Stroll up the Spring Creek trail, and as soon as you leave the parking lot, you’ll find a shrine to some of Steamboat’s top tail-waggers. The shrine sits atop a stump to the left, with a plaque reading, “In memory of our trail dogs. They make our lives complete.” Hammered into the stump surrounding the plaque are metal dog tags in the shape of bones, hearts, and more, commemorating some of Steamboat’s lost canine companions. Dogs honored on the shrine (so far) include Tupelo, Piper, Rainier, Charlie, Lula Belle, Penny Land, Roger, KiyAnn, Stella Blue, and The Chunk (2008-2021), with the earliest date of passing belonging to Petex (2003-2013).
