Avalanche control technicians worked to mitigate the risk of an avalanche on the Jack McDonald snowshed east of Revelstoke, Jan. 23, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Ministry of Transportation
January 28, 2022 - 9:00 PM
Avalanche control technicians worked on the Jack McDonald snowshed on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Revelstoke earlier this month.
With technicians monitoring weather conditions and ongoing avalanche risks, the Ministry of Transportation provided an update for how the province mitigates the risk of an avalanche while highways are closed.
There are nearly 1,400 avalanche paths within B.C. where technicians monitor the snow and weather conditions to determine where the risk of an avalanche is, according to the ministry's website.
If the risk of an avalanche is considered high, the roadway is closed, and a control mission will begin, which could include artificially triggering an avalanche with explosives deployed from a helicopter or using remote control devices.
Avalanche catchment area alongside Highway 3 at Kootenay Pass (east side of the pass, North Fork avalanche area).
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Ministry of Transportation
When an avalanche is artificially triggered, catchment areas, ditches, benches, dams, and walls are used to keep debris off the road.
Catchment areas are nothing new to the province, as new ones are made every year, by digging into the mountain slope to create an open space that can catch debris.
The ditches, benches, dams, and walls are similar to the catchment areas where the mountain slope is altered but is dependent on the area, the type of snow, and the type of traffic the area experiences.
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Ditches are often used in out-of-the-way areas and require an excavator to clear, making clean-up quicker.
The ministry describes benches as flat landing areas that are dug high into the slopes that are helpful in cleaning debris from smaller avalanche areas.
A large avalanche landing on the Lanark Snowshed on Highway 1.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Ministry of Transportation
Dams and Walls can vary in size and run along with the highway catching and retaining the debris.
During regular summer maintenance, the catchment areas and ditches are cleared of rock to ensure they are ready for winter avalanche debris.
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