‘DAWG’ of the Month is ‘Raven the Rescuer’

By Brielle Rice

TNews Staffwriter

Turnagain News’ first ever Dog of the Month, Raven, is the lucky pup-in-training at Alyeska’s avalanche rescue team. Her owner is Ryan Hutchins-Cabibi, who is Alyeska’s assistant patrol director.

The energetic and playful British black lab was born at the Southern Oaks Kennel, Great Lakes. This bundle of energy has come really far; her training started with puppy classes in Anchorage, but now she is learning about how to locate survivors, and communicate with ski patrollers. 

“[Avalanche training] full time since August,” says Hutchins-Cabibi, in an interview with him (and Raven) last Wednesday. “What we are trying to do with Raven, and both of the avalanche dogs, is train them to find human scent buried under snow. It is really important here because Alyeska is considered a Class A resort in the avalanche world, and that means that most of our terrain is either avalanche terrain, it’s possible to avalanche, or is threatened from above.” 

Black Labrador ‘Raven’ (right) at work at Alyeska Resort with ski patrollers. (Photo by Brielle Rice)

In other words, Alyeska has incredibly high avalanche risk, which is why dogs like Raven are so important. It isn’t easy though, for her or for Hutchins-Cabibi. Raven’s work day is long, but well rewarded with her favorite treat: hot dogs.

Raven’s work day begins at seven in the morning, where she waits in the office until the ski patrol briefing is over. Then, at about nine, all of the ski patrollers do mountain set-up: avalanche control, ropes, and slow signs. Soon, Raven will be able to join the ski patrollers while they do this, perched on Hutchins-Cabibi’s shoulders. 

Currently, Hutchins-Cabibi returns at about eleven to take Raven on a snow-machine ride from the base of Chair 6 to the Tram. When they reach the Roundhouse, Hutchins-Cabibi (and many others) do dog drills and training with Raven. They shoot for about three drills a day. 

All of Raven’s hard work isn’t for nothing. When she takes her test in a year or a year and a half, she will join a long line of avalanche dogs that are keeping Girdwood and Alyeska safe. In the meantime, Hutchins-Cabibi says that “[Raven] likes to wrestle with our other dog, and she loves to chase balls.” 

Happy New Year to January’s Dog of the Month, Raven!