Dog Plays Fetch with Skiers in Leukerbad, Switzerland

Two skiers are crossing a snowy slope in Leukerbad, Switzerland, when a black-and-white dog trots up with a stick and a clear request: throw it. Ann Luttinger filmed the encounter and posted it on YouTube in March 2015, and the short clip quickly travelled far beyond the Alps.

The dog that stopped two skiers

The film is simple and that is its charm. The skiers are moving with purpose, poles in hand. The dog arrives with its stick and makes sure the strangers notice. The skiers pause, and for a few moments the outing belongs to the dog.

Anyone who has spent time with a dog recognises the routine: an object offered, eye contact, a hopeful wait. The skiers' good-humoured response is what turns an interruption into a moment worth filming.

Leukerbad, the Alpine village of hot springs

Leukerbad lies at 1,411 metres in the district of Leuk, in the Swiss canton of Valais, at the head of a high mountain valley. Only about 1,300 people live there year-round, but the village is one of the best-known spa resorts in the Alps.

Its fame comes from the water. Around 3.9 million litres of thermal water, at temperatures up to 51 °C, feed 22 thermal pools in the village. Bathing in steaming outdoor pools while snow covers the surrounding peaks is the classic Leukerbad experience in winter.

The village has a long visitor history. It was first mentioned in 1229, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited in 1779 and Mark Twain came in 1878.

Skiing at Torrent and the Gemmi Pass

Leukerbad has two mountain areas on opposite sides of the valley:

• Torrent: the ski area, reached by a cable car built in 1970–72 that climbs to the Rinderhütte at 2,313 metres. In winter it offers about 50 km of runs.
• Gemmi Pass: at 2,322 metres, the pass has linked Valais with the canton of Bern since the 5th century. A cable car, opened in 1957, lifts visitors to the top.

Planning a visit

The road into the valley climbs north from the town of Leuk in the Rhône valley, the main gateway to the resort. A winter trip pairs well: ski at Torrent in the morning, then spend the late afternoon in the thermal baths.

Keep dogs on a lead near pistes and lifts. A friendly animal on a busy run can surprise skiers moving at speed, so check the local rules before bringing a dog onto the slopes.

Related reading

• Zoofi the kitten watching snow
• Tandem Snowboarding Friends
• Dogs and Cats Encounter Snow: A Winter Video Compilation
• A Malamute and a Moose: Reading a Wildlife Encounter Carefully
• Savor Every Moment: Keith Hopkin’s Film About Dogs

Sources