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Show noteworthy size. In my opinion, the major natural slide from Rustler Face on March 30 might well have had disastrous results without our explosive program. A somewhat unforeseen benefit from the operation was its educational value to the public. Hundreds of skiers during the course of the winter saw this work going on, watched the results and received convincing proof of the value of safety regulations in an alpine ski area. The movies and photographs taken throughout the course of the project are available for further public education and study. A fitting termination to the project was the running of the first Rustler Cup race, a giant slalom set from the top of Rustler Mountain. The following tabulation summarizes the work done. More detailed information is available in the individual reports filed after each blast operation. NOTflS OH EXPLOSIVES OPERATIONS 1. The use of explosives is the only positive method of eliminating the hazard of delayed action avalanches. According to eyewitness reports from Alf Engen and James Laughlin during the 19^8 Winter Olympics, it is employed as a matter of course on the major Swiss ski areas. Our own operations at Alta prove that the hazard exists, that it is serious, and that explosives can take care of it. Like the Sv/iss, we did not attempt to make fine distinctions between degrees of hazard. When there was a definite possibility of danger, we blazed away and obtained a definite answer. 2. Hand-placed charges have the advantages mentioned in the report: maximum power and control. They also have serious disadvantages. Operations of this type are time-consuming, laborious, and hazardous to the operators. A number of areas in need of control at Alta are inaccessible. In some instances hand-set charges will always be best; but definitely the next step in the program is to begin the use of projectiles, the Swiss method. The following weapons are recommended: The 81 mm mortar, the 57 m m r e ~ coilless cannon and rocket projectors such as the bazooka. Mortars are the weapon employed by the Swiss but for several reasons, the other two appear more promising. Disadvantages of the 81 mm mortar are: (l) it requires a solid emplacement; (2) it is not readily portable; (3) accurate firing, especially in the mountains, is difficult for anyone but a mortar expert; and (k) the weapon does not have too good a crew safety record. Advantages of recoilless cannon and rocket projectors are: (l) they are readily portable; (2) no elaborate emplacement requii*ed; and (3) flat, high speed trajectory improves accuracy. 3. It is not sufficiently emphasized in the report that buried charges were much less effective than explosions on the surface. Snow is an excellent insulator and shock absorber. The two buried charges on Rustler Face produced only craters. With surface explosions we never failed to clean out all loose or unstable snow in the blast area. -78- |
