When snow falls at a ski resort, they’ve got to be prepared. Not only do they need to maintain the chairlifts and runs, but avalanche safety at ski resorts is a major emphasis for ski patrol officers.
That’s why I was delighted to interview Craig Lutke, Ski Patrol Director at my local Utah ski hill, Sundance Mountain Resort. Craig filled me in on just how much preparation goes into keeping guests safe from avalanches.
What Skiers Should Know About Avalanches
Here are some questions I asked Craig Lutke about avalanche safety at ski resorts.
What kind of terrain or conditions make avalanches more likely?
Steeper slopes like black diamond or double black diamond runs are the most frequent avalanche danger areas, as well as terrain directly adjacent to steep areas.
How does ski patrol mitigate avalanche danger within ski areas?
Because they’re so noticeable, the most well-known avalanche control is to use “avalanche guns”, but that’s just part of the control we perform. Using artillery or charges is a technique called explosive technique, which involves triggering smaller avalanches by detonating charges on or below the snow surface. Larger guns allow us to keep ski patrol safe by remotely detonating.
The avalanche guns and associated avalanche control are what we do to make guest skiing more safe. We’re very careful to ensure that all our guests can ski without worry on all in bound runs. We would never put any skiers at risk with our control procedures.
Our control procedures are done with runs closed and no skiers present. However we can never guarantee 100% safety in any weather on any part of the mountain. There is an inherent risk in skiing, and we communicate that to all guests.
NOTE FROM MOUNTAIN MOM: They are not kidding around with these explosives! It sounds like a cannon going off!
What causes avalanches?
Most avalanches are caused by someone in the party that is on the area. See this video for more information.
<iframe width="670" height="402" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EvuGQkEYXeE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>How is avalanche safety at ski resorts different than avalanche safety in the backcountry?
Skiing in the backcounty is inherently higher risk because of unknown conditions. At Sundance Mountain Resort we perform ski patrol inspections during and after storms to ensure that the snow is safe. Part of these steps include testing new snow, measuring depth, and maintaining regular patrol.
Avalanche Dogs at Sundance Resort
One unique feature of Sundance Mountain Resort is its team of trained avalanche dogs that can respond in case of emergencies. To get the skinny on how avalanche dogs are used at ski resorts I interviewed another Ski Patroller, Alex (in photo above).
Tell me about the Avalanche Dogs at Sundance Mountain Resort.
We have four level A avalanche dogs here at Sundance. Level A means they’re certified to deploy as search teams here on the resort and anywhere around the state of Utah as well.
Are the avalanche dogs at the resort all the time?
We do our best with our scheduling to make sure we have a dog on the resort during operating hours.
What do avalanche dogs do?
Handlers own the dogs and are trained to work with the dogs specifically. We do training with them here at the resort where we have a member of ski patrol in a pre-dug out hole that we cover with snow. Then the dogs deploy and have to find them.
The dogs start that process from a very young age where they play basically hide and go seek. To them it’s a game, there’s always a reward when they find the hidden person.
How do the Sundance avalanche dogs find people buried in snow?
Dogs’ ability to smell is pretty remarkable. It’s a process of elimination in a rescue situation. They can pinpoint the smell they’re looking for and ignore the smells that don’t lead them to their goal.
When a dog gets certified they have to recover individuals in the snow and articles as well like gloves and jackets. Locating articles in an avalanche can give rescuers clues to where a person might be.
Avalanche Safety at Ski Resorts
Talking with the ski patrol at Sundance Mountain Resort helped me realize just how much goes into avalanche safety at ski resorts. After a storm, ski patrol arrives on the mountain as early as 4:00 am to work on avalanche control. While I’m still warm in bed, they’re out fighting the elements to keep guests as safe as possible while skiing and snowboarding.
So next time you’re skiing near ski patrol tell them thanks for managing avalanche safety on your behalf. And please never cross ski patrol boundaries. They’re there to keep you safe.
For more tips on family skiing check out Gift Guide for Ski Families and 10 Things to Look forr in a Family Ski Vacation Destination.
See you on the slopes!
~Mountain Mom
