The Canyons Ski Resort: Video Podcasts to Attract Visitors
The Canyons is a massive ski and snowboarding resort. Last year, The Canyons was the first resort to use Video Podcasts as a way to differentiate their resort from other destinations (View | Subscribe to The Canyons Podcasts). My personal favorite from last year is from the Quiksilver Canis Lupus Challenge — maybe because that run ate my lunch last year and it’s cool to see people crash like I did! As we learned from Dan Campbell-Lloyd and Libby Dowd, podcasting allows for quick and affordable content creation and distribution.
Armed with his HighDef video camera and wide-angle lens, Dan hits the slopes and documents the mountain, skiers, snowboarders, ski patrol, and more. Video was selected over audio podcasts because of the visual experience video provides — and this makes a lot of sense after learning 3 out of 4 skiers who book destinations from a resort’s web site select a location based on the photo of the day (powder, blue sky, terrain park tricks, etc.). Brad Baldwin goes on location just below the Saddleback Express lift where skiers, boarders, and snow patrol are hitting the mountain.
Listen to the ski and snowboard resort guide podcasts from Rocky Mountain Voices.
Attention Skiers: Alta is for you!
If you’re a skier, then you’ve got to visit Alta Ski Area at least once in your life. As one of the first ski resorts in the United States, Alta keeps its heritage and focus on the skier top of mind. Voted the top ski resort in the US for secret powder stashes by readers of Ski Magazine says a lot about the mountain.
As Connie Marshall of Alta describes it, Alta’s powder is something that has to be experienced, not just talked about. From big, open, tree-less bowls, to tight tree-lined glades, to amazingly long cruiser runs, Alta makes a believer out of every visitor. And if you’re up for adventure, visitors at Alta can define their own runs in powder that’s never been seen by others. Alta offers something for everyone, from the beginner, to intermediate, and finally, the advanced skier. And to show their dedication to the environment, Alta looks to nature and wind to provide 35 percent of their power for the 2006-2007 ski year.
Deer Valley — Luxury, Gourmet, Service-Focused Ski Resort
If you’re looking for the country-club feel, then Deer Valley is for you. Voted number one (#1) in the US for grooming, service, and food by readers of Ski Magazine, Deer Valley has everything to indulge in luxurious vacation on the slopes. From attendants that take your skis from your car to the mountain, from one-on-one mountain tours, to the limited number or skiers per day, to a mid-mountain gourmet lunch out on a sunny patio, you’re guaranteed to experience a level of service you can only dream about.
Erin Grady gives a personalized overview of Deer Valley resort, including recommended selections from the gourmet restaurants, lifts for beginners, and even the family-friendly ski school. Deer Valley is just three (3) miles from Main Street in Park City. So you can enjoy the day skiing and hit all the popular night spots. If you’re flying in, you can also ski free the day of arrival on your boarding pass.
Photo Credit: Deer Valley Resort
Park City Mountain Resort — Watch for Shawn White on the Half Pipe
Park City Mountain Resort, voted number 1 (#1) three years running for it’s terrain park, attracts the world’s best winter athletes, like Shawn White. Why? Because it’s 3,500 acres offers so much for every type and level of skier. If you’re a snowboarder, you’ll find friends and spectators to watch you — perhaps you’ll even be caught on film by a passing helicopter. If you’re a skier, there’s long groomed cruiser runs or powder-filled runs that take you from top of the mountain all the way to downtown. Beginners, intermediate, and advanced skiers will all feel that Park City is home for them.
Park City offers a ski planner to make sure you can make the most of your visit. And with all the improvements from the 2002 Winter Olympics, visitors to Park City can experience what made converts around the world of Utah’s fluffy powder skiing. With everything from spas, to shopping, to family-friendly eating establishments, to amazing nightlife, Park City offers something for everyone.
And one more thing: Park City Mountain Resort also offers the Ski Free on your Boarding Pass. So get up to the slopes early and ski free.
Solitude Mountain Resort: If You Only Knew
When you drive into the parking lot at Solitude Mountain Resort, you can kiss your car goodbye. And that’s a good thing, because the quaint mountain village offers all the amenities you’ll need for a day or a week. Solitude’s small and friendly feel is something the destination skier will long remember.
And there’s the mountain. With $6 million in new investment this year, high-speed lifts, amazing corduroy grooming, and lots of terrain, including the double-black diamond Honeycomb Canyon, what’s not to like about Solitude. If you get tired of skiing, snowshoe under a moonlit night out to a gourmet dinner at The Yurt on the mountain that is limited to 22 lucky participants each night. No wonder the Solitude marketing slogan, “If you only knew” hits the mark with visitors.
Photo Credit: Solitude Mountain Resort
Brighton Ski and Snowboarding Guide: Top-to-Bottom Terrain Parks
Brighton offers the highest base elevation of any resort in Utah and is a ski and snowboarding paradise. Why? Because as Chris Searle — Director of the Ski School — describes it, the mountain layout at Brighton offers top-to-bottom terrain parks. And if you think terrain park is only for the boarder, the skier can also try something besides groomed trails or glade skiing through trees at Brighton. And this is just one reason Brighton has become a local’s favorite and a memory maker for the destination visitor.
Just 35 minutes from Salt Lake City airport at the top of Big Cottonwood canyon, Brighton is a family-friendly resort and caters to all levels. The mountain offers plenty for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced visitor. Snowboarders love the terrain that encourages daring jumps, rail rides, and spinning tricks. Skiers find a variety of runs, both groomed and ungroomed, that bring a smile to the face and a burn to the thighs.
Cool, don’t miss event: Winter Solstice Fireworks and Night Skiing, December 22, 2006
The Canyons, Big Improvements to a Big Mountain
The Canyons resort is just 30 minutes from the Salt Lake City International Airport. Fly in from JFK in the morning and call your buddies from the mountain by noon local time. And if you present your boarding pass, you can ski or board for free the day of your arrival.
And speaking of skiing or boarding, there’s lots of it on The Canyons expansive 3,700 acre mountain, including 200 new acres accessed by the new Dream Catcher lift.
If you haven’t been to The Canyons before, put it on your agenda. If you haven’t been back in a while, the $10 million in improvements for the 2006-2007 ski year will certainly make the resort feel different and new.
Snowbird Guide for Skiers and Snowboarders
With over 500 inches of annual snowfall and a host of awards, Snowbird offers a mountain and the amenities for every skier or snowboarder. If your after power, an expansive mountain, restaurants and night-life-a-plenty, nearly 900 rooms in a full-service lodge, and much more, it’s hard to beat the experience offered by Snowbird.
Laura Schaffer, Director of Public Relations, took time to update us on all the additions at Snowbird for the 2006-2007 season, including the much anticipated “tunnel.” Picture a 600-foot moving “ski-way” through the mountain that opens entirely new terrain in Mineral Basin for the intermediate and advanced skier.
Most importantly, Laura shares her on-site, local knowledge of the best runs for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced skier or rider. Plan your day based on your skill with Laura’s help. Check out the Snowbird Snowcam for a visual update.
Ski Utah’s Perspective on Resorts, Snow, Amenities
Ski Utah provides a unique service to the state of Utah. Ski Utah promotes skiing and snowboarding in Utah as the best destintation. And it’s big business. I learned that skiing is a $700M impact to the Utah economy.
Hilary Reiter from Ski Utah brought me up to speed on all the happenings in the ski industry here in Utah. Whether your visit the Ski Utah.com web site, request a brochure, access resort facts (awesome wrap-up of all resorts), or even get an email snow report, Ski Utah provides the latest about the Greatest Snow on Earth.
And to give us all that daily “experience” of skiing, Kent Hyden is the keeper of the Ski Utah Blog. He’s got the tough job of visiting Utah resorts, skiing or boarding all day, and then coming home and writing, posting pictures, and uploading video. Kent, if you every need a “fill-in,” I’m sure I can offer my services!
SkiUtah Press Conference Highlights Awards & Warren Miller Film
Nathan Rafferty, SkiUtah President, kicked off the 2006-2007 ski and snowboarding season at a downtown Salt Lake City press conference. All the resorts were there, including Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, The Canyons, Park City, Deer Valley, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Wolf Creek. Even some of the big-boy press like KSL (NBC affiliate) and KUTV (CBS affiliate). And of course Rocky Mountain Voices was there!
Items I found interesting:
- The USA and Utah both saw an increase in ski days in 2005-2006, about three (3) percent more days than previous year.
- Utah has a seven (7) percent marketshare of total ski days — Colorado has 20 percent.
- Average expenses per day about $260 (ah, yeah I feel that one)
- Utah Travel and Tourism spent $2.5M promoting winter in Utah
- Warren Miller’s latest movie Off the Grid featured Utah — and its great late-season powder.
- SkiUtah has started it’s own blog, written by Kent Hyden. He’ll treat the readers to a daily dose of what it’s like to ski more than a 100 times per year!
Also, the Utah resorts piled up the awards this year. Here’s a list of some of the mentions.
- Four of Utah’s resorts placed in Skiing magazine’s Top 25 resorts list:
- Alta/Snowbird (#2), Snowbasin (#10), Park City Mountain Resort (#11), Solitude #25
- Utah ranked #1 for Secret Powder Stashes
- The Top 30 Readers Poll named seven resorts: Deer Valley (#2), Park City (#5), The Canyons (#15), Snowbird (#21), Solitude (#25), Alta (#28), Brighton (#29)
- In a list of Top Resorts for Snow, six of 6 of 10 resorts are located in Utah: Powder Mountain (#1), Alta (#2), Snowbird (#3), Brighton (#4), Solitude (#6), Deer Valley (#8)
- Top 10 for Best Access included seven Utah resorts: Park City (#2), Deer Valley (#3), The Canyons (#4), Snowbird (#5), Solitude (#6), Alta (#8), Brighton (#9)
- In the Value category, four of 10 resorts belonged to Utah: Powder Mountain (#1), Alta (#2), Brighton (#6), Solitude (#9)
- Top 10 for Overall Satisfaction included 4 Utah resorts: Alta (#1), Deer Valley (#4), Snowbird (#7), Powder Mountain(#8)
- Four Utah ski areas were recognized in the best Weather category: Deer Valley (#1), Brighton (#2), Solitude (#3), Alta (#5)
- Deer Valley once again clinched the #1 slot for Grooming.
- In the Service category, Deer Valley ranked #1 and Snowbasin #3.
- For best Lifts, Snowbasin came in at #1 and Deer Valley #5.
- Best Terrain/Variety: Alta (#6), Snowbird (#7)
- Best Terrain/Challenge: Snowbird (#2), Alta (#3)
- Best On Mountain Food: Deer Valley (#1), Snowbasin (#2)
- Best Service: Deer Valley (#1), Snowbasin (#3)
- Best Terrain Parks: Brighton (#7), Park City (#8)
- Park City Mountain Resort was awarded Terrain Park of the Year for 3rd consecutive time.
Neumont Univ’s Julie Blake on Why Grads Average $60,000
Why do Computer Science graduates from Neumont University get 20% higher starting salaries than those at state universities? Julie Blake sits down with Brad Baldwin and explains why Neumont’s intensive, real-world, project-based curriculum is so attractive to the top tech recruiting companies. Students learn the current technology driving businesses issues today.
Students are mentored by the industry’s most distinguished faculty members, and receive advanced training in modeling, architecture, and business processes. In partnership with IBM and Microsoft, Neumont’s program places emphasis on students gaining fluency in WebSphere, .NET and Open Source development environments.
Robert Scoble’s Advice to News Outlets and Journalists
Robert Scoble, one of the most recognized voices on social media, shares his opinions on how traditional newspapers, like the Mercury News, and news outlets, CNN and BBC, must change to absorb the new “on-the-street” journalist. These new field correspondents can leverage their own blog, Flickr, YouTube, or yet-to-be-invented social media solutions to provide real-time news. Scoble relates a personal example of living in the bay area during the earthquake of 1989. At that time, the news was too centralized to the “hot” news spots, while the thousands of other locations around the Bay did not get covered — both good news (like, hey we’re okay in this part of town) and other trouble spots. Digital photos, cellular communications, broadband web connectivity, WordPress and Blogger.com are challenging news outlets. Scoble gives his recommendation of how these outlets — and the journalists struggling to keep their own jobs — need to change to include this new type of field correspondent. Between cell calls, Brad Baldwin talks to Robert while driving from San Francisco to PodTech’s new offices in Menlo Park.
Will it Blend? $50 Gets Six (6) Million Hits in Five (5) Days
George Wright, Marketing Director at Blendtec, invited us back stage for the filming of Blendtec’s next “Will it Blend” video. Currently YouTube’s #3 most watched video producer, Blendtec has found an amazing ROI for their $50 marketing spend. With over 6 million visitors to their WillitBlend.com web site in just five (5) short days, it’s been like hitting the mother-lode for the typically under-the-radar commercial small appliance manufacturer. More interesting than the awareness is Blendtec’s use of blogs, RSS, and comments from watchers/readers to feed future creative. And with over 10,000 comments from prospects in 10 days since their campaign launch, there’s certainly no shortage of ideas.
Tom Dickson, the chief actor and executive office at Blendtec, establishes trust through his “extreme blending” product demos and down-home personality. As Wright says, “what you see is what you get.” Destined to be an MBA business case classic, Blendtec spins up a brand-building showcase through its use of social media technology that even the hippest Madison Avenue firms are struggling to figure out.
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Podango CEO Lee Gibbons on Building a Podcast Delivery Platform
With the explosion of user-generated content, the power of RSS subscription and delivery, and cheap storage, Podango is jumping into the podcasting and videocasting space with a service that allows anyone to be a station director. Lee Gibbons, CEO of Podango, shares his vision on where the future of content deliver is going. He predicts a future where all content, not just the “hits,” will be able to find an audience big enough to support creative and delivery.
Podango plays in the space by offering a content distribution platform. Unlike a standard hosting services, Podango allows station directors to stake their claim and then use their passion and expertise to create, collect, manage, and publish channels. Podango also takes care of the tech confusion of RSS feed subscription for various systems like iTunes.
Podango’s business model is to monetize channels with advertisers seeking to reach specific audiences. Cool thing is that Podango shares a good chunk of the revenue with the station director. Still in beta, Podango is currently adding stations quickly. Interested in your own station, sign-up today.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: Perpetual Optimism and Concern Over US Education
Steve Ballmer, spoke at the UTC Hall of Fame, where Dr. Jim Kajiya of Microsoft Research was an inductee. Audio Podcast includes introduction from Utah Senator Orin Hatch, where Hatch exchanges blows about Hatch’s and Ballmer’s featured YouTube videos, and similarities. Ballmer spoke about what the technology world will look like over the next ten years, how Microsoft keeps their competitive edge and the philosophy that drives them to continue to bring products to the market, even if they are not the current leader.
Syndicated on PodTech Network. Click for the transcript.
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