A four-year-old huskydoodle named LouLou was found alive after spending more than fifty hours alone in the snowy Alaska wilderness following an avalanche that swept over the mountain where she was hiking with her owner and his friend, according to a New York Post report and other coverage circulating online.
The New York Post, an account with 4.2 million followers, posted the story on October 18, 2026, with the headline: “Dog miraculously found alive 2 days after being separated from owner in Alaska avalanche.” The post linked to a report describing how LouLou was hiking with her owner, Brian, and his friend in Chugach State Park in Anchorage when the avalanche struck near Eklutna Lake, separating the dog from the group. Brian and his hiking partner suffered injuries and were rescued and taken to a hospital without LouLou.
Lauren Padawer, LouLou’s other owner and Brian’s partner, said she was out of town when the incident happened, but quickly began organizing a search team to find the lost dog. According to the report, after fifty hours, two people involved in the search, Amanda Barker and Dave Beckett, went back out in a helicopter after receiving an AirTag ping with the dog’s location. Spotting the white dog standing in the snow in the distance, alive, they began making their way to her. They got out of the helicopter and climbed through the snow on their hands for twenty minutes to reach LouLou, who barked as they got closer.
The pair called her by name, trying to get her to come along with them, but she was hesitant at first. Eventually, they were able to leash the dog and slowly and carefully slid down the mountainside to get back to the helicopter. Padawer later wrote on Facebook: “To Dave, Amanda, Kathy, Barney, James, the ground search parties, the military pararescue personnel, and everyone who offered a hand: thank you.”
The story spread quickly across social media and news outlets. LiveNOW from FOX posted a video segment titled “Watch: Dog lost in Alaska avalanche miraculously found 2 days later,” noting that LouLou survived in the snowy Alaska wilderness for two days before volunteer searchers landed a helicopter and then hiked twenty minutes to where she was patiently waiting for them. The Times of India reported that the dog survived fifty hours alone in Alaska’s snowy wilderness after the avalanche swept away the two mountaineers she was accompanying, and that while both men survived with serious injuries, LouLou disappeared into the snow. Another widely shared post credited an Apple AirTag with helping locate the dog, and reported that Padawer was shocked and emotional when she received a photograph of her rescued dog.
One post, titled “Huskydoodle Found Two Days After a Colorado Avalanche That Swept Away Her Dad,” described how on October 10, a dog was found alive with only minor injuries two days after an avalanche swept over the Colorado mountain where she and two people were hiking. The post identified LouLou as a four-year-old huskydoodle at Chugach State Park with the hikers, who were both described as experienced mountaineers. That post’s reference to a Colorado avalanche appears to conflict with other coverage placing the incident in Alaska; the discrepancy has not been addressed in the posts reviewed.
The accounts carrying the story include the New York Post, LiveNOW from FOX, The Times of India, and several viral social media posts. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with users praising the volunteer search team, the use of the AirTag, and the dog’s survival against difficult odds. The story has been framed as a miraculous outcome amid a dangerous avalanche that injured two experienced mountaineers.
Next News Network could not independently verify the claims circulating in these posts and reports.
Our Take
The story of LouLou is a welcome reminder that even in the harshest conditions, preparedness and community response can make the difference between life and death. The use of an Apple AirTag to help locate the dog is a testament to how simple technology, when paired with determined volunteers, can achieve remarkable results. The fact that Amanda Barker and Dave Beckett climbed through deep snow on their hands for twenty minutes to reach a frightened animal speaks volumes about the character of the people who answered the call. While the mainstream media often focuses on division and despair, stories like this show the American spirit of neighbor helping neighbor—even when the neighbor has four legs and a wagging tail. The outpouring of support online, from the New York Post to local outlets, demonstrates that good news still travels fast. We at Next News Network commend everyone involved in the search and rescue, and we are glad to see a story of hope amid the avalanche.
