The formerly hike to backcountry terrain of The Steep Gullies were added to A-Basin’s trail map in 2017-2018 with lift service added 2018-2019. They are rocky, they are tricky, they are really really steep. As A-Basin likes to say “The Steep Gullies are uncompromising, unapologetic, and unlike anything else you’d see within a rope line.”
This posed a interesting problem for the Colorado resort when it came to avalanche mitigation operations and their solution is quite brilliant. It was nearly impossible to do avalanche mitigation by hand (ski up, manually toss explosive) in such remote, tight chutes so their mountain operations team designed a one-of-a-kind explosive delivery system.
The free-standing systems uses a network of cables suspended over the 8 Gullies that are used much like an old school clothesline you’d see suspended between two buildings in New York City 100 years ago. Patrollers simple load the line with ordinance, lower the line down to a desired area and the concussive blast releases any snow build up…bing, bang, BOOM.
Cheers to the folks who dreamed up this incredible solution and to the Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol who uses it to keep us safe.
