snow men

Did y'all happen to catch the new Discovery Channel show, Snow Men?  It's about the folks who keep the highway open in Little Cottonwood Canyon so us skiers can get on up there to Alta: the snowplow drivers and the avalanche guys (technically "anti-avalanche guys" because they're working to ensure that no natural avalanches wreak havoc on the road and town of Alta).  It's on Fridays at 10:00 p.m., prime DVR time.

We watched the episode "Mission Impassable" and while I absolutely positively appreciate what these guys do and am really and truly thankful that they do it, it's not particularly compelling television.  The plow guys drive up and down the road, occasionally stopping in the garage to fix their trucks.  The avalanche guys tromp around the sides of the canyons and then set off howitzers to induce small avalanches to clear the potential for larger avalanches.  It's hard, exhausting and dangerous work to be sure, but it's a little light on the drama.  Still, it all takes place just moments away from our house so that was kind of fun.