Avalanche blasting means good things for snow sports

KELLOGG — Residents in the greater Kellogg area may have heard, and even felt, some consistent booms during the morning hours this past weekend. There is no cause to be alarmed though — it’s just Silver Mountain doing routine avalanche control blasting.

Avalanche control blasting is a common practice by mountain authorities where they deliberately trigger small, controlled avalanches when no one is on the slope.

They do this by digging pits to examine the layers of snow, or by using radar, and then starting an avalanche with explosives.

The blasting is a vital part of operating a ski hill such as Silver Mountain and requires expertise in both snow and explosives, making being a part of Silver Mountain’s ski patrol team an exciting and important part of the skiing, snowboarding, and even tubing experience.

Silver Mountain Marketing Manager Gus Colburn explained the process so anyone unfamiliar with the concept can put their minds at ease when hearing or feeling these potentially startling explosions.

“Our ski patrol arrives before dawn to make sure the mountain is ready for the skiing public that will arrive later in the morning,” Colburn explained. "One aspect of this is our explosives program that most mornings can be heard in Kellogg. Our trained ski patrol staff discharges explosives in the snow in steeper areas of the mountain or areas that feature wind-loaded drifts.”

Ninety percent of avalanches occur on slopes with angles between 30 and 45 degrees.

Steeper slopes tend to continually slough snow, keeping a deep snowpack from building up while the snowpack on flatter slopes requires more force to move.

Avalanche risk is at its greatest 24 hours following a snowfall of 12 inches or more, which is a good sign for powder hounds.

“When you hear bombs going off in the morning, that may be a sign to grab your skis and prepare for a powder day,” Colburn said.