Gondola Restaurant Takes (a big) One for the Team

While most locals in Jackson Hole believe the new structure at the top of the Bridger Gondola in Teton Village is an eyesore and wish it to fail, one must point out that this multi-million dollar “monstrosity” may have saved the lives of several people earlier this week. In the morning hours of December 29, 2008 a snowfield/ski run known as the Headwall slid at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR), crashing into the new restaurant/ski patrol shack. Luckily enough, the slide occurred while the mountain was closed for routine avalance control. Also luckily, the restaurant took the brunt of the slide (causing major damage to the high-end restaurant Couloir), thus diminishing what could have been numerous injuries and possible deaths. Take a look at the report from the incident at: http://www.avalanche.org/av-reports/proc-show.php3?OID=24855164

As news passed on throughout the country of this devastating occurance, some may look at this as yet another bad mark for the ski industry.What some people may not realize is that avalanches in alpine environments are as common a natural occurance as forest fires in dry forested areas. Another point to make is that ski patrol does not solely assist skiers in need, they are responsible to help predict and prevent situations in which skiers could cause harm to themselves or others (avalanches). It is the job of ski patrol to employ personell responsible for avalanche control. These scientists study snowfall, wind speeds, temperatures, degree of slope, and much more to determine the best course of action to prevent devastating avalanches. Sometimes this means they must create avalanches so that skiers/hikers/snowmobilers do not. Today, as I sit and type in my home, I hear the best sound in the world: bombs! Some may wonder why I love this sound so much, while anyone living in a ski community (especially with the conditions we’ve had this season) know all too well that the sound of bombs means the ski patrol is doing one of their many jobs of avalanche control.

Because of the great efforts put forth by the JHMR Ski Patrol, and the strict protocol they follow, the incident on December 29th resulted only in building damage and minor injuries. If the new “monstrosity” had not been there to take the brunt of the sliding snowfall, ski patrollers and lift operators would have been buried and likely perished. Had the mountain been open, numerous public that would have been skiing the mountain or eating in the restaurant would have been affected. It was the correct decision to further bomb the mountain that day….think of all the lives saved by the quick and effective thinking of the JHMR ski patrol. Each patroller and JHMR employee involved in the Headwall slide incident deserves to be commended for their efforts to protect the skiing public.