Swiss company Wyssen Avalanche Control, Inc. was recognized at the B.C. Transportation Conference in Vancouver this month for their fabrication and implementation of nine remote avalanche control stations along the Trans-Canada Highway.
The control stations are the first of their kind to be implemented in North America. They allow technicians to monitor avalanche conditions remotely on a 24 hour basis.
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The towers are set up on a 15-degree angle, and hang over common avalanche paths. When they deploy a charge, it drops from a 10-meter-long rope. The charge detonates while suspended above the snow’s surface.
Unlike other kinds of control systems, they are not restricted by weather conditions.
Wyssen Avalanche Control, Inc. was awarded a $2.1-million contract to implement and fabricate the control stations. The project was completed on time and on budget.
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