SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "A skier’s best friend"

Aspen Daily News:
"Dogs in Aspen are a ubiquitous site, seen everywhere from the post office to City Hall to the numerous parks around town. And while many owners may even bring their dogs to work to lie silently in the corner of the office, there is an elite group that wake up everyone morning and really go to work. Instead of getting the morning paper, these canines strap on their harnesses, hop on the chairlift and spend the day on the mountain ready to spring into action if there is an avalanche.

There are 11 mountain rescue dogs spread across the four local mountains: three on Aspen Mountain; three on Highlands; four on Snowmass including a part-time Mountain Rescue Aspen dog and a new puppy named Piper; and this season brings the first dog to Buttermilk, Two, aptly named since she was the second born in her litter.

Lori Spence, a member of the Highlands Ski Patrol and leader of the rescue program on that mountain, said all of the dogs within the Aspen Skiing Co.’s program are owned by their handlers. The low staff turnover of patrollers helps to facilitate that approach, and is unique when compared to other resorts where the dogs belong to the companies that own them.

Although local avalanche rescue dogs were formally introduced seven years ago, Brad Benson, the leader of the program on Aspen Mountain, traces the first working canine back to 1983. Chopper worked on Highlands with his owner Chris Kessler, who was killed in a slide on Highland Bowl in 1984..."
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"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Summit Daily News "Speed the search: Flight for Life offers new avalanche search tool"

What an incredible step up in technology for our first responders.

"Summit County's Flight for Life Colorado helicopter could be the second air medical device in the U.S. to be outfitted with an external beacon receiver — a powerful device that hangs below the helicopter to assist in locating avalanche victims.

The University of Utah recently broke the ice in the air medical world with testing and training with the device, which has been common in Europe, Canada and New Zealand for years, Flight for Life paramedic Kevin Kelble said. Kelble is also in charge of coordinating the statewide Avalanche Deployment and Lift Ticket programs, which bring Flight for Life's services together with ski patrol and search and rescue needs.

With Utah's Air Methods program paving the way, Kelble wants to get the device on board in Colorado to speed up the search process — and keep it safer...."
(Janice Kurbjun)

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SandBox Comments: Eagle County Times "Vail Mountain’s – Avalanche Rescue Dog "Henry""

Good boy, Henry!

"Henry” is a seasoned Avalanche Rescue professional.

So is his owner and partner in training – Chris ‘Mongo’ Reeder who works as a Ski Patrol Supervisor on Vail Mountain...."
(ECT)

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