Why The Bowl at Mt. Ashland Isn’t Always Open: Avalanche Mitigation and Safety Considerations

For skiers and riders who crave steep, challenging terrain, The Bowl at Mt. Ashland is a legendary spot. However, it’s not always open, and that’s for good reason. The decision to open or close extreme skiing terrain like The Bowl isn’t made lightly—it involves complex avalanche mitigation work, environmental factors, and an unwavering commitment to protecting our community – employees, volunteers, and guests.

Avalanche Mitigation: Managing a Natural Hazard

Avalanches are one of the most significant hazards in steep alpine terrain, and The Bowl is no exception. When snow accumulates under the right conditions, it can create unstable layers prone to sliding. Before The Bowl can open, Mt. Ashland’s ski patrol conducts rigorous avalanche mitigation work, which can include:

Snowpack Assessment: Patrollers analyze the layers of snow to determine stability. This includes looking at recent snowfall, wind loading, and temperature changes that can affect weak layers in the snowpack.
Explosive Control Work: In certain conditions, ski patrol may use explosives to trigger small, controlled avalanches to reduce the risk of an uncontrolled slide during operations. Our ski patrol uses explosives in The Bowl and also on Balcony.
Ski Cutting: Patrollers will ski across suspect slopes in a strategic manner to help release any unstable snow before the public enters the terrain.
Hand Shear and Compression Tests: These tests help determine how easily a layer of snow might fail and slide.

This work is dangerous. Ski patrollers conducting avalanche mitigation operate in high-risk zones, using explosives and navigating steep, unstable slopes. Patrollers have been injured and killed conducting this work to open terrain at ski areas in the United States.

Why Avalanche Mitigation Work Cannot Be Done Before Daylight

Avalanche mitigation requires careful assessment of the terrain and snow conditions, which is difficult to do in darkness. Visibility is critical for placing explosives, identifying weak layers in the snowpack, and ensuring that terrain features are properly evaluated. Additionally, skiing on extreme terrain in low-light conditions adds significant risk to patrollers, making it essential to wait until there is enough daylight to safely conduct their work.

Mitigation Work Takes Time

Avalanche mitigation is not a quick process. It can take multiple hours due to the time required to traverse challenging terrain, evaluate snow conditions, deploy explosives, and reassess stability after mitigation efforts. Weather and snow conditions can change throughout the morning, requiring patrollers to wait and reassess before determining whether The Bowl can open. If conditions do not improve by a certain time, a decision may be made to keep The Bowl closed, as mitigation work is also physically exhausting and personnel resources must be kept in reserve for rescues across the ski area.

Environmental Factors: More Than Just Snow Stability

Even if avalanche risk is minimized, other environmental factors can influence the decision to open The Bowl:

Visibility: Extreme terrain requires strong visibility for navigation. Stormy conditions, fog, or flat light can make it difficult for skiers to see terrain features and descend.
Skiing Surface Conditions: Wind and sun can change the surface conditions rapidly. A hard, icy surface may be too dangerous for most skiers, not just in The Bowl but also on the traverse around the top.
Rescue Accessibility: Conditions must allow ski patrollers to conduct a rescue in all terrain. If visibility, avalanche risk, or snow surface conditions make it too difficult for patrol to reach injured skiers in a timely manner or perform a rescue, the terrain will remain closed.

Additional Operational Considerations

Staffing also plays a role in the ability to open The Bowl. Adequate ski patrol coverage is needed not only to perform avalanche mitigation but also to maintain full mountain coverage. When mitigation work is extensive, patrol resources must be balanced between The Bowl and the rest of the mountain to ensure that all operational areas are adequately supported. On a small mountain like ours, illness or injury among patrol members can quickly shift the balance of available resources.

The Bottom Line

While skiers may eagerly anticipate The Bowl’s opening, patience is key. The work done by Mt. Ashland’s ski patrol ensures that when The Bowl does open, conditions have been thoroughly evaluated for avalanche danger, visibility, and snow conditions. Extreme terrain carries inherent risks, and operational decisions are made with the ability to respond to emergencies in mind.

So next time you’re waiting for The Bowl to open, take a moment to appreciate the hard work and risk management that goes into making it possible. It’s truly something special—one of the things that sets Mt. Ashland apart.