At first glance, you might be forgiven for thinking someone has landed a spaceship on the slopes.
Or perhaps a particularly determined Dalek has decided to spend the winter in the Alps.
However, these strange-looking contraptions recently seen above Méribel are actually a new generation of avalanche-control technology.
So what does it actually do?
The ‘APeX’ system has been developed by French company Avenir Protections, which specialises in avalanche prevention in the mountains.
The principle behind avalanche control is relatively straightforward.
Rather than waiting for an unstable snowpack to release naturally – potentially sending snow across a piste, road or other infrastructure – avalanche professionals deliberately trigger smaller avalanches under controlled conditions.
The difficult bit, of course, is doing that safely.
Traditional avalanche-control methods can involve significant infrastructure and, depending on the system and location, members of the ski patrol team having to work in challenging mountain environments.
‘APeX’ has been designed to allow the triggering operation to be carried out remotely.
The system uses a gas-powered combustion chamber to generate a powerful detonation. According to Avenir Protections, its design produces a high level of detonation power while using substantially less gas than comparable systems. The company claims gas consumption can be reduced by up to 70%.
And importantly, the operator doesn’t have to be standing next to it when it goes off!
Three parts – and no Daleks!
APeX consists of three principal elements: a base, a combustion chamber and the technical equipment required to operate the system.
The whole assembly is mounted on a concrete base, with the system designed to be relatively simple to install and maintain.
It also means that once the winter season is over, the equipment can be removed, leaving less infrastructure on the mountain during the summer.
APeX has been available since 2024, and the technology has already been installed in Val Thorens, Méribel and Val d’Isère.
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