Big Sky, Montana – Pictures and videos have emerged from yesterday’s destructive avalanche mitigation operation at Big Sky Ski Resort in Montana. Big Sky reports the avalanche was intentionally triggered before the mountain opened around 8:30am using explosives as part of routine mitigation work.
The avalanche was triggered in the Bone Crusher area and slid into the top terminal of the Swift Current 6 Chairlift, partially burying the shack and breaking through a wall of the building. Per safety protocol, the lift was not running at the time. As evidenced by these videos, many of the 6-seat chairs were hit by the debris leaving quite a mess.
Ski patrol verified no one was buried or injured by the slide but seven resort employees were riding on the chairlift at the time of the slide and required a rope evacuation.
“This morning’s events reinforce why we conduct thorough avalanche mitigation work before opening to the public. Our ski patrol and mountain operations teams executed their safety protocols while managing the situation professionally and efficiently.” -Tom Marshall, Big Sky GM
The Bone Crusher area had experienced significant wind loading after a night of wind averaging 65 mph on the summit of Lone Mountain. The Swift Current 6 remains closed at this time as they dig out and conduct a lift safety evaluation before opening back up to the public. Big Sky has outlined alternate routes for guests who want to access terrain usually service by it.
As bad as this may look, ski resort avalanche mitigation efforts are designed to triggered avalanches under controlled conditions to ensure the safety of guests by reducing the risk of unexpected slides. Overnight wind created an unsafe section of the mountain and folks at Big Sky addressed it straight away. Equipment can be fixed and is a small price to pay to keep your guests safe.
About Swift Current 6:
Completed 2021. Replacing the Swift Current high-speed quad, Swift Current 6 increases uphill capacity out of the Mountain Village base area by up to 50%. On the hill, the 90-degree unload will exit skiers toward the bowl on Jay Walk, creating a smoother skier flow.
- Operates at 6 meters/second, the fastest chairlift speed in North America
- Ergonomic heated seats with individual headrests & footrests
- Weatherproof Big Sky Blue bubbles
- Auto-locking safety bars
- Doppelmayr Direct Drive technology runs the chairlift quietly and efficiently
Here’s is a behind-the-scenes look at the early mornings with Big Sky Ski Patrol including avalanche mitigation operations.
images from Alt skipatrol V4
