Avalanche Search Dogs

Avalanche Search Dogs

Finds by Avalanche Search Dogs

Early studies have indicated that within the first 15 minutes of burial, there was a survival probability of 92%. The survival probability decreased sharply to just 30% at 35 minutes after burial, primarily due to acute asphyxia. Long-term survival beyond 130 minutes was only 2.6% (Falk, M., Brugger, H., and Adler-Kastner, L. Avalanche survival chances. 1994. Nature. 368:21). For backcountry travelers, this means having party members that not only have the proper equipment (e.g., shovels, probes, avalanche transceivers) but also the knowledge to quickly and effectively use those tools to perform a rescue.

This is an incomplete collection of finds by trained avalanche search dogs working at the request of official agencies. Data between 1969 and 2006 for the United States was compiled by Dan Comden and used with permission - information was provided by Corey Aist, Patti Burnett, Mary Cablk, Bruce Cheshier, Cameron Daggett, Hatch Graham, Dan O’Connor, Sally Santeford, Ray Shriver, Mark Sickles, Bill Tai, Deb Tirmenstein, and Janet Wilts.

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Table 1. Finds by trained Avalanche Dogs, last updated 2006.

Year Location Status Subjects Depth Burial duration Activity Notes
2006 Rainy Pass, AK Deceased 1 2.3 m 10 days Snow machine Subject located adjacent to snow machine
2003 Avalanche Bowl, Teton Pass, WY Deceased 1 1 m + 24 hours + Snowboarding "[subject] was buried under about two feet from the slide he provoked. The other two feet of snow slid into the gully from the search team’s avalanche bombs."
2002 Jackson Peak, WY Deceased 1 unknown unknown Backcountry skiing
2002 near Victor, ID Deceased 1 < 1 m unknown Snow machine
2002 Mt. Rose, NV Deceased 1 0.5 m 3-3.5 hours Snowboarding
2002 Mt. Abundance, MT Deceased 2 ~ 1 m 5 hours Snow machine
2002 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT Deceased 2 Snowboarding
2001 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT Deceased 2 2-3 m < 24 hours Climbing
2001 Eureka Lodge, AK Deceased 2 3 m 2 hours, 24 hours Snow machine
2001 near The Canyons, UT Deceased 1 3.2 m 3 hours, 12 minutes Backcountry skiing
2000 Snowbasin, UT Deceased 1 1-1.8 m ~40 hours Plane crash Search was for single victim of plane crash within ski area boundary.
2000 near Redoubt Volcano, AK Deceased 1 0.6 m 48 hours Plane crash Search was for victims of December 20, 2000 air crash. Subject was buried under 2 feet of snow.
2000 Arapahoe Basin, CO Deceased 1 0.2 m < 24 hours Snowboarding
2000 Summit Lake, AK Deceased 1 1.5 m 19 hours Snow machine
2000 Crystal Mountain, WA Deceased 1 1 m 2 hours Backcountry skiing
1999 Diamond Peak, CO Deceased 1 minimal 24 hours
1999 Little Willow, UT Deceased 1 0.6 m 2 hours Snowshoeing
1998 Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT Deceased 1 0.6 m 1 hour Snowboarding
1998 Donner Summit, CA Deceased 1 1 m 1 hour Snowboarding
1998 Cantwell, AK Deceased 1 2.1 m ~20 hours Snow machine "Two dog teams responded on April 25-26, 1998 to an avalanche just inside Denali National Park near Cantwell, Alaska in the Bull River drainage area. One snowmachiner was buried for about 20 hrs. Both dogs gave mild alerts on the subject within the first 15 minutes of the search and indicated a location for probers to work. The subject was buried in seven feet of dense snow. The dogs alerted 6-8 feet up hill of the subject."
1997 Girdwood, AK Deceased 1 0.6 m 23 hours Hiking Subject was hiking with partner on Sunday, November 23, in the Crows Pass area when she was caught in the avalanche at 1400 hrs. Searchers arrived on the scene after slope stabilization was done (12 charges) on Monday, November 24. Within 4 minutes the first search dog alerted on the subject.
1997 Kenai Mountains, AK Deceased 1 1.2 m 24 hours
1997 Beavers, CO Deceased 1 1.1 m 1 hour Snowboarding
1997 Cottonwood Creek, CO Deceased 1 1.4 m 24 hours
1996 Galena Summit, ID Deceased 2 ~0.6 m 1.25 hours Snowboarding "January 5, 1996 avalanche at Galena Summit, Blaine County, Idaho. Avalanche was triggered by two snowboarders walking out onto the slope 50' from the highway. A third person (skier) had already crossed the slope and skied down 250' and was waiting. It happened at 14:45 hrs. The rescue teams arrived and then the dog team arrived at 15:56 hrs. At 16:17 dog makes first find, second find at 16:18. The two victims were 4' apart buried about 2' deep".
1996 WY Deceased 1 1.5 m 2-3 hours
1995 Crystal Lakes, CO Deceased 1 1.1 m 24 hours
1994 Summit City, CO Alive 1 1.1 m 14 minutes
1994 Peters Ridge, MT Deceased 1 3.7 m ~24 hours
1994 Lulu Pass, MT Deceased 1 0.5 m 24 hours
1993 Kirkwood, CA Alive 1 1.6 m 15 minutes Burial and recovery at Kirkwood ski area.
1993 WY Alive 1 2.1 m 1-2 hours
1993 West Yellowstone, MT Deceased 1 1.3 m 3 hours
1992 Montezuma, CO Deceased 1 2.9 m 19 hours
1990 West Yellowstone, MT Deceased 1 0.5 m ~6 hours
1990 Alta, UT Deceased 1 0.6 m 2 days Downhill skiing Lift skier, skiing alone, collision with a tree, died on impact. Blizzard that night and next day, and victim could not be found. Day 2 the weather cleared and dog team located the victim.
1988 Plummer Peak, WA Deceased 1 2 m ~30 hours
1988 Berthoud Pass, CO Deceased 1 1.9 m 4-7 days
1987 Shrine Pass, CO Deceased 2 2 m 5 hours
1987 Breckenridge, CO Deceased 1 2 m 3 days
1987 Pearl Pass, CO Deceased 1 6 m + 6 months
1987 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT Deceased 1 0.7 m 1 hour Cross-country skiing
1986 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT Deceased 1 1.7 m 45 minutes Snowboarding Refer to Snowy Torrents 86-9.
1982 Alpine Meadows, CA Alive 1 4 m? ~48 hours? Information estimated by D. Comden.
1981 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT Deceased 1 1.7 m 2 hours Cross-country skiing Refer to Snowy Torrents 81-3.
1980 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT Deceased 1 2.1 m 7 hours Cross-country skiing Refer to Snowy Torrents 80-2.
1978 Taylor Creek, AK Deceased 4 1 m 6 months "Taylor Creek AK, slide 1/21/78, search 7/28/78. Four persons (deceased). One victim surfaced, solid dog find on 1 victim (3+ feet depth), and alerts on other two which couldn't be recovered but surfaced Sept/Oct 1979."
1976 Sheep Mtn, AK Deceased 1 1.4 m 3 days
1969 Mt. Rainier, WA Deceased 1 1.4 m 48 hours Snowy Torrents (69-15) reports that subject was buried in an avalanche at about 1030 on March 9th, 1969 near Panorama Point, above Paradise. At about 1030 on March 11th, (about 48 hours later) his body was located".