With thousands of visitors coming to the Yampa Valley for skiing and other winter adventures for Spring Break, the message of Powder the safety dog for Steamboat Resort is even more important this month.
Although the 165-pound female Saint Bernard recently turned 7 and is now “semi-retired,” Powder’s skier and rider safety and winter awareness messages remain key, said Powder’s owner Duncan Draper, a longtime supervisor with Steamboat Resort ski patrol.
Draper and Powder share “the big three” messages for ski resort recreationists. Always avoid people and objects downhill of you. Always stop where you can be seen, and look up the hill before you go.
Obeying all signs and closures at the ski resort also are important, Draper said.
“There are other parts to the skier safety code, but these are the main ones that our friends newer to the sport need the re-emphasis,” Draper said during a break in the ski patrol office underneath Thunderhead Lodge.
“When I moved here in 1985, the skier responsibility code was on every cup, every napkin, every plate and now it’s not as easy to find,” Draper said. “So, in our day of technological advances, we’ve had to look in different ways to get our message across.”
“She has been an integral part of our safety program and part of thousands of people’s lives who live and visit here,” Draper said. “The response to her on the mountain is unbelievable.”
Adrienne Saia Isaac, communications director at the National Ski Areas Association, said safety education dogs such as Powder as well as Parker the Snow Dog, the official mascot of Loveland Ski Area, play an important role in a fast-paced world of communications.
“Dogs get attention; they raise your social media engagement at pretty much any time of the season,” Isaac said. “Really what’s most valuable are the connections you make with the guests while they’re interacting with the dogs. That moment of attention that is invaluable because your safety message or tip has the potential to cut through the noise.”
Powder and her owner also visit Routt County preschool classes to emphasis winter safety tips in general. Always wear a coat, hat, gloves and snow boots and do not go outside in the cold winter and deep snow alone, Draper advises kids.
“We like going to see the little kids because it makes a difference to them,” Draper said.
The ski patrol supervisor can use his own dogs’ antics to tell a story of winter safety for small children. His wirehaired terrier recently went outside and jumped into the snow over his head and started barking from the snow hole.
Did Power run to the rescue of her small dog buddy? Nope, “not unless he’s got food on his collar,” Draper said with a big smile.
When it comes to food, Power eats about 15 pounds of dog food each week, so Draper is grateful for the safety dog’s food sponsor FirstMate through Elk River Pet and Ranch in Steamboat Springs.
Although Powder is semi-retired now, she still makes appearances on some Sunday mornings at the top station of Wild Blue Gondola for the early morning riders. Draper also enjoys responding to children who make special requests to see Powder.
“A lot of the little kids are completely overwhelmed,” Draper said. “Some of them have wanted to see Powder for years and just have never got the chance. I get beau coups of people who contact me about seeing Powder.”
The human and canine safety team encourages all visitors to review the mountain awareness and education safety tips online at Steamboat.com/Safety. The website includes information about: the 10-point Skier and Rider’s Responsibility Code; Chairlift Safety; Terrain Park Safety; Helmet Usage; Approved Snow Sliding Devices; Backcountry Access with 10 must-have items for backcountry travel; and Tree Well, Deep Snow and Snow Immersion Suffocation.
Powder is Draper’s fourth Saint Bernard including most recently Bear, who lived to age 9 and was a Steamboat Resort mascot. Before Bear, Little Dali was 145 pounds, and his first Saint Bernard named Dalilah topped out at 205 pounds.
Is Power pampered or spoiled?
“Totally, thousand percent,” Draper said. “Powder pretty much gets to do anything she wants to. She likes feeling special like we all do.”
Just ask Draper’s wife who gives up her side of the king-sized bed to Powder. The big dog is not a fan of crates or being away from Draper.
Powder’s canine cuteness attracts many out-of-town guests and visitors not engrained in the skiing world, “which those are the ones that we want to talk to anyway,” Draper said.
“She’s not trained for anything other than to wiggle and look cute, and to give me about two minutes to talk to people,” Draper said.
Powder’s safety dog messages are multiplied through her T-shirts, hats and stuffed dog likenesses for sale.
