Mt. Rose Introduces New Avalanche Rescue Dog

Patrol at Mt. Rose shared their excitement at their newest team member, writing, "Larry is so excited to start his training and work along side his new brother Bacchus. Welcome to the Mt. Rose family Larry!" 

At this point in the season, Mt. Rose has a base depth of 50-80 inches, with 12-14 inches of new snow thanks to the latest storm that hit Tahoe this last week. 

Of course, this fresh snow increases the risk of avalanches, and the entire Tahoe area has a high avalanche risk right now. 

Mt. Rose has performed avalanche-mitigation work in the Chutes as well as other avalanche-prone paths on the Mt. Rose Highway since the early '70s, under an agreement with the Nevada Department of Transportation. 

Although the possibility of an avalanche in extreme terrain such as the Chutes can never be entirely eliminated, officials at Mt. Rose explain that "the extensive knowledge gained from this thirty-year tenure is key in preventing major snow slides." 

Of course, when avalanches do occur (and let's face it: it is a when and not an if) it is crucial to find those buried as soon as possible. 

The exact number of minutes one has varies based on the source, but it is always under 30--and that's not a lot of time, especially if the missing person is not carrying a transceiver or not wearing/is unable to deploy their airbag.

Hence, the usefulness of avalanche rescue dogs: dogs are adept to help with search and rescue efforts due to their strong sense of smell. Plus, dogs trained for ski patrol duty have more sense in snow and skier rescue than the average canine. 

The day or two after a storm, when the snow is still fresh and unstable, is the most dangerous time to recreate after a storm. However, that's also when fresh tracks are still good for the taking. 

Ultimately, even with all of the precautions in the world, we are grateful for the help we have with rescue efforts. Especially when they come from our furry friends.