BEAVER CREEK - The ski patrol was burying Ashley Atkinson alive.

They burrowed into some hardpacked snow on Beaver Creek Mountain and hollowed out a little cave. Atkinson's eyes widened as she crawled into her tomb.

"I hope I'm not claustrophobic," she said.

Ski patrollers Brent Redden and Brendan Finneran sealed the hole with big chunks of snow and covered the top with powder. They smoothed out track marks and then walked away, leaving Atkinson alone and buried in the snow.

"It won't take Dixie long to find her," Redden said.

Dixie is a golden field Labrador, and she's also a well-trained avalanche and rescue dog for Beaver Creek. The ski patrol was showing a group of 4-H students how it trains dogs for life-and-death situations.

About 50 yards away, Finneran let Dixie loose. She moved across the hill with her nose close to the ground. She thought she has something - but no, she kept going. Less than a minute later, she picked up the scent and pounced on the snow above Atkinson. The pouncing turned into frenzied, overjoyed digging.

After climbing out, Atkinson said it was actually warm and cozy in her cave, but she was glad that Dixie picked up her scent. Meanwhile, Dixie played tug-of- war with Finneran over a glove, a game she sees as a reward.

"We all smell more than we think," Redden said.

The best avalanche dogs must have a natural drive to find things, Redden told the 4-H students.

It starts with playing fetch - they must desire to find that ball again and again. Then you teach them to play hide and seek - they must instinctively want to find you.