OCR Text |
Show favorable factors: ideal skiing terrain and climate plus the essential addition of a large city within easy driving distance to assure it of financial support. Alta also had an avalanche problem as proved by newspaper and word-of-mouth accounts of past disasters. To transform this abandoned mining camp with a grisly history of death and damage by avalanche into a winter playground took careful planning. Mr. Koziol stated that recreational use of Alta was feasible under the supervision of competent snow observers armed with power to close any part or all of the area whenever dangerous conditions prevailed^ He also recommended an avalanche research project. Incidentally, a major avalanche cycle in February 193?. which buried the highway under eighteen different slides and damaged the public shelter, emphasized the need for close control of the area. The recommended program was set up, conforming to the best information available at that time from foreign sources. It has been in operation continuously from 1937 to the present and has undergone many changes in technique and procedure on the basis of experience. During 3 of the 10 years, the Alta studies were carried out by rangers on detail. During the other 7» professional ski mountaineers have been in charge; Sverre Engen for k years, and M. M. Atwater for the last 3» both employed by the Wasatch National Forest. II. THE AVALANCHE HAZARD Desirable alpine ski areas aro hazardous by definition. Exactly the same conditions of terrain and climate which produce the finest skiing also favor avalanches. It would seem that the danger is more important than the recreational benefit. This is, in fact, the case in some areas suggested to the Forest Service for development. But certain characteristics of the avalanche hazard make possible to use most areas which are otherwise suitable. Extreme danger prevails for short periods only, a small fraction of the winter season. The danger varies from one section and one exposure of the area to another, ranging from practical absence of hazard on upward. Jn % well-chosen, properly planned area the avalanche hazard call be controlled by both active and passive methods. The most, important passive: protective method is closure of dangerous locations, some permanently, most for short periods only. Skiers themselves have an active part in controlling avalanches. Practically every slope in use at Alta is a former slide path stabilized most of the time now by constant skiing. Carried one step further, this principle becomes useful to the experienced snow ranger when skiing doubtful slopes ahead of the public and releasing minor areas of unstable snow. The final stage of active protection is the use of explosives on larger and more dangerous slopes to release major type avalanches at times chosen by man instead of the gods of the mountain. |