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Edward LaChapelle avalanche control video collection, 1950-1970

Overview of the Collection

Creator
LaChapelle, Edward R.
Title
Edward LaChapelle avalanche control video collection
Dates
1950-1970 (inclusive)
Quantity
19 16mm film
10 vhs
2 betacam
Collection Number
A0439
Summary
The Edward LaChapelle avalanche control video collection (1950-1970) consists of films about avalanche danger, control and research at Utah ski areas and around the world. The collection also includes some of LaChapelle's home movies and other ski related footage. Edward LaChapelle was an American glaciologist, mountaineer, skier, author, and professor and a pioneer in Avalanche research, safety and forecasting. Click here to request digitized materials from the collection or visit ArchivesSpace for a container level list of digitized materials.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Audio-visual materials can be fragile and require specialized equipment to play back. For this reason, access to audio-visual materials is provided through digital copies, and it might take longer to provide access to items that are not yet digitized. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law, condition of the material, or by donor.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Edward Randle "Ed" LaChapelle (1926-2007) was born in May 31 Tacoma, Washington. After studying physics and math at the University of Puget Sound and spending time at the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research he joined the United States Forest Service as a snow ranger in Alta, Utah in 1952.

In addition to his two decades of work at Alta's avalanche center, LaChapelle was professor of atmospheric sciences and geophysics at the University of Washington from 1967 to 1982 and professor emeritus until his death. He also researched the subject at the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) of the University of Colorado at Boulder from 1973-1977 and was involved in the 1968 development of the avalanche transceiver beacon. Edward LaChapelle died of a heart attack at Colorado's Monarch Ski Area on February 1, 2007.

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Content Description

The Edward LaChapelle avalanche control video collection (1950-1970) consists of films about avalanche danger, control and research. Several films document early avalanche control done at Alta, Utah. The collection also includes some of LaChapelle's home movies and other ski related footage.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The materials are arranged by format type.

Related Materials

See also Edward LaChapelle's 35mm slides, located with the photograph collections, and his ex-wife Dolores LaChapelle's photograph collection (P0981).

Forms part of the Ski and Snow Sports Archives (S.J. Quinney Outdoor Recreation Archives).

Processing Note

Processed by Dean Pickett in 2000.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Description: Unidentified 16mm film

    16mm (photographic film size)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 1
  • Description: Wasatch National Forest

    16mm (photographic film size)
    Dates: 1965
    Container: Reel 2
  • Description: Wasatch National Forest

    16mm (photographic film size)
    Dates: 1965
    Container: Reel 3
  • Description: Metamorphism and compression of wet snow

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Filmed by Gorow Wakehame and Katutosi Tusima, instructors in low temperature science, Hokkaido University, Suppero, Japan.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 4
  • Description: Footage of avalanche damage at Wallace, Idaho

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Filmed by Monty Atwater for Disney. Footage of Honeycomb Ridge and cornice blast.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 5
  • Description: Avalanche control out-takes

    16mm (photographic film size)

    1963 Material not used in film "Avalanche Control." Includes scenes of control work and various avalanche artillery such as the original muzzle-loading avalauncher.

    Dates: 1963
    Container: Reel 6
  • Description: Alta

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Various scenes of terrain skiers, avalanche control and snow tests. Material of historical interest.

    Dates: 1957
    Container: Reel 7
  • Description: San Juan Mountain avalanche scenes

    16mm (photographic film size)
    Dates: 1970s
    Container: Reel 8
  • Description: Avalanche Control raw footage

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Original footage used in Avalanche Control. Scenes of test skiing, fracture line profile, slope measurements, assorted weapons firing: recoilless rifle, 75mm howitzer, avalauncher (original model).

    Dates: 1963
    Container: Reel 9
  • Description: Snow plowing and avalanche control scenes at Alta

    16mm (photographic film size)
    Dates: 1960s
    Container: Reel 10
  • Description: Avalanche control uses publicity reel

    16mm (photographic film size)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 11
  • Description: Avalanche control outtakes

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Various scenes of firing artillery, shell bursts and avalanche releases prepared to illustrate avalanche control on a television program.

    Dates: 1960s
    Container: Reel 12
  • Description: Avalanche dynamics

    16mm (photographic film size)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 13
  • Description: Andre Roche avalanche footage

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Scenes of avalanche control with various weapons, avalanche releases, observation techniques and details involved in the taking a fracture line profile. Some of this footage was used in "Avalanche Control."

    Dates: 1960s
    Container: Reel 14-15
  • Description: Alta

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Various scenes of terrain, snowplowing, avalanche control. General historical interest.

    Dates: circa 1957
    Container: Reel 16
  • Description: Japan snow technology

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Directed by Ed LaChapelle.

    Dates: 1972
    Container: Reel 17-18
  • Description: Alta scenes

    16mm (photographic film size)

    Home movies, footage of people firing guns, cornice kicking and some ski cuts.

    Dates: 1950s
    Container: Reel 19
  • Description: Avalanche awareness: a question of balance

    VHS
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 20
  • Description: Avalanche control

    VHS

    A KSL news broadcast about an avalanche which took place in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 21
  • Description: Avalanche hazards part 2
    Black and white

    VHS

    Produced by The United States Army. 27 minutes.

    Dates: 1966
    Container: Cassette 22
  • Description: VHS duplicates

    VHS

    Dubs of items 2-22.

    Container: Cassette 23-29
  • Description: Betacam duplicates

    Betacam (TM)

    Dubs of items 2-16, 19.

    Container: Cassette 30-31

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Avalanches
  • Avalanches--Control
  • Avalanches--Control--Utah

Geographical Names

  • Alta (Utah)

Finding aid prepared by Dean Pickett.
2000

CC0

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