Fire in the Hole!

[BeanMan]

I found an old picture of my Dad setting Seismograph charges on an avalanche path at Berthoud Pass. It was pretty cool getting to hang around my Father and the other Old Avalanche Men in the 60's. Getting to watch big avalanches get set off by 75 howitzers, 75 recoiless rifles, and hand charges was pretty neat for a kid to watch and I treasure those times spent with my Father.

Bean

 

[ClorideRUS]

Now!! That is absolutley cool BeanMan. Makes me remember why I keep comming back to this web site.

RUS

 

[B_F_E]

That there is cool stuff,

Beanman !

 

[manny15]

kool beans

 

[Hazmat]

Thanks for sharing. Snow safety dudes are real men (and women). I was trained by a guy who had thrown nearly 10,000 shots in his career! Not as hazardous as Bessy's 10K posts but an amazing level of experience none the less. Thanks again.

 

[TripleK]

That's really cool, Beanman!

 

[BreederBuck]

Good times right there............

 

[Feleno]

very cool photo Bean!

 

[tylercreek2]

very very cool

 

[alp75]

Very cool photo. I worked ski patrol at a local ski resort and my favorite days where when we worked avy control. Skiing and hiking the mountain with 50 pounds of explosives on you back and strategically placing them to start an avalanche...who wouldn't like that. Big bangs and huge avalanches. It was a lot of work, you had to be alert and on your toes at all times, and you always had to consider your lifeline...your route partner. It was awesome. If I could have raised a family doing it, I would still be up there. Thanks for the post and resurrecting some old fond memories.

 

[BeanMan]

Thanks for all the kind reply's. Dad was the USFS Snow ranger for Berthoud Pass, Loveland, and A-Basin in the very early 60's. Back then a Snow Ranger was the Law at Ski areas and the backcountry, They carried a badge and the will to enforce the laws. From there he moved to the the USFS Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station in Fort Collins where he was a Avalanche Researcher for 35 years. Their field station was at Berthoud Pass. He started the first Avalanche Forecast Center in the United States which is still in operation under different funding as the CAIC. A whole host of salty characters who were snow experts and Vets from the Tenth Montain Division, climbers of 8000 meter peaks and such went through our house over the years. One of the first test model Avalaunchers ever made was fired in our back field and a couple of cases of alpo dog food wrapped in friction tape were launched out of it at a cottonwood tree a few hundreds yards away. The neighbors always thought we were a little nuts.

We celebrated his 75th Birthday two weekends ago in Steamboat Springs where my Parents live, he still skiis. Kind of proud of him if you know what I mean.

Cheers,

Beanman

 

[life2extreme]

What is your Fathers name? I was a patroller at Winter Park for 7 years and the last year was on the Avy team. I know alot of the old timers that were there. I probably heard his name in passing quite a few times at Deno's with all the "geezers" having a beer. That is a fantastic photo!

Aim Center Mass

 

[BeanMan]

Life2extreme,

His name is Art Judson. Most people who know him call him Jud. One of his technicians who worked for years for him lived in Winter Park. His name is Ed Henion who was an original 10th Mtn Division man, any old WP hand ought to know Ed.\
cheers,

bean

 

[lve2143]

Fred,

That is cool. Them boy's were tuff.
Tougher than our generation, no doubt.

Tell Art I said hello. Tell him he's not
only a hero to me, but ten's of thousands
of savy folks that appreciate what was layed
before us by visionaries like him.

Good post.

Larry

 

[rutnbuck]

That is cool alright. But I was thinking ya was talking about one of Rackmasters girl friends. Ya know Red on the head and Fire in the hole.


Rutnbuck

 

[BeanMan]

Rut,

I've never experienced a pressure wave from that kind of 'fire in the hole',

Bean

 

[rutnbuck]

Not sure if it one you want to reckon with.
Rutnbuck