Two dogs fall 200-feet on Petersburg Mountain

PETERSBURG - Five hikers and 7 dogs were taking a Father's Day hike up Petersburg Mountain last Sunday when atop the summit, two dogs playing together fell over an obscured ledge, dropping over 200-feet onto a rock and snow-covered bench on the backside of the mountain. One dog survived the fall with severe lacerations and the second dog died two hours later while enroute back down the mountain.

Ola and Brian Richard's dog Roxy suffered deep puncture wounds in her pelvic area. She suffered from severe impacts to her head and neck that left a dent in the thick metal I.D. tag riveted to her collar.

Emma, a black pit-bull mix, owned by Beth Loesch, survived the fall but died two hours later, from internal injuries, as she was being carried back down the mountain.

Richards said the drop-off is obscured by alpine shrubs and brush, some of which, actually hangs over the edge of the

cliff.

Richards said Roxy found her way back up to the group but Kaitlin DuRoss and Ben Muir had to descend the mountain edge to find Emma.

The group headed back down the mountain at about 1:50 p.m. after bandaging Roxy's wounds with clothing, including socks and some underwear.

At about 2:38 p.m. Richards reported that Emma seemed OK and was lying down during a rest break. By 4 p.m. the 3-year old dog died.

Richards said Ben and Kaitlin carried Emma 90% of the way down the mountain - no small feat since she weighed nearly 80 pounds. Richards carried her 50-pound dog the last 20 minutes of the 5-hour trek down the mountain.

Richards called her husband Brian to contact Waterways Veterinary Clinic to provide medical care for their dog, once they reached Petersburg.

Richards and Loesch

both said this was an accident and don't blame anyone for the incident, but wondered if signs should be placed along the ridgeline, warning hikers of the sheer drop-offs that aren't readily visible from atop the summit.

Editor's Note: This story involves two Wrangell Sentinel employees, Ola Richards and Ben Muir and the publisher's daughter Beth Loesch.