When you’re hiking or diving up a mountain, it’s important to stay alert for rocks falling downhill. But if you work in a very specialized role, such as a rockfall technician, dealing with falling rocks may actually be part of your job.
Check out this video from a rockfall technician removing some teetering rocks:
While it may be surprising to some, rockfall technicians are vital for keeping trails hikeable and mountain roads safe for use. Sometimes, the only way to keep an area safe is to intentionally release certain rocks.
In the video, you see what almost looks like rock climbers until they release a barrage of rocks tumbling down a steep slope. Eventually, the rocks explode on a roadway below.
The comments are quick to criticize the people in the video. Some remark on how dangerous it looked to knock down the rocks, while others ask whether the crew cleaned up the debris below.
However, the video was recorded by professionals. It’s safe to assume they closed the roads and released the rocks in a way designed to minimize damage. They likely also cleared the area afterward.
“Rockfalls on roads and trails are a natural hazard in mountainous areas,” says the post. “Factors like erosion, heavy rain, and sudden temperature changes can cause massive rocks to slide downhill without warning.”
The job of a rockfall technician is to assess, prevent, and control rockfall hazards by removing loose rock. They also install protective barriers and netting to ensure safety in high-risk mountain areas.
Basically, this video is just part of a day’s work for a rockfall technician.
Watch this additional video if you want to see what else rockfall technicians do in a day:
Is this a job you would be interested in? A quick search online shows the hourly pay for the job is somewhere between $25 and $40 an hour, with the added benefit of working outdoors.