HOBACK, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) would like to inform drivers that crews will be performing maintenance on some avalanche infrastructure in the Hoback Canyon on May 9 from 7 to 10 a.m.
Crews will be utilizing helicopter operations in the Stinking Springs area of Hoback Canyon to do some general maintenance of the avalanche infrastructure known as the O’Bellx units. These units use explosions to trigger smaller, controlled avalanches to prevent dangerous, uncontrolled conditions. The O’Bellx units are remotely operated by computer and are installed and removed by helicopter.
For the safety of the traveling public and of WYDOT crews, the road must be briefly closed and free of moving traffic for helicopter operations to collect the equipment for summer maintenance. Ideally, motorists should only see brief delays as the helicopter carries out O’Bellx units down the mountain.
Roadside flaggers will control traffic for the operation. The work will cause intermediate delays for traffic of up to 15 minutes at a time.
