Meet Breck's Avalanche Rescue Dogs

Here at Breck, our skiable terrain covers nearly 3,000 acres across Five Peaks, reaching heights of 13,000 feet above sea-level. Nearly a third of our terrain is located in our High Alpine (i.e. sitting above treeline) and requires regular avalanche mitigation work by our team of professional ski patrollers prior to opening to the public. In addition to our human boots on the ground though, we also have paws on the ground with our dedicated Avalanche Rescue Dog team. Yes, these furry members of ski patrol are as cute as they look but they also mean serious business and are highly skilled and trained to support the resort, our patrol team, and local search and rescue groups in the backcountry.

Breck’s Avalanche Rescue Dog team is currently made up of 6 dogs, representing a variety of ages and breeds, all dedicated to serving the resort and their community, as well as serving as loyal family members to their human handlers. Many breeds can make good avalanche rescue dogs, and common ones include Retrievers, Shepherds, and Collies. At Breck, we have those breeds represented as well as mixed breeds from the shelter. Physical stature and personality traits are key regardless of breed though, including size and build, being physically fit, having a good coat to endure mountain weather and conditions, and showing a high “drive” and a desire to be with people.

All dog handlers are members of Breck Ski Patrol and dogs are trained at home and at the resort by their handlers. Their training typically begins as a young pup, building the bond between dog and human handler, conducting basic obedience training and learning commands, and familiarizing the dogs with people and their environment. One of the biggest parts of their training starts around 1 year-old, working on scent training and the dog’s retrieval skills via hide-and-seek type games and exercises. It typically takes about two seasons of training to get a dog ready to test for their Avalanche Rescue certification, but that can vary depending on the dog.
Our team of dogs are all certified through the resort with 4 levels of training based on their skills, obedience, and the passing of specific search and rescue tests. The levels of certification start with ‘Candidate Puppy’ and then build from there with more advanced training and testing:

In addition, there is the option to join the state’s rapid deployment team, Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment (C-RAD), and get a C-RAD validation that allows our dogs to work with the local Sheriff’s Office and train with Flight For Life for aerial deployments to facilitate backcountry search and rescue missions across the state. The testing to join C-RAD builds on the levels referenced above, with search and rescue testing conducted at a different ski resort and with people the dog doesn’t know, making the test more challenging for dog and handler.

While all Breck’s avy dogs are trained, ready, and prepared to respond to needs in-resort, in-bounds rescue missions are extremely rare thanks to all the snow safety work of our patrol team. When the dogs are sent out into the field for a rescue mission, most often that takes place in the backcountry, outside of the ski area boundaries.

Most often out here at Breck, you will see our patrol dogs with their handlers on the mountain, skiing in between their legs, riding on their shoulders, riding snowmobiles and chairlifts, doing training drills in resort to keep their skills sharp, or just kicking back and chilling at our patrol huts (avy dogs need breaks, too!). These canine guys and gals most often act as friendly faces and ambassadors of safety in resort, and while they love to interact with guests, you should always make sure to ask their handler first before approaching, and take off your skis and boards before you get close (sharp edges and furry little paws do not mix well).

So who are these brave and loyal canine team members? Check out some of the 2024-25 winter season roster of Breck Ski Patrol Avalanche Rescue Dogs below!