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Avalanche Dog Fundraiser at Harry O's

by andy baillargeon

The seasonal change has begun in the Wasatch, and before we know it, heaven's white gold will be here. With all the expected white stuff we're due, we can also expect a heavy avalanche season. These mountains provide some of the best backcountry skiing anywhere, but as we all know that doesn't come without risk.

What's that you say, you only ski on designated trails at the ski areas? Well you might like to know that many of the avalanches occur on the ski areas. You might also like to know that there is a team of four-legged heroes called the Backside Avi. Dogs. These are the dogs that respond to the ski area and backcountry avalanches. These same dogs can be seen everyday on the mountains; they will welcome you with wagging tails when you get off the lift.

With the proper training, the pooch patrol saves precious time and can cover a much larger area than a search party. Now this is where you, the skiers and snowboarders come in.

The avalanche dogs of the Wasatch are planning a fundraiser in support of Wasatch Backcountry Rescue-a non-profit organization that helps with the education and training of these teams. The money will send the dogs and their trainers to other parts of the country for training in Search and Rescue techniques. The Backside Avalanche dog fundraiser will be held on Thursday, November 30th at Harry O's. There will be live music, door prizes, raffle drawings, and locally designed T-shirts for sale.

Please come out and support our local heroes. They just might save your life someday.

For donations or any questions, please call 435-649-1357. We'll see you there.