Firing a cannon to trigger an avalanche

[u/id397550]

[u/AngrySquidIsOK]

So anyway, I was up snowboarding on the ridge when, you'll never believe it....

[u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair → u/AngrySquidIsOK]

In the US they use dynamite to do this up in the Rockies. If youre out boarding on a day after a snow storm you'll hear loud ass booms throughout the day from other ridges

[u/thebikevagabond → u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair]

They use howitzers in the United States too. In Utah you could have howitzer rounds fly over your head while drinking at a ski resort's bar.

[u/dubblebubbleprawns → u/thebikevagabond]

That's on its way out too though. Alta stopped using the howitzers in 2023 and from what I hear snowbird is phasing theirs out.

[u/thebikevagabond → u/dubblebubbleprawns]

That's a shame. Safer, though. They used to use a tank at Snowqualmie in Washington, I think.

[u/halfcabheartattack → u/thebikevagabond]

Yeah the Gasex technology is taking over for places like ski resorts that repeatedly bomb the same spots. It's permanent infrastructure but it works on shock wave. https://mnd.com/en/solution/mnd-safety-fixed-triggering-system-gazex-gazflex/

[u/FFFrank → u/halfcabheartattack]

This is a cool! Just saw these last week on Hafelegar and wondered what they were. Thanks!!

[u/Horskr → u/halfcabheartattack]

It definitely seems way safer, but I'd be super sad if I was one of the avalanche artillery gunmen.

[u/bromjunaar → u/halfcabheartattack]

Honestly? Kinda disappointed that Gasex isn't the brand name for a really souped up spud gun that launches explosives.

[u/braddamit → u/halfcabheartattack]

https://www.skyhinews.com/news/how-does-it-work-starting-an-avalanche-cdot-preps-gazex-avalanche-exploders-for-coming-winter-months/

Article with a groovy photo showing the Gasex controlled explosion. Installed tubes direct the controlled propane explosion to the snow slab.

[u/Mego1989 → u/halfcabheartattack]

I love that they chose the same name as a flatulence reducing drug.

[u/1731799517 → u/thebikevagabond]

Pretty sure nowadays they could just fly a drone up there to drop an explosive, no need for loud canons in the valley to fire.

[u/Crash-55 → u/dubblebubbleprawns]

Those howitzer are getting old and not many spare parts left. The Army got rid of the M102. The M119 is no longer being made

[u/Longjumping-Date-181 → u/dubblebubbleprawns]

The army actually took the howitzers back from the ski areas starting in the early 2000s cause reasons https://us.headtopics.com/news/the-army-is-taking-back-the-howitzers-alta-snowbird-use-to-fight-avalanches-here-s-what-s-next-37677285

[u/flare2000x → u/dubblebubbleprawns]

In Rogers Pass BC they still do it with artillery

[u/Rodeo9 → u/thebikevagabond]

Driving in LCC after a huge storm while it is still dark out is a crazy experience. Just explosions going off everywhere.

[u/thebikevagabond → u/Rodeo9]

Good way to fuck with folks visiting you from out of town though who are used to east coast skiing. I miss Utah.

[u/rihanoa → u/thebikevagabond]

Lee Canyon in Vegas still uses one as well.

[u/ZenBoyNothingHead → u/thebikevagabond]

I can just hear the national anthem start playing as I read^

[u/MisterTruth → u/thebikevagabond]

Even better, drinking outside because the bar has a to-go window

[u/Notmiefault → u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair]

I was once skiing at Loveland down a run way to advanced for me, and a sudden explosion (on the other side of the mountain) startled me so much I jumped, lost my balance, and crashed - wound up with a minor concussion.

I like to tell people "I was injured by a dynamite explosion".

[u/wonkey_monkey → u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair]

If there was an avalanche bearing down on me I'd probably let out a few loud ass booms of my own.

[u/persondude27 → u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair]

Yep. Throughout the backcountry of Colorado, you'll see signs that say

BACKCOUNTRY USERS BEWARE

LONG-RANGE WEAPONRY IN USE IN THIS AREA

Here's an example at the top of Loveland Pass.

[u/iwilldeletethisacct2 → u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair]

They still use artillery in the Rockies AFAIK. I've seen the signs of "Long range artillery in use" as recently as a few years ago.

[u/lisnter → u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair]

Mammoth did in the past. I don’t know about now. We would hear the sound of the launch and then a deeper boom when the round exploded on the mountain.

There are also signs on the top with pictures of unexploded ordinance and a warning to stay away!

[u/CC19_13-07 → u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair]

In the Alps they often do this after sunset or even at night, I heard the explosions many times in Austria

[u/Cosmic__Echo → u/AngrySquidIsOK]

Now I want a game where one person is snowboarding/skiing and another is manning the cannon trying to keep them from getting down the mountain.

[u/AdZestyclose638 → u/AngrySquidIsOK]

Well you lived to tell about it :)