Name: Powder
Age: 9 (63 dog)
Breed: St. Bernard
Nicknames: Powpow, Chowder Head, Snaffaluffagus
Favorite Foods: Bacon, Tillamook Cheese, Cheesy Puffs
While you might find plenty of powder on the mountain, hit Steamboat on the right day and you might also bump into Powder the dog. And you’ll know it when you do. Powder is a 165-lb. Saint Bernard and the resort’s official safety mascot who helps owner and ski patrol supervisor Duncan Draper spread the word about skier safety. Often seen with a red harness, she starts her morning by visiting Greenhorn Ranch, then visiting the birdfeeder, and then putting a paw in the door for Draper to talk to guests about skier safety. “She’s semi-retired these days, but still comes up on special days like Christmas and her birthday, which is Jan. 7,” says Draper, adding she’ll likely get 20 or so days in this season. “But after a couple hours she’s ready to lay down and nap.” Want to find her? Call ski patrol or swing in their headquarters to see if she’s around. “If we can make some youngster happy with a visit, we will,” says Draper. If you can’t find her on the mountain, she’s also somewhat of a YouTube sensation (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZgnysTrrMg).
St. Bernard Beta: The iconic barrel on a Saint Bernard’s neck dates back to when they were used as guides on a 80-km mountain road called Great Saint Bernard Pass between Switzerland and Italy. The San Bernardo dogs were raised in a monastery on this route that served as a shelter for travelers, with monks soon using them as rescue dogs. While never part of the official equipment used for rescue work, the wooden barrels contained brandy to warm up weary travelers. The barrels gained more fame from British artist Edwin Lardseer’s 1820 “Alpine Mastiffs Resuscitating a Traveler in Distress” painting, portraying two Saint Bernards rescuing someone, one with a barrel hanging from his neck. Lore says the painting honors Berry, a San Bernardo who rescued 40 people.
