Avalanche Art
The paradox. The trade-off. Watching a wolf take down an otherwise healthy cow elk while giving birth is a horrible site, no doubt, until one considers the den full of hungry pups, dependent entirely on their mom's provisional skills. Okay, well, maybe that's not the best example, given the controversial existence of re-introduced wolves in the American west. But you can come up with your own species to use as an example, right?
Avalanches kill. Snow on a slope has potential energy. Its energy can destroy everything in its path, including old growth trees, railroads, bridges, buildings, cars, and people. As a professional ski patroller I have seen many avalanches. I've initiated many avalanches. Most often these are initiated with explosives, guns, or artillery, and occasionally with ski cuts. The idea is that we will release that stored energy intentionally instead of allowing them to build and release at an inopportune time, such as when many recreational skiers are in the line of fire.
I have pulled my fair share of victims from avalanches. Some lived. Some died. Some of them were strangers. Some were my friends or peers. It is a bittersweet site, these avalanches. The power is impressive, as impressive as an F-16 fighter jet taking off at close proximity, a railroad locomotive accelerating, or a high alritude helicopter defying gravity on a mountain rescue.
As death is a part of life, beauty can be found in power and destruction. This photo is an attempt to enjoy the beauty of an extremely powerful and potentially devastating event. This avalanche today, from a safe distance, was a beautiful site to behold.
