TELLURIDE--The thunderous blast from a World War II-era howitzer vibrates across the valley below this ski area's iconic Palmyra Peak.
Three seconds later, as the sun illuminates Palmyra's serrated turrets, a plume of black smoke belches from the middle of a steep snowfield. A billowing wash of snow engulfs the peak's nearly sheer "Nice Chute."
"Nice shot!" says Craig Sterbenz, Telluride ski area's director of snow safety, as ear-muffled ski patrollers slap high-fives behind their refurbished Army green cannon.
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As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
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