Anchorage, Alaska – Two nights alone in the icy mountains, surrounded by snow and steep slopes: For a dog named LouLou, this mountain trip turned into a fight for survival.
On October 10, the Husky-poodle mix's two companions were caught in an avalanche in Chugach State Park, Alaska.
The men suffered – among other injuries – broken ribs, a fractured jaw and vertebra, and a severe hand injury.
Despite the storm and strong winds, military rescuers managed to airlift them to the hospital in a Black Hawk helicopter, but there was no sign of LouLou!
Lauren Padawer, the girlfriend of the injured climber Brian, learned about the accident while abroad, where she had been celebrating her father's 80th birthday.
She then organized a massive search effort on Facebook.
More than 20 volunteers set out on the first day, and helicopters and search dogs were also deployed.
AirTag leads the rescuers to LouLou!
A glimmer of hope: LouLou was wearing an Apple AirTag. However, its location data was initially inaccurate.
Lauren compared satellite images until she could narrow down the suspected position using a snowfield and distinctive rocks.
After about 50 hours, the relieving news arrived: Volunteers Dave Beckett and Amanda Barker spotted the snow‑white dog from their helicopter!
They landed nearby and walked around the area for roughly 20 minutes. LouLou sat almost motionless on the mountainside.
Only when Dave approached within a few feet did she bark and howl briefly. In the end, it turned out that LouLou was largely unharmed!
In an emotional Facebook post, Lauren thanked the many helpers. Her conclusion: technology connected everyone, but it was the people who brought LouLou home.