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2025 Archive Index - All Editions

Colorado to double avalanche blasters for highway safety

Colorado transportation officials plan to nearly double the number of remotely controlled avalanche blasters installed on mountain ridges above highways, a project estimated to cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars to prevent potentially catastrophic snow slides. CDOT officials are lining up dollars — “tens of millions in capital investments, followed by 5% to 10% of that each year for maintenance.” Agency officials declined to provide a more specific price tag for the project. Federal officials still must sign off on installing the 50 additional blasters.

They’ve settled on a strategy of firing these blasters at night to trigger slides as part of efforts to keep roads across the western half of the state safe and open for trucks, tourists and residents of growing communities. Bolted and cemented into delicate tundra at elevations up to 12,600 feet, some of these mechanisms ignite propane, oxygen and hydrogen gas in concussive blasts, while others dangle explosives from 30-foot metal towers over slide paths. The Colorado Department of Transportation has been firing 54 blasters about 200 times a year to pre-empt natural avalanches. An updated state inventory shows highways, including Interstate 70, running through more than 500 avalanche paths. The remotely detonated night blasts add to another 400 blasts conducted during the daytime by CDOT crews firing 70-year-old Army howitzer artillery cannons into snow-laden mountainsides, dropping bombs from helicopters and deploying teams of skiers who carry explosives in backpacks.
More ... (Union-Bulletin)

Sonamarg Tunnel to eliminate avalanche problems

Srinagar Jan 11 (KNS): Avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir have long disrupted daily life, blocking roads, isolating communities, and hindering the movement of residents, army personnel, and tourists. For instance, in February 2005, a series of avalanches led to widespread devastation, severely impacting local economies and security operations. Developed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), this remarkable engineering feat ensures year-round connectivity by bypassing routes historically prone to avalanches and heavy snowfall.

The Sonamarg Tunnel (earlier known as Z-Morh Tunnel), a progressive infrastructure project in Jammu and Kashmir with a total cost of ?2,717 crore, is redefining regional connectivity and economic advancement. Stretching up to 12 km this two-lane bi-directional tunnel creates a vital connection between Gagangir and Sonamarg, ensuring all-weather and safe connectivity. Prime Minister Modi, will formally dedicate the tunnel to the nation on Monday, 13th January 2025.
More ... (Kashmir News Service)

Avalanche Tragedies and Warnings in the French Alps

The French Alps have experienced a series of avalanches this weekend, highlighting the critical risks of off-piste skiing and the necessity of strict safety precautions. Authorities have emphasized the importance of vigilance as avalanche danger remains high across several regions. On Sunday, January 12, two Estonian skiers lost their lives in an avalanche while skiing off-piste in Val d’Isère, Savoie. In the Hautes-Alpes, the Briançon High Mountain Gendarmerie (PGHM) reported four major avalanches in the northern sector on Saturday, all fortunately without fatalities.

Two ski tourers narrowly escaped disaster on Sunday while ascending the Grand Fourchon peak near Valmeinier in Savoie. The pair, using splitboards, found themselves surrounded by avalanches as the snowpack cracked beneath them. Alerted around 9 a.m., Rescuers from the PGHM Modane quickly arrived by helicopter and successfully evacuated the two men unharmed.

More from this article as well as at least one other concerning the fatal incident are in the avalanche-center.org database now. The original PisteHors article has more information on other incidents and the general situation which we have not archived. Including a photo of an avalanche other than the fatal one which does not look like a very nice ride.
More ... (PisteHors)