For the Steep Gullies we are installing a fairly complex Explosive Delivery System that involves several cable lines that are commonly called Explosive Trams. Back in August 2014, I wrote a blog about our system on the North end of the East Wall.
There is a 20' tall tower at the top and bottom of each line. Kind of like a clothes line, the system allows our avalanche team to lower explosives to a desired location before detonation.
Advantages of the system include being able to send larger shots and/or shots to places much further away than our workers can throw. By doing so, we reduce the exposure of employees to unmitigated terrain. The explosive work can more effective and more efficient in its use of time and resources. Lastly, this system in The Steep Gullies will reduce the time it takes to prepare the slopes for opening.
Today, with the helicopter, the Snow Safety Team placed all of their towers. They will spend the next several weeks setting the cables and fine tuning the system.
