Missing Huskydoodle Rescued 50 Hours After Alaska Avalanche
Few things are more frightening than knowing your dog is missing somewhere you can’t reach, especially when that somewhere is a snow-covered Alaskan mountainside. For LouLou’s family, what began as an outdoor adventure turned into more than two days of searching, worrying, and hoping a very familiar white face would finally appear.
LouLou, a huskydoodle, was hiking with her dad, Brian, and another experienced mountaineer near Eklutna Lake in Alaska’s Chugach State Park on Oct. 10 when an avalanche swept the men down the mountainside. Both were seriously injured and rescued, but LouLou had vanished into the snowy wilderness.s.
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An AirTag, a Helicopter and One Very Determined Search Team
Brian’s partner, Lauren Padawer, was out of town when she learned what had happened. She immediately began organizing volunteers, contacting rescue groups, and coordinating efforts to find LouLou.
LouLou was wearing an Apple AirTag, but finding her wasn’t as simple as following a dot on a map. Rugged terrain, shifting weather and unreliable location signals made the search difficult, especially with her white coat blending into the snow.
More than 50 hours after the avalanche, rescuers Amanda Barker and Dave Beckett received another promising signal and headed out by helicopter. After spotting LouLou on the mountainside, they landed nearby and trekked through deep snow to reach her.
Related: Pet Parent Attempts to Stay Active Every Day, but This Husky Has Other Plans, and It’s Hilarious
The Moment LouLou Finally Heard Her Name
sergey kolesnikov / Shutterstock.com
The rescue footage captures the moment Barker calls LouLou’s name across the snow. The little dog answers with several unmistakable barks, as though she has quite a few things to say about the previous two days.
Getting her safely aboard the helicopter took patience, but LouLou eventually made it home. Considering everything she’d survived, that helicopter ride must have been a welcome change of transportation.
Fortunately, LouLou survived with a broken toe and a damaged canine tooth and was otherwise recovering well at home. Her family credited the volunteers, helicopter pilots, and rescuers who refused to give up after more than 50 hours of searching.
And judging by those barks, LouLou had been waiting a long time to answer.
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This story was originally published by Paw Nation on Oct 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paw Nation as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: Nature