GPS Tracking

It works brilliantly for golfers, bicyclists and marathon runners. It was only a matter of time before GPS tracking technology became a useful tool in the sport of skiing.

Skiing is an incredibly popular sport, all year round. For those who can’t count on snow all four seasons in their state of residence, there’s always the mountains for guaranteed recreation and entertainment.

United States ski resorts cumulatively log about 60 million visits a year. Needless to say, there’s a lot of competition for skiing dollars. Some visitors look for the most challenging slopes. Others make family accommodations a top priority.

Two things ski resort owners cannot control are the weather and the scenic views. But they can add amenities in an attempt to bring their visitor numbers up. So don’t be surprised if your next run down a mountain in Keystone, CO or Bretton Woods, N.H. is accompanied by a GPS tracking device.

Resorts are vast playgrounds for skiers, with many of them boasting hundreds if not thousands of miles of runs and trails. In peak season, a mountain could be occupied by thousands of sportsmen. It’s no wonder one of the main priorities of skiers and their hosts is safety. Bad weather or a misguided turn could get a skier suddenly and seriously lost, hurt or trapped.

GPS-based tracking systems are being used to monitor skiiers’ whereabouts; and to enhance a skiier’s enjoyment of the sport.

Keeping  the Little Ones in Tow

The ski school at Homewood Mountain Resort in Homewood, CA operates this year with the aid of GPS tracking devices. Each enrollee is outfitted with a tracking system very similar to the real-time GPS tracking systems made for vehicle tracking.

Small GPS receivers the size of a cell phone are enclosed in a waterproof pouch and they are attached to the legs of the students, over the boot. The students’ locations can be monitored at all times from a central data base at the resort school, and also from the handhelds carried by instructors.

The GPS trackers were introduced for two reasons, said the school director. The first is safety. Parents enjoy the peace of mind knowing that, when their child is out of their sight, he or she is being closely watched by resort personnel.

The second reason the tracking system is being used is for the pure enjoyment. The GPS tracking system records all position updates in a powerful memory. At the close of the day, the children and their families can receive a readout map of the mountain slopes and see the child’s point-by-point progress on the runs from earlier in the day.

Homewood and its cousin resort Alpine Meadows are reportedly the first skier getaways on the West Coast to utilize GPS tracking technology in this way.

How Far Did I Go? How Fast Did I Fly?

Two longtime ski buddies came up with similar GPS tracking technology designed for adult thrill seekers. This system uses passive GPS tracking technology.

The two men could not understand why an exhilarating day of skiing had to be remembered only in pictures and memories. They came up with a GPS tracking system custom-designed for skiers called the SlopeTracker.  U.S. resorts in Utah, Colorado and Montana have purchased it. Elsewhere, tourist attractions in Lillehammer, Norway and Alberta, Canada are among their users.

Slopes are market clearly, so skiers know where they are going and how long the trip will take them. So is there a real need for GPS tracking device on a resort’s slopes?

Moderate skiing speeds range from around 25 to 60 mph. One of the first pressing questions uttered at the bottom of the mountain is, “How fast did we go?” A GPS tracking device will tell them exactly how fast they moved, down to .10 mph.

Skiiers wear a GPS tracking device rented from the resort. The GPS tracking receiver weights about 3 ounces and gets strapped to the arm. At the end of the day they get a poster-size printout and report that includes:

·         A map of the mountains, with length of the runs marked.
·         Location.
·         Elevation.
·         Speed.
·         Calories burned.
·         Difficulty of terrain.

The personalized maps, which many skiers save as souvenirs to mount on their walls, are a big hit because they not only allow the tourists to relive the experience, it gives them bragging rights.  Serious skiers can use the stats to compete against a partner or try to improve their own time.

“Skiing is a natural application for GPS tracking,” said Sharon Lee of Charleston, SC, a recent user. This report will be part of our family’s scrapbook forever.”

Sources: Silicon Valley Mercury News ; SlopeTracker

Tags: GPS Tracking, Homewood, Resort, Skiers, SlopeTracker

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