Patrol Assistant Director, explained, "At a certain point in time they pass our in house tests; they're ready to get certified through Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment."
And now Rio is getting a co-worker.
About 12 weeks old, Max is a black lab already beginning his training as a rescue dog. He came from a breeder in Fort Collins where "they raise pointing labs for hunting. Which is also good for avalanche rescue," said Dominic Vellone, A-Basin avalanche tech.
Vellone isn't just his handler at work, he's also Max's owner. Right now they're just getting the puppy used to being around people and on the snow.
"We start training them at five or six months," said Norfleet. Vellone added, "That starts with simple stuff like hide and seek: dig a snow cave and let the dog come find you. Get him to use his nose more."
Max has also been riding the snowmobile and the ski lift.
The certification process is difficult and not every dog makes the cut.
"Eventually you have really big avalanche sites that you've set up with deep burials," said Vellone. "And any situation, whether they performed to where you wanted them to or not, it has to end with praise for the dog."
The hope is to have Max trained and ready to go in two years.
Ski Report
Check the status of trails & lifts at Colorado ski resorts in the CBSDenver.com Ski Report section.
