Nitrogen powered Avalauncher: This device (shown here parked in front of the old section house at Tunnel) was used in the early eighties in trying to bring down avalanches before they came down on their own. It is small cannon, powered by compressed nitrogen that can hurl a two-pound projectile about 2,000 yards and proved to be only marginally effective. The primary problems were its relative short firing distance and lack of accuracy. The avalauncher was replaced by the 105 mm recoilless rifles that were surplus to the military and which proved infinitely more effective.