Mt Hood's new Howitzer and Newton Creek Access?

BC_skier,

This isn't a discussion about back country safety, or knowledge, or conditions. This isn't an attack on ski patrol. What we are talking about is maintaining a transparent relationship between the ski area operations and BC users. And what is a fair compromise between the two parties interested. Thus far, I don't think Meadows has been clear on what they are doing, nor do they have a good policy on how they go about it. I have the impression that they are new to this game.
Which led to my concerns while standing on Pea Gravel ridge. Who is firing at what? I have been around many ski areas, and highway systems where they routinely do control work. The blasts for the most part don't bother me. But when I don't know what they are shooting at, nor when they will be doing it, I become concerned.

And, howitzers do miss.

findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20050325/ai_n13468921

Northwest, you are correct, Howitzers do miss...and skiers in ski areas die from avalanches even at Snowbird.

www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4064

MHM has been doing control work since they opened in the 1960's and the understanding of when and where they happen has improved over the years...but, it will never be an exact science.

And, howitzers do miss. 

findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20050325/ai_n13468921

Now that's a scary story and it's something like that that worries me about Meadows' use of the weapon.  Here's a quote from the article:

"Most of our firing is done when we cannot see the target," he said. "That's when we have avalanches, when it's storming."

I assumed the Howitzer would be fired only when the target and surroundings are clearly visible.  All gun users are taught that early in life.  I sincerely hope the standard for firing MHM's Howitzer isn't "ready, fire" skipping the "aim" part like UDOT practices.  That's not the kind of thing one should assume when visiting Pea Gravel Ridge.

JJS

Will they be firing on Pea Gravel? I thought the purpose of the new howitzer was to use it to shoot at areas they felt could not be safely accessed otherwise. I don't see any issues safely getting on the ridge.

John,

Howitzers have x / y coordinates pre-calculated during clear weather, then sometimes avy professions shoot during storms when slabs are forming.  In the Northwest you can have days and days of stormy weather when unstable snow packs are forming.  It would defeat the purpose to wait for it to clear.  Their main goal is to open good skiing terrain (IE avy terrain) when the conditions are good. 

I very much doubt they will be controlling Pea Gravel considering – but not always - it is a windward slope.

You might want to consider how many shots from the Howitzer do hit their mark and not take one isolated case and quote it has the norm.  The world is not a perfect place...

Northwest wrote: “The blasts for the most part don't bother me.  But when I don't know what they are shooting at, nor when they will be doing it, I become concerned”.

They will be controlling avalanche terrain within the ski area boundaries when a hazard exists.

Perhaps a little additional clarification re artillery control work, based on my experience:
1) First off, the howitzer operation is usually comprised of a team - a Forest Service snow ranger and one or two avalanche propatrol personnel.  The howitzer is on loan from the Army or National Guard to the Forest Service.  Everyone is trained and experienced, particularly the Forest Service ranger.  Fire routines that have been refined by the military for the last 150 years, and by the Forest Service and Ski areas for the past 50 years, are assiduously adhered to.  This includes posting areas, moving munitions, preparing the howitzer, aiming, loading, firing, cleaning and storing.  Without these procedures, and even sometimes with them, its a business not without risk to those doing the work.  At the very least your head and ears resonate with each blast - not anything you ever want to think about doing with a hangover.
2) Targets are known starting zones, previously identified by snow safety personnel as targetable, and often difficult and unsafe to approach safely on foot or skis by control teams doing hand charge work.  These targets are sighted in, with gun azimuths and elevations, in conditions of good visibility.  These targets are chosen to maximize effect and minimize the risk of overshooting in winds and poor visibility.
3)  Most every area I know of who uses artillery for avalanche control routinely shoot in low visibility conditions - which as has been pointed out is often when avalanche conditions are increasing.  Traveling into a posted identified area when control work is scheduled is downright negligent or worse - less from the risk of being slammed by a 105mm howitzer round than by the danger from an avalanche being initiated.  Often a howitzer or recoilless rifle (same shell) is used when hand charges are not effective.  Because most hand charges are necessarily limited to a 2-6lb charge (because you can't throw a 20 or 30 lb charge very far), artillery rounds both make the job possible and safer for the avalanche technicians on the propatrol, but also make the job significantly safer!
4) As was previously mentioned, avalanche conditions - or more specifically, times at which avalanches may be initiated, change significantly with time, temperature, precipitation, sun, etc.  Often warming temperatures, arriving midday or later, prove a good time to test target slopes with artillery.  In our maritime environment it often takes a significant explosive to trigger a slide.  You wonder, well, if it takes that much of an explosion to trigger the slide, well, wouldn't it be better to just let that snowpack sit?  Yeah maybe at that particular point in time, but a later warming, or even drop in temp, may totally change the stresses and make it go out natural hours or days later.  Check out some of the recent avalanches in Utah where many skiers skied a slope which later released upon a single skier.
5)  The cost of doing control work with artillery is significant.  Not just the per round cost, but the cost of secure storage, cost of training, cost of insuring, etc. etc.  No area decides to incur these costs unless the benefits exceed those costs.  In most case this means opening the area earlier in the day, to say nothing of the inestimable value of saving potential lives, of avalanche technicians, customers and potential rescue parties  Additionally, these artillery rounds are in short supply - lots of need for them in other parts of the world.  I was frankly surprised to learn that the howitzer was even being added to the Meadows avalanche toolbox.
6) Yes, there can be duds - rounds that fail to explode on impact.  You can be sure that if a misfire like that occurs, that the area in question will be closed for some time until the questionable round is found and exploded.  Another reason to heed the posted signs.  Unexploded rounds are another word for skier IED's.

All this being said, I think BC_skier has hit it on the head.  Communications by the area to the BC community, and vice verse, needs to and will improve.  All areas that use artillery establish working relationships with the local BC community.  So keep the dialogue going and you'll find that the new restraints will become accommodating as they can be.  Thanks for reading,
Gerry H