Snow and Snow Dogs

I got up this early this morning and was treated to some great powder turns up in McConkey's, Pioneer and Motherlodde. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we're going to get Jupiter open today as it's started to really dump again and although I know Mark and the Snow Safety team are anxious to get Jup open, they're also being very careful due to the conditions.
On the topic of snow safety, I got this note last night from Hutch, the handler of Belle Star, one of our rescue dogs. They're heading off for some training and this is what Hutch had to say:

It seems timely, with the unusually active day in the snow safety world, that the dogs are starting their season of higher education this week.   First to head off to school this year is Belle Starr, accompanied by me, her handler.  Belle is the six year old Golden Retriever that you may have seen around the mountain; wriggling through the moguls on Belmont, practicing her search skills in Scotts or Puma bowl, or riding chairlifts and snowmobiles to her assigned station for the day.
Tomorrow, Belle and I fly to Fernie, British Columbia for a week of continuing education in avalanche search and rescue.  (Yes, she does get to fly in the cabin with me.)  Belle has excelled in her training for a number of years, and as a team, we’re quite proud to have been selected as one of 2 teams to head to Canada from the Wasatch.  The Canadian school is one of the premier in North America, the other being held every other year at Alta.
Next up for school it’ll be Dozer, Zoey and little Zeke, the pup of the mountain.  They’ll be sharpening their skills at Wasatch Backcountry Rescue’s school held right here in Park City in February.  Finally, Blaze the Border Collie, our “top dog” heads to Washington State to train with some Swiss handlers from the original home of rescue dogs.
If you see us around the mountain, feel free to stop and say hello.  While she is a working dog, we usually have time for a little rub behind the ears….

Safe travels Hutch, and I look forward to hearing how the trip to Fernie went.