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Archive Index - All Editions

UDOT Advances Avalanche Mitigation on Mt. Superior

On July 8, 2024, the Utah Department of Transportation began the Mt. Superior Avalanche Mitigation Project. Sixteen new Wyssen Avalanche Towers will be installed on the Mount Superior ridgeline above SR-210. Closures in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) are expected to last until October.

Wyssen Avalanche Control manufactures the avalanche mitigation towers that will be installed in LCC. They describe these devices as “remote Avalanche Control Systems for preventative avalanche release.” These towers work by triggering avalanches using remote-controlled blasts. The UDOT Avalanche crew is responsible for the operation of the Wyssen towers. The use of Wyssen towers for avalanche mitigation is not new to Little Cottonwood. UDOT operates 13 Wyssen towers, quite a few of those are at Alta and Snowbird. They also operate 23 other individual rack placements called Gazex, which is a slightly different kind of system.
More ... (Daily Utah Chronicle)

Avalanche warnings after near misses in NZ

Backcountry users are being warned not to become complacent after three close calls with avalanches near ski fields over the weekend.

On Saturday, a skier escaped a human-triggered avalanche after becoming caught in its path in the Craigieburn Range near Porters ski area. In the Mackenzie district, a snowboarder triggered an avalanche that was 250 metres long and 50 metres wide near Fox Peak ski area. No one was injured. A comprehensive search involving specialist dogs and equipment was launched on Mount Ruapehu on Sunday after the Turoa ski patrol found signs of an avalanche outside the ski area. No one was found.
More ... (Otago Daily Times)

Beaver Creek, CO Introduces Four Avalanche Puppies

At Beaver Creek in Colorado, there are four new avalanche puppies being introduced to the working life of the resort. Bridger, Juniper, Honey, and Basil are all going to be much-loved--and much-needed--members of Ski Patrol at Beaver Creek. For the next two years, these pups will be training for C-RAD (Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment) validation with the help of their handlers and the Ski Patrol team. 
More ... (Powder)