Posts tagged vail resorts
High-Tech Ski Resorts
21 year ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
A recent post titled the Top 10 High-Tech Hotels, prompted me to think about technological innovations that have been adopted by ski resorts. So, without further ado, and in no particular order, the top high tech uses by ski resorts (I haven’t tied many of these to specific resorts as many are in use at multiple resorts):
- Epic Mix by Vail Resorts, taking RFID lift ticket scans and blending it with social media is an intriguing direction that we’ll all be watching in 2010-2011.
- Groomers using GPS, like PistenBuly’s SNOWsat, to more effectively groom trails by optimizing mountain travel and passes on each run.
- For skiers and riders that are searching for the best lift ticket deals, using the online only site, Liftopia is probably the best use of tech for searching out lift ticket deals.
- Ski resorts with all-mountain cellular coverage – this one isn’t really up to an individual resort, as cell tower placement is obviously driven by cellular providers, but it can be awfully nice to have cell service around a mountain.
- Renewable green power efforts, most notably the Jiminy Peak and Grouse Mountain on-mountain wind turbines, are a beneficial way to use technology to reduce carbon emissions as well as save money.
- RECCO avalanche rescue technology, which allows for a beacon style rescue that uses technology that is embedded in many ski boots and clothing and will even give directional bearing to many cell phones.
- High-speed detachable lifts, which have completely changed how we ski and ride – on the chairlift topic, does the addition of heated seats to a lift add a technological boost to lifts, or is it just something else to break?
I know I’ve only scratched the surface of how ski resorts are integrating technology into their operations, please add additional examples in the comments!
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Follow up to Vail Resorts Purchase of Mountain News Corp
01 year ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
Back in May, there were some ripples after Vail Resorts announced that it was acquiring Mountain News Corp – see my post on the purchase and some of the comments it got. However, I recently browsed upon a Conduct Protocol which was published in Vail Resorts Corporate Blog that puts concerns about the two companies editorial or advertising becoming unfairly intermingled to rest. It goes straight to the point with the first item of the protocol stating:
MNC will treat Vail Resorts
’ hotels, resorts, businesses and properties (“VR Properties”) in the same manner it treats businesses that are competitive with Vail Resorts (“VR Competitors”).
This seems pretty clear cut to me and the rest of the compact goes into further detail as to how the two companies will continue to act as separate entities. Read this Conduct Protocol for yourself and I’m interested to hear if anyone thinks this could be interpreted otherwise.
Quick Thoughts on Vail Resorts Acquisition of Mountain News Corporation
171 year ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
I just finished my second mountain bike ride of the season – yep, I suck, should be way more than that – which is why I’m sprawled on the sofa with my laptop and I saw a link to a news release announcing the sale of Mountain News Corporation to Vail Resorts. I’m sure that Chad Dyer will do a fantastic job in his new position as global managing director. In fact, I’m very happy to see that, “The operations of MNC, including editorial content, will be maintained separate and independent from Vail Resorts’ five mountain resorts and lodging and real estate businesses.” I just wonder if Vail is moving in difficult direction with this acquisition.
I understand and agree with Rob Katz’s “…commitment to the importance of emerging digital mediums for the entire snow sports industry and our desire for the industry to be a leader in that effort,…” I do question whether having a resort operator now owning, “…the top provider of snow reports to more than 1,200 web sites throughout the world, including approximately 400 news media websites” is the best way to help digital mediums along. I hope VR keeps their promise and allow MNC to continue to operate separately, I just wonder how they can justify the dollars spent on this acquisition to their shareholders if they don’t work some VR emphasis into MNC’s web properties.
Back to the Katz statement, while I understand why he wants to buy an industry leader in digital, which MNC certainly is; however, I wonder if perhaps there are times when it’s not the best to acquire a business, particularly when that network essentially ‘reports’ on your industry? Perhaps it’s easier than builder your own network since people are already getting their snow reports via OnTheSnow.com? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see, but in the meantime, what do you think about this sale and its implications?
Photo credit: Flickr user gjeewaytee (off) via CC 2.0 license, logos added by me.
(5/28 Edited for clarity and 6/1 spelling!)
Helmets – To Wear or Not to Wear
02 years ago
Since the tragic skiing accident that killed Natasha Richardson a month ago, I’ve been thinking a lot about helmet usage while skiing and riding and I’ve finally gotten around to posting after I saw this press release from Vail Resorts. VR have announced that effective next season, “…the Company will require all employees to wear helmets when skiing or riding on the job at each of its five mountain resorts…”. They also will require helmet use for children under 12 in any lesson and any rental package – wow!
I personally wear helmet whenever I ski (as do my wife and daughter), but I am still leery about mandating safety equipment use such as helmets. I didn’t wear a helmet on the slopes until perhaps five years ago and I do think that it’s a personal choice that each person needs to make on their own. As a side note, I’ve seen only a few of our pro-patrollers wearing helmets, even though they are the people that most frequently see the consequences of not wearing a helmet.
As VR is a company a not a governmental entity, I think that their choice to require employee helmet use is a very good stance from a safety standpoint and I do applaud it; however, in light of the fact that their resorts are located on federal land – any thoughts about how federal labor laws may apply in this decision?
