Man Saves Dog After Ski Accident Above Park City

PARK CITY, Utah – A freak ski accident Saturday left a dog on the edge of life and death and his owner scrambling to save him.

Christian Schauf said he was skiing with friends from out of state on a mountain above Park City when one of the skiers fell and Barron, his Swiss Mountain Dog, ran back to check on her.

“The other guy came and didn’t see him and they just collided,” Schauf said.

The sharp edge of a ski cut into Barron.

“After about two or three steps, the blood started gushing,” Schauf said. “That’s when I knew we had kind of a problem.”

Barron was losing blood quickly and was in dire need of life-saving medical attention.

Schauf, the founder and CEO of Uncharted Supply Co., happened to have a small emergency kit his company produces that is designed to help people survive extreme and unforeseen circumstances in the wild.

“We used the duct tape, we used the zip ties, we used some gauze, we used a bunch of different stuff in here to slow the bleeding down,” Schauf said. “I kind of made a makeshift tourniquet out of duct tape and a stick.”

He wrapped the dog’s wound as best he could and placed him on his shoulders and started skiing down the mountain.

He got Barron to the vet just in time.

“They thought he probably had minutes before he was gone,” Schauf said.

Schauf wasn’t expecting one of his own kits to come in handy saving the life of man’s best friend.

“(I) never thought I’d use it on him, but that’s what worked,” Schauf said.

Schauf said what happened illustrates why it’s important for people to be ready and well-equipped heading out into the mountains and backcountry.

“It’s just good to be prepared, you know, just to have the stuff with you just in case,” Schauf said.