Results
Installed reliable, remote-controlled avalanche mitigation systems that enable safe resort operations below the avalanche zones.
Completed all works within the narrow summer construction window, despite weather unpredictability.
Delivered the project to the highest safety standards, meeting the client’s expectations for alpine construction expertise and helicopter-based installation methods.
Provided Taos Ski Valley with long-term peace of mind and enhanced operational safety.
Project
Solution
Geovert’s experienced alpine construction team delivered a complete solution tailored for Taos Ski Valley’s unique environment:
Completed drilling for micro piles and ground anchors at each tower site using specialist alpine drilling techniques.
Excavation, reinforcement, and formwork were built around installed anchors to create secure foundations.
Heavy lift helicopters transported concrete to each remote site, where it was poured and cured in challenging mountain conditions.
Once the foundations cured, towers for the GAZEX avalanche control systems were assembled and installed via helicopter.
Built a dedicated control shelter to house remote triggering equipment, allowing avalanches to be safely released when snow levels become hazardous.
Project
Challenges
High-altitude alpine conditions: Construction was carried out at 12,000ft in unpredictable mountain weather.
Short summer construction window: Sudden early snow could cut work short, making program efficiency critical.
Complex access: Remote alpine sites required helicopters for all heavy lifting and material transport.
Project
Overview
Located 50 miles south of the Colorado border, Taos Ski Valley is known for its 300+ inches of dry powder each season and some of the most challenging chutes, bowls, and glades in North America. To ensure the continued safety of both the public and resort staff, the resort initiated the installation of avalanche mitigation controls to better manage snow accumulation and minimise the risk of uncontrolled slides.
Geovert was contracted to design and construct multiple fixed remote avalanche control systems. The scope included the installation of GAZEX inertial avalanche control systems and a fully equipped control shelter at an elevation of 12,000 feet. These systems enable the resort to remotely trigger controlled avalanches when snowpack reaches critical levels, supporting safe operations across the ski area below.