Timberline's Success...
December 14, 2010
First, pictures will tell you everything, so without delay, see
www.visitcanaan.com for the 8 new photos of the day.
In sum, TLine had nothing short other than one of the BEST for an opening first day. Weather: started with clouds, then clouds and sun, then nothing but blue skies and sun.
The snow? WOW!
I skied the trees, even aimed uphill towards known uncleaned trails: didn't touch bottom once. For those who like the backcountry, the top of TLine had plenty of snow, and I am sure that you are in for a treat.
Snowboarders, skiers, tele-maniacs, light-gear junky: well, we had it all: with an unsurpassed & uncrowded atmosphere (20 or so people!!!!)
See you on the slopes!
Update on Timberline's opening weekend:
They double their ticket sales - there were probably 40 skiers on the slopes; conditions were near-perfect for an opening weekend. Cross country skiing was thin though.
Yeah, there was nobody there on Sat...salamander, lightning, and off the wall open from the top, mountain operations did a great job getting so much open with the equipment they have to work with, props to those guys...if you want to ski great terrain, a good surface, and no crowds at all then go to T-line and bring a book for the lift ride...
Sometimes I don't understand T-Line. I was trying to decide whether to come up this weekend but didn't want to come up unless at least Lightning was open from the top. The snowreport on Friday said maybe so I bagged it. The Sunday snowreport still has Lightning as not open. Doesn't make sense.
Sometimes I don't understand T-Line. I was trying to decide whether to come up this weekend but didn't want to come up unless at least Lightning was open from the top. The snowreport on Friday said maybe so I bagged it. The Sunday snowreport still has Lightning as not open. Doesn't make sense.
I looked yesterday and they had Upper Salamander listed as open, but Lower Salamander was closed. I'm guessing Doc was driving a shuttle bus from 1st house you make it to back down to the lift.
I love the place, but I sometime wonder. Seems like a never ending struggle up there. You'd think that they do these kind of things on purpose......
Edit: Check this out. Go to their site and look at the very top left of the screen, on the web page bar.
http://www.timberlineresort.com/winter/
...that snow report is from last wed...check out the upper right hand side of the page...it snowed 7 inches last wed...the only thing that has changed on that web page since opening day/last thur is the date (it probably changes automatically)...
...a web site has got to be one of the most important advertising tools for a ski resort these days...I don't understand why they don't get Vic to run that web site...he's local and would do a great job...while they are at it they should get him to update the snow report DAILY...check out his photos of t-line skiing on his web site
http://visitcanaan.com/
Your "dream" conditions report is already better and more useful than the Tline snow report has ever been. Unbelievable...and yet so believable. They need to move boldly into the 1990s and realize that people actually make decisions based on what they see on this new thing called the Internet.
I know that I am not made of money. Being that it's so early in the season, if I were to go skiing North, I believe I would check out Killington & Okemo. It's super doubtful that I would aim the car in that direction without first checking out both websites to see which had more terrain open.
I am not familiar with all the slope names of both resorts, so why not give me a little map that SHOWS ME what's open?!
Well, at least that was the idea when creating the Interactive Trail Map.
Wow. Never imagined that the snow report wouldn't change. Looks like you guys had some good skiing. I think Vic would do a great job at running their web page he already pretty much covers all their events and clinics on his page - it wouldn't be a big leap.
See you all next weekend.
It would in fact be very easy for us to take care of their website, BUT that's not the point.
The resort needs a website (like every single other resort in the world), and it needs to be updated on a regular basis - anything else, and you might just as well have a static business card for a website.
Either way, let me just say that Timberline has the vertical, and right now, it's got snow - and excellent coverage at that (all things considered, and not even opened for a week!)
Sorry I couldn't make it up this past weekend. Had some personal issues arise that I had to deal with. I'll be there with bells on next and the week after.
I agree that they should have Vic do the web site. They have probably paid some one too much to put theirs together and don't have anyone qualified to update it. It needs to be updated twice a day with ACCURATE information. I get very frustrated with how they operate or in this case, don't operate.
Wow. Do you plan on keeping this page updated with current conditions? Un-officially, of course.
No expectations on this end - I know that this is something that would take time for you. Just curious.
Just drop this guy a line TomBlanzy@yahoo.com
I'm sure it will help....
Just drop this guy a line TomBlanzy@yahoo.com
I'm sure it will help....
That's the email that I've been looking for. Thanks!
Wow! Thanks, Vic. That is great! You out timberline Timberline!
You out timberline Timberline!
I get royalties on that line. Payable at Timbers this weekend...
I was trying to decide whether to come up this weekend but didn't want to come up unless at least Lightning was open from the top. The snowreport on Friday said maybe so I bagged it.
Updated web site is definitely needed and appreciated!
But Tom, you're a ~local. Just PM or call Jimmy. You did vote for him as mayor of Timberline? If not, shame on you. He serves his constituency. Work the system.
Happy to bring you something new for the area.
Check out
www.visitcanaan.com for the brand new Interactive Trail Map. It's also available at
www.t4sr.com (their rental site) - Look for Snow Report, top of the home page.
John,
Your right, I should have reached out to the Mayor. What was I thinking. See you all this weekend.
Ok, John.... in Timbers it is at, say.... beer o'clock? But you have to admit, Vic's snow report is well above what we have come to expect fom t-line.
Did you like the photos, OR is that "too much"?
Did you like the photos, OR is that "too much"?
If you are talking about the photos on/of each trail, I like them. They definitely add a nice touch. They'd be even better if they get updated time to time to better show how current conditions are on specific trails.
And I'm with Tucker. I think that Vic's updates are going to be great for the DCSki regulars and any others that venture to the site and happen to find it. I worry that if there's no change made to Timberline's site then the majority of people will still be missing out a report. They should either put a big link at the top of the report or set it up so that when you clicked 'snow report' on Tline's website it linked you straight to Vic's site (preferred).
Oh yeah, the Tline report now says that it is 33 degrees with 80% humidity.
It's all good! What say, think they will be close to 100% by Christmas? They'll bounce over to twister on the weekend and maybe upper thunder? This could be one of the best Christmas terrain wise that they have had in several years.
Did you like the photos, OR is that "too much"?
Photos are great, but you need to clearly indicate that the photos are not current, or possibly not even from this year. Giving a date to the photo would help.
The photos do give the casual skier an indication of what the terrain looks like. I'd recommend expanding them, possibly concentrating less on an interesting pic of a slider and more on illustrating the trail level of difficulty.
John,
Photo Captions are now online - with dates when ever possible.
Captions look good!
I think I'll amend my previous comment a bit. Keep the people focus on the pictures; it adds some personality, especially for the relatively flat pictures of the blues and greens. I like what you did with the superimposed skier images on a couple of the shots.
Maybe add a larger field of view shot at the bottom of certain distinctive sections? (Bottom of the head walls of OTW, The Drop, White Lightning, Glade Runner and Upper Thunderstruck, along with the terrain parks, come to mind immediately.)
Feedback comment which is likely to be highly person dependent: not sure I liked the "flashing" of the trails when you toggle between different Ski Trails Status views. I found that it was a bit distracting, though I realize you want to give a visual cue for the change. If you want to keep it, maybe shorten the number of "flashes" from 3 to 1 or 2. (Not sure if connection bandwidth affects the flashing rate.)
Some other possible map tweaks: may want to add base elevation, summit elevation and annual snowfall. These are selling points for Timberline. (You could use the lower LH corner for for annual snowfall and other marketing-related themes that T-Line mgmt wants to emphasize. Hopefully something beyond boy scout trips.)
For special events (rail jams, races, torch light parade, etc.), maybe add an additional Ski Trails Status view.
Anywho, I'm done with the comments. Nice layout and color scheme.
Thanks for the feedback.
I like the idea of a bottom-shot of certain slopes and terrain parks. I'll see how we can accommodate there.
I don't know that I want to include annual snowfall: Timberline gets SO MUCH, it's really hard to count <smile>
I didn't understand the part about "an additional ski trails status view" - could you elaborate?
I didn't understand the part about "an additional ski trails status view" - could you elaborate?
Prolly overkill. Say the week of a rail jam, if you click the Special Events View checkbox, then the terrain park is highlighted, along with a description. If there is a citizen's race, the race course is highlighted. College race, Upper WL, etc. Obviously, this would require advance planning (cough, cough) of what would go where, subject to change based on conditions, etc.
That's pretty cool!
Yeah, but it's actually a lot easier than you think. Most races (in most cases) are planned specifically on a given slope. I just happen to know where and when, so that shouldn't be a problem. The bathroom? I love them: they are still clean - now that was advance planning!!!
