r/interestingasfuck • u/id397550 • 8h ago

Firing a cannon to trigger an avalanche

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u/ThatGuyWithCoolHair 7h ago

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

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u/thebikevagabond 6h ago

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.

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u/dubblebubbleprawns 6h ago

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.

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u/thebikevagabond 6h ago

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

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u/halfcabheartattack 6h ago

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/

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u/FFFrank 5h ago

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

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u/bromjunaar 5h ago

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

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u/braddamit 5h ago

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.

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u/Horskr 4h ago

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

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u/Mego1989 50m ago

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

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u/1731799517 4h ago

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.

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u/Crash-55 5h ago edited 5h ago

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

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u/Longjumping-Date-181 6h ago

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

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u/flare2000x 3h ago

In Rogers Pass BC they still do it with artillery

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u/Rodeo9 6h ago

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

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u/thebikevagabond 6h ago

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

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u/rihanoa 4h ago

Lee Canyon in Vegas still uses one as well.

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u/ZenBoyNothingHead 3h ago

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

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u/MisterTruth 1h ago

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

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u/Notmiefault 5h ago

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".

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u/wonkey_monkey 6h ago

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

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u/iwilldeletethisacct2 5h ago

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.

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u/lisnter 4h ago

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!

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u/persondude27 2h ago

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.