Alaska avalanche missing dog LouLou found alive after 50 hours with AirTag help

In a dramatic turn of events, LouLou, a four-year-old poodle-husky mix, vanished amidst an avalanche in Chugach State Park. Following the injury of two climbers, dedicated volunteers launched a concerted effort to locate her. An Apple AirTag initially misled rescuers, but perseverance paid off. Eventually, volunteers found LouLou and rescued her with only minor injuries.

Padawer was shocked and emotional when she received a photograph of her rescued dog.

A five-year-old poodle-husky mix named LouLou was rescued after surviving more than 50 hours alone in Alaska’s freezing wilderness following an avalanche that seriously injured the two mountaineers accompanying her. Volunteer helicopter pilots eventually spotted the dog standing in the snow in Chugach State Park, bringing an end to a desperate search that continued for more than two days. A video of her rescue has surfaced on the internet showing the exact moments when she was found wandering in snow.A pet dog missing for more than two days after an avalanche in Alaska was spotted by rescuers from a helicopter. LouLou, a 4-year-old huskydoodle, was found alive in the snowy wilderness and flown to safety. Two hikers were injured in the avalanche. https://t.co/bUsejxlSs8— AccuWeather (@accuweather) October 16, 2026 LouLou was hiking with two experienced mountaineers near Pepper Peak on Saturday, October 10, when an avalanche swept the men approximately 500 feet down a mountain ridge. Both survived but suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. LouLou, however, went missing in the snow-covered terrain.Her owner, Lauren Padawer, was travelling overseas when she learnt about the accident. Unable to join the search herself, she turned to social media for help, coordinating a rescue operation involving more than 20 volunteers, including hikers, helicopter pilots, drone operators and a scent-detection dog, according to People.AirTag Provides Crucial Tag An Apple AirTag attached to LouLou provided a crucial lead, but its initial location estimate was nearly half a mile away from where she was eventually found. The rugged terrain and harsh weather conditions further complicated the search, forcing some volunteers to turn back before reaching the avalanche site. After more than two days of searching, volunteer helicopter pilots Amanda Barker and Dave Beckett narrowed down the search area and spotted LouLou standing in the snow.A video of the rescue, credited to Barker, captures the emotional moment she calls out the dog's name. LouLou responds with a bark as Barker laughs with relief and calls out, “Let's go. LouLou, let's go for a ride. Come on, LouLou. Good girl.” The helicopter landed, allowing rescuers to approach LouLou on foot before taking her to safety.New Apple AirTags Launched: 5 Key Things You Need To Know Before You BuyLouLou's Owner Gets Emotional After Seeing Rescue Photo Thousands of miles away, Padawer received a photograph of her dog standing upright and watching the helicopter that had located her. “I just burst into tears,” Padawer told Alaska’s News Source, describing her reaction to learning that LouLou had been found alive.A veterinary examination revealed that LouLou had lost a canine tooth and fractured a toe. However, she was otherwise healthy despite spending more than two days exposed to the harsh Alaskan conditions.The rescue brought relief to Padawer and the volunteers who had joined the search. Reflecting on her dog's unexpected adventure, the owner joked that LouLou might not have been entirely unhappy with her time in the mountains.