Juneau, Alaska Avalanche Control - March, 2021

Taken on March 4, 2021 in Juneau, Alaska following an awesome, snowy winter. These avalanches were triggered with delayed detonation of explosives thrown by hand from a helicopter - less exciting than the Howitzer which formerly was the City's tool of choice for avalanche control, but more fun than the Daisybell. Did you know? Juneau is the United States' most high risk urban avalanche zone, with neighborhoods, roads, and trails in multiple avalanche paths. The road to Thane is closed whenever avalanche control is performed in this area.
Video taken with an iPhone 11 Pro without enhancements for the first avalanche. I added a Moment telephoto lens to video the second distant avalanche.

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

Taken on March 4, 2021 in Juneau, Alaska following an awesome, snowy winter. These avalanches were triggered with delayed detonation of explosives thrown by hand from a helicopter - less exciting than the Howitzer which formerly was the City's tool of choice for avalanche control, but more fun than the Daisybell. Did you know? Juneau is the United States' most high risk urban avalanche zone, with neighborhoods, roads, and trails in multiple avalanche paths. Video taken with an iPhone 11 Pro without enhancements for the first avalanche. I added a Moment telephoto lens to video the second distant avalanche. The road to Thane is closed whenever avalanche control is performed in this area.

[@opethere2613]

Bring back the howitzer; the Treadwell cave in overlook could use a bit more flair.

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

@@opethere2613 Yes, we miss hearing the rounds sail across the channel and the glass rattling with the explosion!

[@opethere2613]

It's that time of year again:)

[@johnganshow5536]

Lived in Juneau for 10 years, and Alaska total for 37. Now I'm a retired former Alaskan in Arizona. I don't miss the winters, but had a lot of great outdoor adventures in Alaska...

[@my-architect8238]

It's a shame the camera wasn't zoomed out from the beginning so the full journey of the avalanche could be appreciated.

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

Unfortunately, not many opportunities to practice photographing avalanches as good as this one...

[@PurpleObscuration]

@@mariahadventures-alaska,
Thank you for providing these clip, yup, I'm another complainer, next time can you please get a shot of what is actually being protected by these man made avalanches.
Keep up the good work Buddy, I'll be looking out for more of your clips. I have an interest because I live in Utah, right next to the Wasatch front

[@TriggerhappyNiet]

Snow on the mountains in March. As it should be. Makes me homesick & wish I could afford a quick visit!

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

Still snow now too...

[@waltershumate5777]

I bet the fish in the inlet had a fun time picking through the debris.
Lots of new things to taste test!

[@dragonmaster4429]

While living in Alaska for three years, we were aware of this practice and even witnessed it a few times. It literally saves lives. Not too sure how many moose and other animals are affected, but it does help save human lives.

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

In this particular case, no moose are in the area of this steep slope. As for other animals, they have likely relocated for winter to areas offering better access to food and water than this slope, but it's possible some animals might be hibernating in dens. Since avalanche control in this specific location is an annual event during the right snow conditions, hopefully they choose a quieter area. There are many naturally occurring backcountry avalanches here during the winter and spring, so it is an all-risk environment for all living creatures and plants/trees.

[@dalemullins4562]

Snooooooow on the water.... the fire in the sky!

[@wobertlewis9447]

Dangit Dale muffins! 0:20-"yay!"

[@avikbiswas9626]

Yeah it's smoke on the water by deep purple.....

[@PurpleObscuration]

@@avikbiswas9626,
Improvisation

[@aren2822]

🤣🤣🤣 cool

[@swithinbarclay4797]

Please tell me--as I've paid Juneau some visits twice, via Princess Lines Inside Passage Cruises out of San Francisco--is this the same Channel by which cruise ships approach the city, and how far is the site of these avalanche chutes, from Mt. Roberts and the cruise ship wharves?

[@Jason-xb3jh]

Too bad the person filming didnt have the camera focused on the leading edge of the avalanche. 🙄

[@frozenbits48]

Have you been in Juneau a long time? Do you have any friends from the JD High class of 1966?

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

Yes, but not long enough to be a 1966 graduate of JDHS :)

[@janicecrittenden9862]

Went to Juneau high school in 1961, anybody remember Danny Hugh’s?

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

Well, I guess now we know why there's power lines stretched across that fall line and there's no power poles right in the path.

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

Exactly!

[@dardar1862]

Cool to see in a controlled situation 👍

[@mundodobetove3047]

Parabéns muito bom mesmo Deus abecoi asu vida amei todos escritos amei 🤔😲😃😂😂👏👏👍👍

[@DavidHuber63]

Thank you! 🙏👍

[@al-du6lb]

pretty cool

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

Yes - so fun to watch from a safe distance! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@margarethauptman9649]

What an amazing capture!

[@PurpleObscuration]

I loved it too, I like when things get blown up too, especially with dynamite 🧨

[@vajhuamsibluag]

Dropped a hand grenade on the top?

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

A hand-thrown delayed detonation explosive - but not a grenade! The helicopter has to be out of the concussive range before they detonate the explosive, and the idea is not to blow up the mountain, but to release the snow pack in a controlled situation, rather than unexpectedly when cars are driving by on the road at the base of the mountain.

[@sandralozada3857]

me gusta esa avalancha de nieve

[@samanofamalhofaa]

Why they do that...

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

To keep the road open to the small community of Thane.

[@beybslifeintheus494]

Snowing

[@喬冶]

神奇

[@rusishpartizanen9042]

Operator - Mudak

[@noone-ys3wd]

I live here😂

[@lemmyhead8578]

Greetings fellow Juneau citizen!

[@mariahadventures-alaska]

Lucky us!

[@kyphan3517]

Vai cxc

[@Kadete1977]

YUNGAY 1970. ☠☠☠☠✝🌹🌼🌻🌺🏵🌷

[@ericascali5427]

Brutto

[@globalkashmir2874]