Avalanche Rescue Dogs
Avalanche Rescue Dogs
Four pups, one shared mission.
Copper Mountain’s Avalanche Dog Program is one of the oldest in Colorado and a cornerstone of our mountain safety operation. Our four highly trained dogs — Neve, Lillie, Aley and Pico — work alongside full-time professional ski patrollers to provide rapid response in avalanche rescue and assist in missing-person searches. Built on decades of experience, rigorous training, and deep pride in patrol, this program represents the highest standard of professionalism on the mountain. When you see one of our avalanche dogs at Copper, you can trust they are part of a proven rescue team, ready when it matters most.
Pico
Pico, a 9-month-old Golden Retriever, is Copper's newest avalanche rescue dog. This is his first winter on the mountain.
- Handler: Graham Amato
- Certifications: In training! Hoping to be certified in 2 years!
- Favorite Day-Off Activity: Playing fetch and eating.
- Follow me on Instagram @picodogg!
Aley
Aley, a 2-year-old Field Golden Retriever, is Copper's energetic teen. This will be her third winter on the mountain.
- Handler: Bek Karjian & Matt MacFarland
- Certifications: Copper Mountain (CMAD) Certified
- Favorite Day-Off Activity: Enjoys retrieving socks from the laundry and rafting on the Arkansas River.
- Follow me on Instagram @aley_thepup!
Lillie
Lillie, a 4-year-old Black American Labrador Retriever, is named after the Lillie G mine at Copper Mountain. This will be her 5th winter season on the mountain.
- Handler: Baylee Rice and Trevor Lehto
- Certifications: Copper Mountain (CMAD) and Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment (CRAD) Certified
- Favorite Day-Off Activity: Lillie loves to play fetch, dock dive, and eat blueberries! She will play fetch for hours, no matter the fetch toy or the weather.
- Follow me on Instagram @lillie_thelab!
Neve
Neve, a 5 1/2-year-old Field Golden, is Copper's oldest & most seasoned avalanche rescue dog. This will be her 6th winter on the mountain.
- Handler: Nick Slaton
- Certifications: Copper Mountain (CMAD) and Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment (CRAD) Certified
- Favorite Day-Off Activity: Loves to roll in the grass and snow, chase birds, and go hiking in the Gore Range.
- Follow me on Instagram @nevetheavypup!
Training & Certification
Behind every successful avalanche dog team is an uncompromising commitment to training. At Copper Mountain, our dogs train daily in obedience and handling skills, participate in weekly rescue drills, and scenario-based exercises. They also complete monthly advanced training with outside instructors and partner resorts throughout Summit County. Our teams work in some of the most complex avalanche terrain in the state, with exposure on every aspect of the mountain. To meet that challenge, handlers, and dogs are certified through Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment. This approach ensures our teams are not only skilled, but tested, current, and prepared for real-world rescue when seconds count.
Search techniques: Training in both visual and scent-driven search strategies using the wind and elements to our advantage. Typically, we start with very simple forms of hide and seek, such as hiding behind trees and bushes. As dogs get older, we increase the difficulty of hide and seek to become more complex, such as hiding in snow caves, forcing the dogs to use their noses.
Avalanche Simulation Drills: Practical exercises in mock avalanche and rescue scenarios using large open areas, real avalanche debris, and burying people under the snow surface in caves with no surface clues.
Helicopter Familiarization: We partner with Flight for Life in Frisco, CO, to acclimatize the dogs to flights for rapid deployment. We participate in a training every 6 weeks at the FFL hangar and organize avalanche deployment drills with other ski areas in Summit County.
Subaru Loves Pets
Copper Mountain Ski Patrol is proud to partner with Subaru through the Subaru Loves Pets initiative in support of our Avalanche Dog Program. Subaru’s commitment plays a vital role in helping our teams train, grow, and operate at the highest professional level. Their support allows us to offset travel and instructor costs, invest in essential K9 gear such as harnesses, leashes, medical supplies, and food, and provide ongoing care that keeps our dogs healthy and mission-ready.
This partnership has made it possible to expand our training opportunities, including bringing experienced avalanche dog instructors from Utah and Canada to work directly with our teams. Subaru’s involvement also helps support local and regional training, certification preparation, and the tools needed to build realistic training scenarios on the mountain. From our dedicated patrol Subaru featuring Avalanche Dog Lillie to behind-the-scenes program support, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to community, canine welfare, and mountain safety — values that align closely with the pride we take in our patrol and the work we do every day.