Meet Beaver Creek Ski Patrol’s 4 new pups

Ski patrollers at Beaver Creek Resort have welcomed four new canine members to the team.

Bridger, Juniper, Honey and Basil are all in training to save lives in search and rescue operations, particularly in cases of avalanche.

Over the next two years, they will train to validate with Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment, a nonprofit organization specifically focused on avalanche dogs. 

“Training involves tapping into the dog’s inherent drives to hunt, prey and search and is translated into finding human scent under snow or in the wild,” said Chris Johnson, head of Beaver Creek Avalanche Rescue Canines and handler to Luna, a retired avalanche dog.

The training process includes “countless hours spent between handler and dog, combined with additional in-house training, specialized training and workshops,” Johnson said.

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The specialized training the dogs receive means they can be utilized year-round for search work.

Meet the pups

Bearpoint’s Bridging the Gap — Bridger for short — is a 7-month-old American pointing labrador retriever. Her handler, Alex Oberg, has been with Beaver Creek Ski Patrol for five years. 

“If Bridger could figure out how to strike a match, her next crime would be arson,” Oberg joked. “Until the day she dies she will deny pooping in the Lower Patrol Room hallway and will continue to frame Juniper, but she is a pretty dang cute dog, and I love working with her.”

Juniper is a 3-month-old flat-coated retriever. Of the four pups, she is the “least energetic,” said Adriana Morken, Juniper’s handler, a seven-year member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol. “She can be mischievous when she wants to be, but usually she is very sweet and quite tenacious which makes her a great dog to work with.” 

Honey is a 3-month-old small Münsterländer. Her handler, Lisa Keim, has been with Beaver Creek Ski Patrol for eight years, and said she has always wanted to be a handler. “I have a huge passion for animals, and I love that I get to bring Honey with me to work every day and work with her in the field,” Keim said.

Basil is an 11-week-old British Labrador retriever. Chris Schino, Basil’s handler, has been a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol for seven years. “When I entered the search and rescue world, I thought it was time for a dog,” Schino said. “What’s better than working with your best friend? I love taking her to work and seeing her grow and learn every day.”

In addition to the four puppies, the Beaver Creek Ski Patrol canine family includes one dog that is already avalanche rescue certified, two more preparing to take the exam, and three retired avalanche dogs. 

Dogs are selected for Beaver Creek’s avalanche rescue canine team “based on breed and aptitude for search work,” Johnson said. Typically, the selected breeds have a “good track record of success as working and search dogs,” Johnson said.

First-time handlers are most often paired with labrador or retriever breeds, which are known for their intelligence, work ethic, athleticism and sweet tempers. Experienced patrollers must apply to become handlers, which they do after spending time supporting and learning the needs of the avalanche dog program, Johnson said.

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At the end of the workday, the pups head home with their handlers, as they live together. “The bond between handler and dog is incredibly important, and a lot of that bond is built at home,” Johnson said.

While the puppies will be out and about training on the mountain at Beaver Creek this winter, check in with their handler before approaching. The intensity of training means sometimes the dogs will not be ready for a meet-and-greet.

For more information — and cute photos — visit the Beaver Creek Ski Patrol Instagram account, @beavercreekskipatrol.