Two courageous college students, Bobby White and Josh Trujillo, were enjoying backcountry skiing at Berthoud Pass in Colorado when they witnessed a sudden snow cloud, indicating an avalanche.
Rushing to the avalanche site, they encountered a group of people who confirmed everyone’s safety but mentioned a dog, Apollo, belonging to Scott Shepherd, was missing and buried in the debris.
Apollo, a 2-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever, had accidentally triggered the avalanche while running on a steep slope, disappearing under the snow after being swept over a cliff and through trees.
Scott described witnessing Apollo’s sudden disappearance: “He started moving, and he just looked confused like, ‘Why am I sliding down the hill?’ And then he was just gone.”
Unable to locate Apollo, Scott was relieved to find Josh and Bobby, who immediately began their search equipped with avalanche beacons and long probe poles.
Despite the slim chances of survival after prolonged burial in snow, the students persisted in their search.
Bobby expressed doubts about finding Apollo alive, but their perseverance paid off when they spotted the dog’s nose protruding from the snow just two minutes later.
With heartfelt excitement, they dug Apollo out, finding him uninjured except for a slight limp. Scott expressed immense gratitude, acknowledging the students’ pivotal role in saving Apollo’s life.
Following a vet check-up, Apollo returned to normal, receiving abundant love and care from Scott.
Reflecting on the incident, Scott took full responsibility for veering off-course and endangering Apollo, emphasizing the sobering realization of how a minor mistake could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Both Josh and Bobby highlighted their intent to educate themselves further on avalanche safety and to avoid risky situations, reaffirming their decision to steer clear of dangerous areas, particularly on crowded days, and to refrain from bringing dogs into backcountry skiing adventures.
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