The J & J Quinney Alpine Meteorological Research Center

Last year, I was sent a photo of Alta Founder Joe Quinney (pictured on the right below) and long-time Alta General Manager Chick Morton in front of a sign for the J & J Quinney Alpine Meteorological Research Center. 

Over the years, I had heard from time to time that the U actually had such a center at Alta, but for the most part knowledge of its existence and use was lost in the sands of time.  

So I decided to contact Ron Perla and see what I could learn.  Ron earned his Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Utah in 1971 and I have wanted to talk with him for many years.  He is a legend at Alta and did some remarkable research on avalanches and avalanche safety.  He famously survived a massive avalanche on Mt. Baldy above Alta in the 1960s (featured in this New York Times article from 1981: https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/29/science/avalanches-reveal-their-inner-workings.html) and working with Ed La Chapelle and others he developed early transceiver prototypes and theories of avalanche slab stress.  He is an honorary member of the American Avalanche Association and a life member of IEEE. 

Ron joined the Alta Ski Patrol in 1961 and was a Snow Ranger from 1966–1971 at the US Forest Service Alta Avalanche Study Center.  In 1971 the Forest Service closed that facility moved the operations to Ft. Collins.  Ron was transferred to Ft. Collins, but he eventually moved to Canmore, Alberta to work with the Canadian Glaciology Division/National Hydrology Research Institute.  More details are at https://wildsnow.com/33750/ron-perlas-snow-science-path/.

Ron and I have been exchanging e-mails over the past couple of weeks getting to know each other and the history of the meteorological research center.  His recollection is that Alta had built a new bunkhouse for their workers and the old bunkhouse, which was across the highway from Alta Lodge (and is currently the eastern most building above the Shallow Shaft occupied by the Town of Alta), was donated to the U by Joe and Jessie Quinney probably in the late 1960s.  Hence the J & J Quinney on the sign.

The U assigned control of the center to the Department of Meteorology (now Atmospheric Sciences).  The problem at the time was that the U didn't have a presence in mountain meteorology.  There were no mountain meteorology classes and little research.  Additionally, the building also needed substantial renovations.  The department was not in a position to make good use of it.  

At some point, Warren Ketcham joined the Department of Meteorology faculty at the University of Utah and did some renovations and ice crystal research at the center.  He left, however, after a few years.  

What happens to the center after about 1971 is unclear.  I am not sure if the building was renovated or replaced, but is now used by the Town of Alta.  Good for them, but a real loss of opportunity for my Department.  I could have put the facility to good use and would still be using it today!  

An odd thing about the photo above is the sign says Department of Atmospheric Sciences.  We were the Department of Meteorology then, so I wonder why the discrepancy.  

If you have any additional information or corrections, please share in the comments below or e-mail me.  It's an interesting historical story for my department and we are currently celebrating our 75th anniversary. 

Correction:

This post has been updated and edited from the initial version concerning the affiliation and name of Warren Ketcham.  He was incorrectly identified as a University of Washington graduate student.  He was apparently a faculty member at the University of Utah when he worked at the center.