Fitty Shrimp on the Trail: Suta: Scandinavian Sled Dog Turned PCT Hiker

This hike has taken a strange twist at mile 456 of the Pacific Crest Trail, but I think it's all for the good. It seems an unusual weather pattern has set up in the southwestern United States, and much of the region is experiencing high temperatures well above normal. As difficult as it's been to make forward progress with temperatures in the 90's, I was dreading any hiking when it's 110F. So a suggestion to a few PCT mates about a side trip to the beach gained steam, and now I'm in the beautiful ocean side town of Carpinteria, CA for a few days off the hot and dusty trail. For me, this has never been a quest to blister my way from Mexico to Canada; it's more about the experiences and forging new friendships. I think it's working.

I've hiked a couple times with a couple from Austria, Hendrik and Valerie. They passed me on my day 2 of the hike with their dog, and I thought I might not see them again since they were much faster than me. But the rigors of the trail can be a great equalizer, especially when a pet is involved. The dog's name is Suta, and she is said to be an Alaskan Husky, but much more of a mixed breed. I caught up to them around mile 370 in the town of Wrightwood. Suta was limping, and they were getting a ride from a trail angel to see the vet. It turns out she had a blister on her paw, but nothing more serious. A few days off the trail and she was ready to get back at it, as were Hendrik and Valerie.

Suta, the amazing trail dog!

But the story of Suta intrigued me more and more as nuggets about her history were shared by other hikers who had spent more time with them. Suta is nine years old, and I would have guessed she is much younger. Hendrik rescued her when he was working as a guide near a dog sled camp at the border of Sweden and Finland when she was three years old. Suta was part of a sled race team in her youth. Apparently, her original owner worked her very hard, and she eventually became lethargic and unresponsive to commands, and she often shivered and displayed symptoms of hypothermia. She was given to a second owner, also a sled dog owner, who discovered that she had developed problems with her thyroid that probably contributed to her lethargy and ineffectiveness as a race dog.

This is tough to hear, but a Scandinavian sled dog that can no long race is an expensive burden and liability to a sled dog racer who is competing for cash prizes. The decision was made to put Suta down. Her owner took Suta into the woods, but was unable to pull the trigger. When they returned to camp, Hendrik heard about the situation and suggested that he might be interested in adopting her, much to the delight of Suta’s owner.

Hendrik was unsure and bought some time to think about it. When he went home that evening, he did an internet search to see if he could find out the meaning behind Suta’s name. What he discovered was an acronym: Stand Up Take Action. This was the sign he was looking for, and the decision would be final. Suta and Hendrik would be partners.

Initially, Suta had many health issues as well as problems adapting to social environments with people and other dogs. She was put on medication for her thyroid problem, which she still takes even now. At that time, Hendrik lived in the city of Cologne, Germany, so it took some time for Suta to get over her fear of city life.

Hiking at daybreak does make for great photo opportunities.

Just when things were finally looking up for Suta, her fortunes took a turn for the worse. She was struck by a car and had no movement in her hind legs. The vet diagnosed her with a probable crushed spine and recommended that she be euthanized. But something told Hendrik to seek a second opinion. Then it was discovered that her spine was actually intact, but that her hip was crushed. She could undergo expensive medical procedures and lengthy rehabilitation with no promise that her condition would ever be normal. For Hendrik, the decision was easy. After all Suta had already been through, he would do everything possible to save his friend.

There were other setbacks, such as when Suta accidently pulled loose from her brace months too early, but miraculously, her hip healed. They moved from Germany to Austria near the Alps. Hendrik, an avid hiker, took her on short hikes to the mountains, and she took to it well. The hikes become longer. Eventually, three years ago, the pair completed an 800 mile thru-hike in Finland through some remote and rugged terrain.

Suta had no problems and seemed to have healed not only physically, but socially as well. Hendrik discovered a kind and gentle side to his friend. She has become a good trainer for other dogs in teaching them boundaries, and she is also effective with humans who have undergone traumatic stress in their lives.

The sliver of the moon dips over formations at Vasquez Rocks.

Bringing a dog on the Pacific Crest Trail creates a new set of logistical problems, but Suta has adapted well. On the very hot days, she consumes more water than her human comrades, so this adds extra weight to be carried. She has her own backpack and normally carries her own food, but when I hiked with them, she had just returned to the trail after her blister, so Hendrik was carrying her pack. She seemed to be happy with this setup and sometimes trotted far ahead of the pack until her friend’s whistle would remind her to fall back. Hendrik worried about how she would respond to the many rattlesnakes we encounter, but it has not been a problem. She walks between Hendrik and Valerie in the snake areas and has expressed no interest in them. Suta now has a trail name of her own, "Dirt Nap," because she likes to dig down to cooler soil to nap on.

When I last saw Hendrik, Valerie, and Suta, they were preparing to night hike out of Hiker Heaven in Agua Dulce, CA to avoid the heat. The next day, me and nine other hiker mates were on our way to the beach for the week to avoid the extreme heat. When I get back to the trail, I'm not sure if I'll catch up to them again, but I hope to see them!