Dog rescued after falling 60 feet off cliff at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in U.P.
Jakkar AimeryA rope rescue team saved a dog Thursday that fell from a cliff at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore after crews spotted her on a ledge near the Lake Superior shoreline.
Dancer broke free of her leash Wednesday evening and fell 60 feet near Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks, about 54 miles east of Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Pictured Rocks officials said in a social media post.
Dancer's owners, residents of Minnesota, searched the area for hours, but were not able to find their four-legged companion in the dark. They were convinced she had not survived the fall.
Pictured Rocks Park rangers received notification of the lost dog and enlisted a local rope rescue team, Superior High Angle Rescue Professionals (SHARP), to recover the her from the "treacherous section" of the Lake Superior shoreline, park officials said.
SHARP members Erik Olsen, Westley Shaffer and Tyler Davis returned to the area the early Thursday and found an "excited" yet cold Dancer, park officials said.
Described as a "professional troublemaker," Dancer was reunited with her family and was recovering well, park officials said.
"With this year’s mild start to winter, many areas of Pictured Rocks are more accessible than they are most years," Joe Hughes, chief ranger, said in a statement. "It is still important to remember to be prepared for slippery, cold conditions that can change quickly."
jaimery@detroitnews.com