Articles

Canadian Consulting Engineer, Sept/Oct 2021

2021 Awards Trans-Canada Highway Avalanche Mitigation wins the Schreyer.

Dynamic worked as McElhanney’s technical avalanche specialist for the Trans-Canada Highway Avalanche Mitigation Project in Glacier National Park. This project was recognized with the Schreyer Award by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies, which is their highest award and presented to the project that best demonstrates technical excellence and innovation. Learn more.

Dynamic Avalanche Consulting Dan Rohn

Columbia Basin Trust, Basin Stories, July 2021

Columbia Basin Trust: About our Employee Dan Rohn.

Mountainous terrain—here in the Basin and elsewhere in the world—is beautiful. But avalanches can pose serious dangers to the people and organizations that work in sectors like forestry, mining, energy and transportation. Based in Revelstoke, Dynamic Avalanche helps reduce these risks. Learn more.

Avalanche Mitigation

Innovation Mag:  May/June 2021

Avalanche Mitigation, Page 27

Parks Canada engaged McElhanney and Dynamic Avalanche to improve reliability of a narrow, 44-kilometre corridor (Highway 1, CP Railway, Illecillewaet River, and National Historic Site), threatened by 134 avalanche paths, and responsible for an average of 74 hours of winter closure per year.

Canadian Consulting Engineer Magazine December 2020

Avalanche Detection at Rogers Pass by Heather Kent, page 7

“It detects avalanches in all conditions—in the middle of a storm, at night, when visibility is reduced to nothing,” explains Alan Jones, P.Eng., principal with Dynamic Avalanche Consultants, based in Revelstoke, B.C. “Forecasters have a limited ability to know when to close the highway. The goal is to increase their confidence and improve the efficiency of closures.”

This article outlines the installation of an Avalanche Detection Network (ADN) for the Trans Canada Highway through Glacier National Park including the installation of 13 infrasound detection units and 4 long range radars.

The Avalanche Journal, Vol.121, Summer 2019

The Trans-Canada Highway – Avalanche Mitigation Project in Glacier National Park by Chris Argue, et al., page 18-21
‘Since 2015, Parks Canada has been adding improvements to avalanche mitigation infrastructure as part of the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) – Avalanche Mitigation Project in Glacier National Park (GNP). Project objectives are to reduce avalanche risk to highway users and workers, reduce highway closure time, and optimize the efficiency of current avalanche risk management operations.’

Explore how Dynamic’s own Chris Argue, Ryan Buhler, and Alan Jones, along with other contributors from Parks Canada, McElhanney Consulting and Snowline Consulting explain the innovations designed by Dynamic to improve ‘one of the most challenging transportation corridor avalanche programs in the world’. This challenge is undertaken to protect two major trans-Canadian transportation routes.

WorkSafe Magazine January / February 2016

A route to reducing avalanche risk by Helena Bryan, page 7 – 11

‘From 1999 to 2008, 29 workers in B.C. were either injured or killed by avalanches, or, in some cases, landslides. These statistics — and the fact that many employers outside the ski hill industry overlook their vulnerability to avalanches — are part of the reason why WorkSafeBC introduced a new section to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation on avalanche evaluation, risk assessment, and safety planning.’

Read more about how Dynamic Avalanche Consulting helped John Wolfe Construction Co. meet the new WorkSafe requirements and keep more than 40 employees safe on their way to and from the mine. PDF

Innovation Magazine January / February 2016

When Rocks Fall and Snow Slabs Slide – BC Rock and Avalanche Engineers Import, Apply and Invent Methods to Protect Us by Robin J. Miller, page 22 – 27

‘Rockfalls and snow avalanches go hand in hand with British Columbia’s mountainous terrain…as more and more people find their way into steep-sloped country, the result can be an unequal match-up between man and mountain.’

Read more about Dynamic Avalanche Consulting’s involvement in several innovative avalanche mitigation projects including installation of snow nets on Highway 16, west of Terrace. PDF

Canadian Consulting Engineer Magazine January / February 2009

Avalanche Territory by Heather Kent, page 20 – 21

‘In the mountains of B.C., avalanche expert Alan Jones works with geotechnical engineers and designers to keep the roads free from deadly snow falls.’

This article outlines several projects Alan worked on while employed by Chris Stethem & Associates, including the Coquihalla Highway and the Kicking Horse Canyon section of the Trans Canada Highway.

Publications

2019

Argue, C., R. Buhler, J. Goodrich, B. Jamieson, A. Jones, and J. Sanderson. 2019. The Trans-Canada Highway – Avalanche Mitigation Project in Glacier National Park. The Avalanche Journal. Volume 121. Summer 2019. p. 18-21.

2018

Jamieson, B., A. Jones. 2018. A Technical Manual for Assessing, Mapping and Mitigating Snow Avalanche Risk. Geohazards 7, Canmore, AB, Canada.

Visotzky, V., A. Jones, and W. Steinkogler. 2018. Multi-level avalanche risk reduction on the Trans-Canada Highway – Three Valley Gap RACS. Geohazards 7, Canmore, AB, Canada.

Jones, A., W. Steinkogler, and V. Visotzky. 2018. Multi-level avalanche risk reduction on the Trans-Canada Highway – Three Valley Gap Remote Avalanche Control System (RACS). ISSW 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. |PDF|

Argue, C., R. Buhler, J. Goodrich, B. Jamieson, A. Jones, and J. Sanderson. 2018. Prioritizing Avalanche Mitigation Measures for the Trans-Canada Highway Through Glacier National Park. ISSW 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. |PDF|

Buhler, R., C. Argue, B. Jamieson, and A. Jones. 2018. Sensitivity Analysis of the RAMMS Avalanche Dynamics Model in a Canadian Transitional Snow Climate. ISSW 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. |PDF|

Hendrikx, J., L. Dreier, G. Ulivieri, J. Sanderson, A. Jones, and W. Steinkogler. 2018. Evaluation of an Infrasound Detection System for Avalanches in Rogers Pass, Canada. ISSW 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. |PDF|

Jamieson, B., R. Buhler, C. Campbell, M. Conlan, B. Gould, G. Johnson, A. Jones, G. Statham, and S. Thumlert. 2018. A Manual for Assessing, Mapping and Mitigating Snow Avalanche Risk. ISSW 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. |PDF|

Jones, A., D. Bogie. 2018. Design and Construction of an Avalanche Deflection Berm, Mount Kitchener Avalanche Path, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand. ISSW 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. |PDF|

2016

Jamieson, B., and A. Jones. 2016. Effect of Reporting Rate on Vulnerability with an Example for Snow Avalanche Risk to Backcountry Recreationists in Canada. 8th International Conference on Snow Engineering, Nantes, France. |PDF|

2015

Jamieson, B., and A. Jones. 2015. The Effect of Under-Reporting of Non-Fatal Involvements in Snow Avalanches on Vulnerability. 12th International Conference on Applications of Statistics and Probability in Civil Engineering, ICASP12. |PDF|

2014

Jones, A., G. Johnson, and K. Dusenberry. 2014. Quantitative Risk Assessment for the Snowqualmie Pass Avalanche Bridges. Proceedings of the 2014 International Snow Science Workshop, Banff, AB, Canada. |PDF|

Johnson, G., A. Jones, and O. Williams. 2014. Evaluation, Design and Construction of an avalanche protection structure at the Mica Dam, Canada. Proceedings of the 2014 International Snow Science Workshop, Banff, AB, Canada. |PDF|

Quinn, P., M. Jakob, M. Porter…A. Jones. 2014. Ghost-busting: Risk Response following the Ghost Glacier Failure, Mt. Edith Cavell, Jasper National Park. Proceedings of the 6th Canadian GeoHazards Conference – Geo Hazards 6, Kingston, ON, Canada. |PDF|

2013

Jamieson, B., and A.S.T. Jones. 2013. Impressions from applying ISO31000 to avalanche mitigation projects. Proceedings of the International Snow Science Workshop, Grenoble, France. |PDF|

2012

Jamieson, B., and A. Jones. 2012. Vulnerability: Caught in an avalanche – Then what are the odds? Proceedings of the 2012 International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage, AK, USA. pp.1-8. |PDF|

Johnston, K., B. Jamieson, A. Jones. 2012. Estimating Extreme Avalanche Runout for the Columbia Mountains and Fernie Area of British Columbia, Canada. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Volume 49, Issue 11, p.1309-1318. |PDF|

2011

Johnston, K., A. Jones, and B. Jamieson. 2011. Estimating extreme avalanche runout for the Columbia Mountains, British Columbia, Canada. 5th Canadian Conference on Geotechnique and Natural Hazards, Kelowna, BC, Canada. |PDF|

2010

Jones, A., C. Stethem, and K. Fogolin. 2010. Avalanche hazard management at the East Toba River and Montrose Creek Hydroelectric Project, South Coast Range, British Columbia. Proceedings of the 2010 International Snow Science Workshop, Squaw Valley, CA, USA. pp. 263-269. |PDF|

2008

Brox, D., P. Procter, C. Stethem, A. Jones, S. Chipman, B. Hill and K. Williams. 2008. Large Avalanche Protection Canopies for Mine Access Tunnel – Galore Creek Mine Project. Snow Engineering, Whistler, Canada.

Jamieson, B., S. Margreth, and A. Jones. 2008. Application and limitations of dynamic models for snow avalanche hazard mapping. Proceedings of the 2008 International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, pp. 730-739. |PDF|

Gee, R., C. Stethem, A. Jones, K. Fogolin, and M. Gajda. 2008. 2007 Winter avalanches on the Kemano Kitimat Powerline. Proceedings of the 2008 International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, pp. 244-249. |PDF|

Jamieson, B., C. Campbell, and A. Jones. 2008. Verification of Canadian avalanche bulletins including spatial and temporal scale effects. Cold Regions Science and Technology: 51(2-3), 204-213. |PDF|

2006

Jones, A., B. Jamieson, and J. Schweizer. 2006. The effect of slab and bed surface stiffness on the skier-induced shear stress. Proceedings of the 2006 International Snow Science Workshop, Telluride, CO, USE. pp. 724-731. |PDF|

Greene E., T. Wiesinger, K. Birkeland, C. Coléou, A. Jones, and G. Statham. 2006. Fatal avalanche accidents and forecasted danger levels: patterns in the United States, Canada, Switzerland and France. Proceedings of the 2006 International Snow Science Workshop, Telluride, CO, USA. pp. 640-649. |PDF|

Jamieson, B., C. Campbell and A. Jones. 2006. Spatial and time scale effects in Canadian avalanche bulletins. In: J.A. Gleason (editor), Proceedings of the 2006 International Snow Science Workshop, Telluride, CO, USA. pp. 394-492. |PDF|

Statham, G., and A. Jones. 2006. The backcountry avalanche advisory: design and implementation of a new public avalanche warning system in Canada. Proceedings of the 2006 International Snow Science Workshop, Telluride, CO, USA. pp. 730-739. |PDF|

2005

Jamieson, B., A. Jones, and J. Kelly. 2005. Comparing regional forecasts of avalanche danger with local “nowcasts” – First results. Avalanche News 74, Canadian Avalanche Association, Revelstoke, BC, Canada. pp. 56-59. |PDF|

2004

Jones, A. 2004. Review of glide processes and glide avalanche release. Avalanche News. Vol 69, 53-60.

Jones, A.S.T., and B. Jamieson. 2004. Statistical avalanche-runout estimation for short slopes in Canada. Annals of Glaciology 38, pp. 363-372. |PDF|

2003

Jones, A.S.T., and B. Jamieson. 2003. Estimating the average friction coefficient in a simplified avalanche dynamics model for short slopes in Canada. Proceedings of the Third Canadian Conference on Geotechnique and Natural Hazards. June 2003. Edmonton, AB, Canada. Canadian Geotechnical Society, pp. 309-316. |PDF|

2002

Jones, A.S.T. 2002. Avalanche Runout Prediction for Short Slopes. MSc thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. |PDF|

2001

Jones, A.S.T., and B. Jamieson. 2001. Meteorological forecasting variables associated with skier-triggered dry slab avalanches. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 33(2-3), 223-236. |PDF|

Jones, A.S.T, B. Jamieson, and M. Wiegele. 2001. Forecasting factors for skier-triggered avalanches at a helicopter skiing operation. Proceedings of the 2000 International Snow Science Workshop, Big Sky, MT, USA. |PDF|

1995

Sperling, T., and A. Jones. 1995. Canada’s Harland Landfill: Geosynthetics pass the test. Waste Age 26:8, 71-78.

Videos

Trans-Canada Highway Avalanche Mitigation

 

Our mobile Falcon GT avalauncher in use at BC Hydro’s Mica Dam.
 
 

Kevin Fogolin is featured in this documentary short about his work in the Coast Mountains of BC.

Snow avalanche fencing installation at the 35 Mile avalanche area, located 56.4 kilometres west of Terrace.

Deputy Minister’s Consulting Engineering Awards: Highway 16 – Mile 35 Avalanche Fencing