Implementing Remote Avalanche Mitigation: Constructor and Manufacturer Insights
Remote avalanche mitigation systems have transformed how operators manage avalanche risk. This collaborative article with MND explores GAZEX™ and O'BELLX™ technology, implementation considerations for extreme mountain environments, and how manufacturer-constructor partnerships deliver effective avalanche control solutions.
Avalanches are among the most unpredictable natural hazards, and their impact on ski resorts, mountain highways, and critical infrastructure can be both devastating and costly.
Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS) have fundamentally changed the way operators manage avalanche risk. Their effectiveness comes from the synergy between constructors, who adapt solutions to challenging terrains, and manufacturers, who bring decades of technological innovation and proven reliability.
The places most vulnerable to avalanches are, by nature, the hardest to reach. Mountain infrastructure faces persistent challenges from avalanche risk, whether protecting highway corridors, ski resort operations, or critical transport links. Traditional manual avalanche control methods, while effective, present significant limitations in timing, safety, and operational reliability that remote systems are designed to address. RACS are designed to overcome these limitations, providing safe, on-demand control in any conditions.
Geovert has worked alongside MND across several remote avalanche mitigation projects in North America, combining our field implementation experience with MND's three decades of technology leadership - through solutions like GAZEX™ and O'BellX™, we have delivered systems that not only protect people and assets but also ensure long-term operational resilience. This article shares insights from both the construction and manufacturing perspectives on delivering effective remote avalanche mitigation systems.
This collaborative article brings together perspectives from Geovert's field experience and MND's engineering and manufacturing experts, offering insights into the complete lifecycle of remote avalanche mitigation systems - from design through to deployment.
Why Remote Systems Are Essential
Remote avalanche mitigation systems address three critical limitations of traditional manual methods: timing, safety, and reliability. Manual control requires personnel to access hazardous and dangerous terrain during optimal avalanche conditions, creating narrow operational windows that rarely align with weather patterns or safety protocols. Remote systems remove the need for personnel exposure to active avalanche zones while maintaining control effectiveness, providing on-demand control regardless of weather conditions, visibility, or staff availability without putting personnel in harm's way.
Rather than replacing traditional practices entirely, remote systems complement and strengthen existing avalanche programs, offering reliable and repeatable control when manual methods are not safe or feasible. Avalanche control is not just about technology - it's about combining the right system with the right implementation.
Understanding GAZEX™ and O'BELLX™ Systems
GAZEX™: With more than 2,700 installations worldwide, this permanent system is ideal for high-risk avalanche paths. It uses fixed exploder nozzles powered by a controlled propane-oxygen mixture to generate powerful pressure waves that trigger controlled releases. Each installation is connected to robust shelters housing the gas supply, and remote operation ensures year-round readiness, making it the go-to solution for critical infrastructure like highways or ski resort corridors.
O'BELLX™: Designed for modularity and flexibility, each unit is a removable, helicopter-transportable system for seasonal deployment on fixed bases. Its modularity allows rapid installation and retrieval, while its eco-friendly design minimizes visual and environmental impact. O'BELLX™ generates a controlled hydrogen-oxygen gas explosion, creating a powerful pressure wave that destabilizes the snowpack and triggers release. It is particularly suited to steep slopes, sensitive environments, and protected natural areas where permanent installations may not be practical or cost-effective.
Clearing Up Common Misconceptions
According to MND, one of the most common misconceptions is that GAZEX™ and O'BELLX™ are explosive-based systems. In reality, they use a non-explosive gas mixture (oxygen and propane, or hydrogen and oxygen depending on the system) that is only created and ignited at the moment of firing. This means there are no explosives stored on-site, no need for specialized permits for handling, and no hazardous residues left in the snow or environment.
MND also notes another misconception: some assume that remote systems are complex to operate or maintain. On the contrary, both GAZEX™ and O'BELLX™ are engineered for simplicity, autonomy, and robustness. They can be activated instantly, monitored remotely, and maintained with streamlined logistics, even in the most challenging environments.
Field Experience: Blue Point and Mother Cline Case Study
CDOT's Blue Point & Mother Cline installation above US Highway 550 in Ouray County presented the kind of constraints that separate theoretical system capabilities from practical implementation realities. At 12,000 feet elevation across three slide paths, the project required a mixed deployment of two GAZEX™ and three O'BELLX™ units.
The GAZEX™ placements at Blue Point/Blue Willow reflected locations where helicopter access could be reliably maintained for ongoing system servicing. O'BELLX™ deployment at Mother Cline acknowledged terrain where seasonal installation and removal was more practical than attempting year-round infrastructure maintenance. This mixed deployment demonstrates how system reliability ultimately depends on serviceability under real-world conditions.
Construction methodology had to account for the absence of conventional access while working above an active highway corridor. Foundation installation required drilling and grouting 20-foot anchors using rope access techniques, with all concrete and materials helicopter-transported to installation points.
Each foundation placement became an exercise in coordinating helicopter operations, rope access crews working at 12,000ft elevation and concrete delivery within weather windows that could close with minimal warning. This ultimately meant that installation sequencing and material staging became critical factors in project success.
Design Considerations for Extreme Conditions
From MND's system design perspective, the most critical factors when installations require helicopter access and extreme weather windows are reliability, modularity, and simplicity. In practice, this means prioritising transportability, rapid deployment, and operational autonomy to ensure each system remains effective and safe throughout its lifecycle, even under the harshest mountain conditions.
Modularity & Weight Optimisation - Every component must be designed to be airlifted safely and efficiently. MND's systems are engineered in helicopter-transportable modules, keeping weight under strict thresholds to reduce flight time and cost while improving installation safety.
Rapid Installation Features - Short weather windows demand fast assembly and anchoring systems. Both GAZEX™ and O'BELLX™ are designed with simplified foundation and mounting solutions, ensuring installation crews can complete critical steps quickly in challenging conditions.
Autonomy & Robustness - Once installed, the system must operate with minimal on-site intervention. That means solar-powered energy, redundant communications (radio/4G), and weatherproof shelters that guarantee long-term reliability without constant servicing.
Safety in Maintenance - Because helicopter access is required, systems are designed to minimize maintenance frequency. For example, the removable O'BELLX™ modules can be serviced safely in the valley rather than in exposed avalanche terrain, reducing time at altitude.
Collaboration in Action
What stands out in Geovert's execution, according to MND, is their ability to combine precision, efficiency, and safety in one of the harshest mountain environments.
“Operating at 12,000 feet with limited access, they managed to coordinate helicopter logistics, rope access, and concrete placement in narrow weather windows without compromising safety or quality. Their approach to sequencing and staging materials was particularly impressive, ensuring each foundation was completed despite the unpredictability of mountain conditions. For MND, this level of execution is what transforms a system design into a reliable, real-world installation - showing how technology and field expertise must work hand in hand.”
Practical Guidance for First-Time Implementations
MND advises that success begins with a deep assessment of terrain and access constraints, because these factors will determine not only the choice of system but its long-term serviceability. Systems must be designed with lifecycle operations in mind—it's not just about installation, but ensuring crews can safely maintain and operate them season after season.
Collaboration between manufacturer, installer, and operator from the very first design stages is critical to align logistics, foundations, and service access. Finally, integrating digital supervision tools like SAFETY-cs™ enhances decision-making and ensures each system becomes a reliable part of daily avalanche programs.
Looking Ahead
Remote avalanche mitigation continues to evolve as installation experience accumulates, and technology development responds to field feedback. Each project, such as Blue Point, represents one approach to managing complex alpine deployment challenges, but broader industry development is being shaped by diverse applications across different geographic and operational contexts.
Global Trends in Remote Avalanche Mitigation
Globally, MND is seeing a clear shift toward integrated digital ecosystems that connect remote control systems with real-time monitoring and predictive analytics. Another strong trend is toward mobility and modularity: removable systems like O'BELLX™ are increasingly valued in sensitive or protected areas where permanent infrastructure is not viable, and where flexibility across seasons is a priority.
Finally, there is growing demand for solutions that align with sustainability and climate resilience goals. Non-explosive technologies, minimised environmental impact, and reduced carbon logistics are becoming decisive factors in procurement, especially as climate change drives more unpredictable snowpack behaviour.
Market-Driven Innovation
Different markets are pushing technology in distinct directions, according to MND's experience. Highway authorities prioritize permanent, high-reliability systems like GAZEX™, where uptime and rapid response are critical to keeping transport corridors open. Ski resorts often look for flexibility and modularity, making O'BELLX™ attractive for steep slopes, seasonal adjustments, or protected environments.
The most significant opportunities for evolution lie in digital integration and predictive capability. By combining remote control systems with real-time monitoring (radar, seismic, weather) and supervisory platforms like SAFETY-cs™, the industry is moving from reactive to proactive avalanche management.
The future of remote avalanche mitigation lies not just in advancing technology, but in the collaboration between those who design it and those who deploy it in the field. Each installation teaches lessons that inform the next generation of systems, while each technological advancement opens new possibilities for protecting mountain communities and infrastructure.