Some of you recall that avalauncher use in Colorado was suspended by the state last year following an accident near The Seven Sisters. A lot of people around Colorado and the avalanche community outside Colorado worked hard to remedy this situation. The story itself is very long and a bit tedious. The good news for A-Basin is that the suspension has been lifted and, with some new restrictions, we can use the tool in our mitigation program.
You will see some changes. The new structure near our East Wall avalauncher is a barrier that workers must stand behind when firing. Our staff will be further away from the equipment when it is fired. Un-protected people will be much further away when we are firing the equipment. In the past, it has been very educational for people to watch our staff shoot and create avalanches. Our shooting now will occur before or after operating hours or when that portion of the mountain is closed. Fortunately, we, again, have a good, solid working avalauncher program. Unfortunately, the work may take a little longer and the public viewing is mostly eliminated. I know our guests learned a lot and enjoyed watching the shoots.
