Whistler Blackcomb Unveils iPhone App
Whistler Blackcomb Unveils iPhone App
Skiers at Whistler may soon have a new way to get through lift lines - by waving their smartphones.
It seems that there's an app for everything nowadays, and skiing is no exception. Using similar technology to that recently displayed at airport ticket counters, skiers may soon be able to use their phones as a substitute for lift passes. The group behind the technology believe that scanning the phones would be able to reduce the lines at some of the more popular lifts on the mountain.
The app will be tested by Whistler employees throughout the month, then tweaked ahead of next year's ski season. The app's developers hope to have the ticket functionality integrated for the fall when the first snow starts falling.
Even without the ticket-scanning feature, the "Whistler Blackcomb Live" app, available for the iPhone and other smartphones, is already a boon for frequent visitors to the British Columbia resort. The program allows skiers to get real-time updates on weather, trail closings, and which routes are freshly groomed. It also uses GPS locator technology to map runs and provide feedback on speed and vertical height. Skiers will even be able to "share" their favorite runs with their friends via social media.
If all goes according to plan for the fall season, tech-savvy skiers may have just found their next Canada vacation destination.
It seems that there's an app for everything nowadays, and skiing is no exception. Using similar technology to that recently displayed at airport ticket counters, skiers may soon be able to use their phones as a substitute for lift passes. The group behind the technology believe that scanning the phones would be able to reduce the lines at some of the more popular lifts on the mountain.
The app will be tested by Whistler employees throughout the month, then tweaked ahead of next year's ski season. The app's developers hope to have the ticket functionality integrated for the fall when the first snow starts falling.
Even without the ticket-scanning feature, the "Whistler Blackcomb Live" app, available for the iPhone and other smartphones, is already a boon for frequent visitors to the British Columbia resort. The program allows skiers to get real-time updates on weather, trail closings, and which routes are freshly groomed. It also uses GPS locator technology to map runs and provide feedback on speed and vertical height. Skiers will even be able to "share" their favorite runs with their friends via social media.
If all goes according to plan for the fall season, tech-savvy skiers may have just found their next Canada vacation destination.
Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2011 by Justin Marlowe
