They are allowed. In the early days they weren't but one day Bill who worked here was driving to Grand Junction and in a blizzard found a young female sheep dog lying on the side of I-70. He collected her up and took her to the Humane Society. Two weeks later he swung through to see if anybody had claimed ownership. No one had and Yeti was scheduled for a long sleep the following day. Bill, despite our “No Pets” policy adopted her and headed back to Base Camp. It was raining hard that Wednesday night in Feb 2008 and as Bill climbed the east side of Hurrah Pass in the Ford 350, he hit some mud and went off the cliff. When he awoke 35 feet down the side, Yeti was inside the cab standing on the inside of the roof, which was now the bottom of the upside down truck.

She found a way out through the cab back window that had shattered and came back later to get Bill who had been injured. Though Bill was able to see very little in the pitch black of a canyon lands night, he could make out an all white Yeti. In the darkness of no lights, all rain, Yeti, led a barely conscious Bill back to the road, up the pass, down the other side, and six miles to the lodge she had never been to.

In tribute to Yeti, who earlier in the day was saved from a dirt nap by Bill, and that evening returned the favor, we feel like dogs in particular, have earned the right to a fair hearing at Base Camp. So, don't let your dog screw up Bill and Yeti's near sacrifice.

Your dog will jump in the river, get muddy, try and get on the furniture, run through the lodge, want to chase the rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, and lizards, who have all become our friends. Keep them squared away, pick up after them, and keep an eye on them. There are lots of things in the canyon lands that wish to do them harm. I've seen an eagle trying to get off the ground with a large jackrabbit so your future owl droppings can quickly be a drive by for foxes and bobcats or a fly by for hawks, vultures, and eagles.