Stay tuned on DCSki.com - tomorrow morning, we will launch Timberline's new Trail Report. It will include:
A redesigned Trail Report - listing all open ski slopes
A NEW Interactive Trail Map - showing at a glance what is open, where you can find snowmaking, and where you can find natural snow.
Timberline's management has just approved it - so for those seeking up-to-date information, you shall be served.

Outstanding!

Way to make it happen!

You have your ways, Vic. I wonder if Doc and Tom know how much this is worth to the mountain?

Very nice and thanks!
Now I can focus which area to day dream about.hahahahaha

Wow... that's awesome... thanks for your hard work on this Vic!

It may be too early to make requests but... it would be AWESOME if the snow report were updated before 7am to give people making day trips an idea of what's happening in the valley before leaving home... just a thought...

Thanks Vic! You ROCK!

Vic,
Timberline owes you big time!
I am sure they have no idea how important the web, honesty and keeping info up-to-date is to many skiers, especially those of us that can choose when to ski, even at the last minute.
Snowshoe has possibly lost about $8K in business from me because they choose not to give me the ability to check for unit availability and pricing, so necessary to make informed decisions. And they won't even address why this feature, shown on their web site, is not functioning!!
Snowshoe should understand the importance of a fully functioning website, I am not so sure the folks at Timberline have a clue, or a real care!
The Colonel

Thank you for all the positive feedback... and by the way, it's never too early to make suggestions - but please address them to info@vic.cc

Here's the latest:
An Interactive Trail Guide is now in place. Per the request of Timberline Resort, it will be updated daily, before 8am (though we are looking at 7:30am once everybody gets used to scrapping their cars again).
Direct Link: http://www.visitcanaan.com/timberline/conditions
Alternate Link: go to www.visitcanaan.com - it's right there on the center of the home page.

A Static Trail Report is also in place. It's the standard Spreadsheet-style that we've always had... slightly modified to give it a little bit more "life".
Direct Link: http://www.visitcanaan.com/timberline/snow-report.pdf
Alternate Link: Look for SPREADSHEET located at the bottom-right of the Interactive Trail Guide.

We know how important planning can be to you & your families. For this reason, we will do everything we can to release both as quickly as possible. In other words, if Timberline releases its official report by 6:30am, you'd have your reports online by 6:40am, ready for your viewing pleasure. Either way, don't mind me - I never sleep!

How often?
Once a day, every day - that's how often we will be updating it.

Questions, wishes, comments?
We may be able to help - just email us at info@vic.cc

Before I forget: This reports will start their UPDATES on Tuesday, the 14th of Dec... and before I forget, be sure to click on the photos. There are a few...

...so Vic they are really going to hire you to do this great snow report but they aren't going to put it on their own web page???? they are going to hire someone to do their snow report on another web page then keep not updating the snow report on the resort web page???? maybe I am not reading your post right but if I am that is the craziest thing I have ever heard...

You must have gone through Davis & Elkins College: your reading comprehension is near-perfect.
It would seem they'd want it on their site too (especially during this time of the year) - but that isn't the plan yet.

The roads are really bad today - I hope that you have stayed at TLine's hotel - because the wind drifted quite a bit of snow onto roads.
We'll release our snow report within minutes of receiving it from Timberline, but I hope you understand "it's a blizzard" out there.

I'd certainly like to find all these great new features on the TL website. Somehow, though, I log into the site, click around and all I can find is last year's format here

Where are the pictures of terrain with captions, updates, and so forth?

???

Woody

(Later: OK, I found Vic's site. Nice work! Guess I need to change my bookmarks for TL. But, really, shouldn't TL do their own PR? Just askin')

All of that is on Vic's site.

http://www.visitcanaan.com/timberline/conditions

Great Job. Vic, if the trails pics are going to be static, why not do videos of each run instead? I saw this somewhere on an area's trail map but can't recall.

If T-line is willing to outsource (half a$$) their condition updates, what else could be taken over by interested locals?

Lift ops
HSQ fundraiser
Bathroom cleaning (although this would be beyond any D&E graduate)

Where's that Interactive ski report?
Timberline Resort's site - (the true goal, but not there yet)
Timberline Realty's site (check, done!)
Visit Canaan's site (that was easy)
Not that I mind the hits on www.visitcanaan.com, but I still recommended that both the interactive & standard ski reports be on www.timberlineresort.com

What a lot of folks don't understand is that in the real world we do things to make our lives easier, to make more money, to promote ourselves in the best manner possible. At t-line it's not the real world. Time stands still. Logical decisions take time to be made if they are made at all. We love the mom and pop feel of the place but wish that mom and pop would make decisions to run their business like it's the 21st century. I love Vic's interactive snow conditions and trail map. It's better than what most other ski areas have.

Don't get me wrong - both the interactive and static ski report are paid for by TLine. They just choose not to post them on their resort site (yet).
On the other hand, I wouldn't mind cleaning the bathrooms if that would bring more people to the area - but that will cost a bit (I enjoy creating far more than cleaning).
Speaking of cleaning though... I actually found the bathrooms real' clean like yesterday.
Another plesant observation: two out of two waitresses were very courteous (to me and EVERYONE else) - and that's the best I could ask for.

It is a smart move (perhaps accidental) for T-Line's management to beta-test/market-test a trail map, outside of their primary ski map. (Having it on another site may be a bit extreme.) The DCSki group is an ideal beta test group.

Good job Vic. Who knows how many people decided not to ski or to ski elsewhere last weekend after they read the inaccurate report. I guess it is their decision how to run their business. Hopefully they haven't discouraged themselves from future early openings because of the low turnout.

Personally, I have received a tremendous amount of mail (most of which have been very positive). At least in my mind, it's justifying that an Interactive Snow Report can and is a great addition to a ski area, as well as its marketing. (Perhaps that is the reason for 7/10 resorts to have one).

...here is another craziest thing I've ever seen...I have never worked in the restruant industry, but I have spent an appropriate amount of time bellied up...I have noticed 2 new positions that have been added to the pub and restruant and pub at timberline, they have hired two people to apparently guard the cash registers from the employees working the restruant...check it out next time you are at timbers...now I know there has got to be some computer technology that is out there for restruants where employees have their own identification number, type in their orders, and then type back in when they pay, I am pretty sure this is not "new" technology ... I am sure that it is probably more cost effective then paying 2 people to stand infront of the cash registers and watch employees... it would definetily be more accurate and be capable of giving reports on the work of the employeess..but what do I know I went to D & E...

In most cases, I think you would be right. Being that it's WV, perhaps the $1.50 per hour can accummulate to several 1000-man-hours before it equals the cost of a portable POS system for each employee. This POS would be used to take the order, thus money has to be accounted for - but they are expansive; feasible for Mc Dooo, but I'd rather have Doc.
Perhaps hiring trust-worthee people would be beneficial.
I think it's hilarius though; I'd rather be skiing.

Hey Tucker,

There's some other D&E alumni that own a similiar business in the Valley and they use a webcam to watch the register/employees. They also have a POS. I recently purchased a POS and it was around $3,400. A webcam is alot less expensive, Tline should get one. Oooops, not a good option, as Tline seems to have problems with webcams.

OK.... this may a retorical question, but if you have to hire an "honest" person to watch the cash register, why not hire "honest" employees in the first place? The camera idea is the best as we use them everywhere for security here in Virginia. Our HOA in the valley has even set up video survelance due to firewood theft and unauthorized use of units. We pretty much know who, we just need the evidence to back up our suspisions.

Winterset is now open, so if you are one of the few lucky ones, you will now start enjoying the ski-in / ski-out from your homes. For details, check out www.visitcanaan.com/timberline