My avalanche dog and I protect skiers at a Utah Resort. It's a dream job — here's what it's like.
Sundance Resort
- Tracy Christensen, 55, is an assistant patrol director at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah.
- He's worked there for 31 years and has been a dog handler for 20.
- He and his Labrador Retriever patrol the mountain. This is what they do and what their day is like.
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Tracy Christensen, a 55-year-old assistant patrol director and dog handler at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. It's been edited for length and clarity.
I've never found a mountain that I didn't like. Growing up as a skier in Utah created this love and desire to be in the mountains, along with the feeling that this is where I belong.
As a kid, I remember riding up the mountain with a ski patroller who told me he was getting paid to do this job. Getting paid to ski every day was the dream. Eventually, it turned into a career.
Today, I work as an assistant patrol director and a dog handler at Sundance Mountain Resort
This is my 31st winter season working here, and the 20th year I've been working as a dog handler.
The professionalism of the dog handlers and how they work with the pups pulled me in. The connection between handler and dog to help save lives drew me in. Working with the dogs and being involved in all aspects of winter search and rescue has become a passion.
Getting to work full time as an avalanche-dog handler has become a way of life.
We take pride in being professional mountain rescuers and being out there for others when they need help. To me, it doesn't matter who it is or what they need. Whether it's serious help or just directions down the mountain, if I can help someone have a better day, it feels really special.
Being a patroller is both awesome and challenging because any day can be the best day of your life, but in miserable cold with terrible conditions.
Ski patrollers have a lot of responsibility, including knowing about snow science, snow mitigation, resort safety, and medical emergencies. We also do manual labor like chopping up trees that have fallen over runs — a sort of ski jack-of-all-trades.
All of the avalanche dogs in Utah are trained to certain standards
We're trained to work together in an emergency with the same guidelines and protocols so we can be on the same page during a response. A "Level A" avalanche dog has to retest to stay certified at this level every other year and maintain this certification for their entire career.
We really love and care about these dogs, and we treat them like the athletes they are. When they're six to eight weeks old, we look for a specific type of puppy with certain qualities, then introduce them to the crazy world of the ski resort.
These dogs have a lot going on between riding chairlifts and snowmobiles, riding in helicopters, and spending time in a harsh winter environment.
But really, this seems like the perfect life for a dog. They get to run, follow their noses, bark, and dig. They have a real talent.
Some of these avalanche areas would take 14 to 16 hours to clear with 20 to 30 human responders — but with scent, the dogs can do it in 20 minutes. At about the age of nine or 10, they get a little tired, and we think about retiring them.
I usually arrive at work around 7:30 a.m.
My director and I have a chat about what's happening on the mountain, work projects, staffing, weather, and the opening and closing of runs as necessary. We look at the big picture and the needs of the ski resort.
Then, I'll go to the locker room, where I meet with our patrol to present information about the conditions and projects for the day. Then, it's out onto the hill to do our opening rounds and make sure the resort is ready for visitors. We have calls to respond to all day, every day, which keeps our crews busy.
Approaching 3 p.m., we begin to shut down the chairlifts, sweep the runs to make sure no one is missing, and ensure that everyone is off the mountain and safe so we can clean up for the evening.
There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into making the resort run when guests aren't here. Every night, we start pre-planning and looking at the incoming weather and discussing how that might affect us the next day.
In the summer, when I'm not doing ski patrol, I've worked for the resort on a part-time basis. I've done mountain-bike patrolling, summer operations, firefighting, and work on horse ranches.
My black Labrador Retriever, Jagger, lives with me and is my partner on the mountain. I'm a big Rolling Stones fan. I named my first avalanche dog at Sundance "Mick." When I started with my second one 12 years later, I named him "Jagger" to keep up tradition.
My dog is a people magnet, but whether you can pet an avalanche dog depends on the situation
Approach the handler first, and ask them for permission. We can't let these dogs get injured, and one of the most dangerous things on a ski hill for a dog is a guest's long, sharp skis. If they were to injure the dog, it could end the dog's career.
So we have to be careful — but if you ask a ski patroller if you can pet their dog, and you're respectful and appreciative of what they're doing together, you'll make a friend for life.
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