Since the beginning of time, humans have known that the best hiking companions walk on four legs. However, much more recently in human history, we discovered that dogs still follow us around if we put skis on. Taking your canine for a backcountry ski or snowboard jaunt can be great fun if you know what you’re doing.
The first thing to consider when skiing with your dog is how to keep your dog comfortable. First, research your breed’s tolerance to cold. You may not want to be making a ski descent of a fourteener with a pit-bull, but a Malamute, for example, will probably be fine. Consider outfitting dogs with shorter coats with booties and a coat to help them retain heat.
You will also want to feed your dog higher-calorie food when they’re in the cold for an extended period of time. Huskies on the Iditarod, for example, eat as many calories per day as some professional human athletes. Bring snacks and water, and have your dog carry them. If your pooch is whimpering, they’re probably too cold. Remember that dogs have to run down and can’t do sweet backflips, so areas with extreme terrain that your dog can’t easily find its way around should not be an option.
Traveling with a dog in the winter backcountry requires extra avalanche awareness. Dogs can and have triggered avalanches in the past. The bigger the dog, the more likely it is to trigger an avalanche. Keep your dog away from high-risk avalanche areas. If you’re venturing into slide-prone terrain, you might want to invest in a dog beacon, which allows you to find your dog in the event of an avalanche burial. For your dog beacon to work, you will need a compatible transceiver, as it transmits on a different frequency than most beacons.
If you want to go on an extended winter trip with your dog, I recommend taking him or her to a hut. The 10th Mountain Division Hut association, which is the most popular hut system in Colorado, doesn’t allow dogs, but other hut systems do, such as San Juan Hut Systems. Make sure your dog is well behaved, and make sure to shovel any waste your dog makes near the hut, as most huts boil snow around the hut for water. Lastly, clean up thoroughly before leaving.
Taking your dog for a winter ski or snowshoe jaunt can be fun for man and beast alike. A wagging tail is a great addition to almost any endeavor, and few things are quite as endearing as a dog tearing down a slope in pursuit of its owner. Ski tracks and paw prints are meant to be side by side. Skiing should be shared with friends, especially our best friends.