Strange fence like structures in Wyoming

Question

Okay, here's a brain teaser. What are all those strange wooden structures along Highway 287 between Rawlins and Lander, Wyoming? They look like big fences except they aren't because they are too short. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to the way they are distributed among the hills. For all practical purposes, it looks as if someone had a heck of a lot of extra wood on their hands and decided to scatter these things randomly over hundreds of miles of range land.

Answer 1

They are snow fences to prevent avalanches during the winter.

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Answer 2

When I lived in Wyoming they were called snow fences.  They were strategically placed to control snow drifts.

Answer 3

They get a lot of snow so it helps with the drifting snow in winter time. My husband and I went through there in March years ago on our way to Canada and I thought it was strange too but I know about their snow so I just assumed that is what they were for back then.

Answer 4

i dont' live there but would love ot know if you find out what it was.

Answer 5

Are they slats and wire?  Those would be wind breakers.  They have them in some parts of Colorado, as well.  

As wind comes down from the foothills, towards the plains, it picks up speed in the open area, and then, in the winter, carries snow and makes huge, unmanageable drifts.  Windbreaks keep the drifting from becoming unmanageable.    Rawlins is on the south border, middle mountains, right?  

Answer 6

They are there to block the snow drifts.  By the way, did you also notice the railroad crossing arms on the highways?  If the road conditions are dangerous due to snow the arms come down blocking the traffic. Interesting to see how different things are in different areas, isn't it.