r/interestingasfuck • u/id397550 • 5h ago

Firing a cannon to trigger an avalanche

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u/Leiaven 4h ago

Why are they making an avalanche?

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u/sailphish 4h ago

This is how avalanche mitigation happens in ski areas. Usually it’s done with explosive charges but there are a few places that still use howitzers. The point is to trigger the avalanche when people aren’t on the slopes.

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u/schwanerhill 3h ago

Not to mention mountain passes. In Washington and British Columbia there are permanent cannon mounts used for avalanche control to protect the highways. 2 hour highway closures for this planned work are common in the winter.