24 replies to this topic

[Lift Kid]

Hey all. Since it has become a huge aspect of this industry, lets talk about the hits and misses of Ski area websites and marketing! I'm curious to know what people look for in marketing and web design. Who do you think hit it home, and who struck out?

I'd like to start by saying kudos to the Copper Mountain designers. The new "old-school" look really does it for me! Appealing, simple, and retro. Great integration with the web and trail map.

I would also like to say that its time for Telluride to re-do their site. I love their logo with the axe pick as a "T" but they could do so much more with it. I'm tired of the wood-grain look.

[SkiBachelor]

Hoodoo Ski Area's website needs a face lift badly: http://hoodoo.com/

[Lift Kid]

That looks like it may actually be designed in Frontpage! Yikes.

On another note, I hate our new website...They implemented our website into the Park District's new site. Doesn't look like a ski area's site.

http://www.hylandski.com

This post has been edited by Lift Kid: 02 November 2009 - 09:36 AM

[Peter]

The new Jackson Hole site looks really good. http://www.jacksonhole.com

Killington has totally revamped its website and logo. http://www.killingto...nter/index.html

Some other good new ones:
http://www.grandtarghee.com/
http://www.ski49n.com/
http://www.mammothmountain.com/
http://www.skihood.com/

Some terrible sites:
http://www.skimarmot.com/
http://www.kirkwood....main.asp?pID=43
http://www.hoodoo.com
http://www.skigd.com/

[WBSKI]

The thing I can't stand most about ski resort websites is those that have awful quality trail maps or just an interactive map. Personally, I find looking at a PDF much nicer than clicking through an ugly interactive map.

Sun Peaks is the worst for this, as well as Marmot Basin.

Also bad: http://www.manningpark.com/

Cypress has a new website although it doesn't seem to be better/worse than the last one to me: http://cypressmountain.com/

[hoodoo]

I think Crested Butte has one of the best, clean with great pix, organized drop down menus so you don't get "lost"... really makes you want to check it out
http://www.skicb.com/cbmr/index.aspx

[zeedotcom]

Personally, of the ones listed above, I like Hoods the best.

In my opinion, a lot of these resorts have over complicated their websites. Personally, what I want to see on the front page is limited:
1. Current conditions/snowfall totals (Jackson does a great job of this, having it unobtrusive at the top. Hood has a nice box with it in)
2. Webcam: I want to see what it looks like right now. Hood has this right on the front page. Kirkwood is one click. Some resorts it is hard to find.
3. Current deals. They all seem to do this, but I don't need a 37 frame flash ad.
4. Well organized menu. Many of these websites are changing to a single bar with drop downs. This is great, but I should be able to find the trail map, or current conditions, or whatever, with one quick run through the menus and a single click. The number of websites that I have found where the trail map or webcams are in accessible is surprising to me. Hood has nice clean menus that show on mouse over, no extra clicks needed.
5. This time of year, depending on your niche, people are getting really itchy for snow. Everyone wants to know when you open (or at least hope to) and if it is looking good, if snowmaking has started, etc.

Located in the midwest this winter, I have noticed that a large variation in websites:
http://www.Cascademountain.com isn't too bad. Things are fairly accessible.
http://www.Skibrule.com is horriffic. They love to be the first to open each year, but they have their target date listed in regular print halfway down the page. Also poor layout in general.

One thing I would like to see more of, especially early season, is a is a map on the front page that has open runs highlighted, so that you can clearly see what is open.

But hey, this is the ski industry, we all know that how the mountain actually is, and how marketing sells it are two different things.

[WBSKI]

While it isn't downhill skiing related, bcnordic.com is an amazing site, which launched fairly recently. It does just about everything right in my opinion. The only thing is they don't seem to update it much but then there isn't much skiing in the summer.

[Andoman]

I know mt bohemia finally updated their site for the better. Mt Bohemia

[dh_lift_op]

Granite Peak sure has a nice site, but is a pain in the ass to navigate.

[liftmech]

Lift Kid, on 02 November 2009 - 07:54 AM, said:

I'd like to start by saying kudos to the Copper Mountain designers. The new "old-school" look really does it for me! Appealing, simple, and retro. Great integration with the web and trail map.

The techies finally did something right, eh? Actually, I think most of us here like the new approach, especially the resurrection of the original logo. I have one jacket from that era, and many new employees have asked me where they can get one. Until this year, I had to tell them they were too late :) And don't forget that everyone deserves a snow day™.

[dh_lift_op]

As mentioned in another forum, Blackjack in the UP has also been revamped! Anyone who remembers the old site knows what I'm talking about!

[Kicking Horse]

I like the Aspen Snowmass Site... In fact I made it on to the front page where the sideshow is. I'm pretty happy about that... Here's a screenshot of it. I'm sure they will take it out of the loop sometime soon.

Attached File(s)

•  pic3.jpg (464.52K)
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[SkiBachelor]

You don't have employee vests/jackets at Aspen?

[Kicking Horse]

That is 1 of 2 jackets that we get. I'll try and get a photo of the me wearing the jackets this weekend. it's gonna be crazy this weekend.

[boardski]

Steamboat's website no longer lists exactly which lifts are running and which runs are open. At least this information is no longer easy to find. This is a feature I appreciate about Winter Park and Copper's websites. I like to know exactly what is open before I make the trip (and I may still make the trip anyway even if conditions are crummy). I'd rather the information be detailed and honest than to get to the area and find less open (ie 4 lifts open and this includes 3 beginner conveyor belts) than expected. Steamboat had this feature on its website in the past, not sure why the change.

[liftlurker]

boardski, on 02 December 2009 - 01:12 AM, said:

Steamboat's website no longer lists exactly which lifts are running and which runs are open. At least this information is no longer easy to find. This is a feature I appreciate about Winter Park and Copper's websites. I like to know exactly what is open before I make the trip (and I may still make the trip anyway even if conditions are crummy). I'd rather the information be detailed and honest than to get to the area and find less open (ie 4 lifts open and this includes 3 beginner conveyor belts) than expected. Steamboat had this feature on its website in the past, not sure why the change.

Link:

http://steamboat.com...lsAndLifts.html

[boardski]

liftlurker, on 04 December 2009 - 12:52 PM, said:

Link:

http://steamboat.com...lsAndLifts.html

Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for. A litte harder to pull up from the website than last year but now I'll just use the link you sent. Thanks again!

[spunkyskier01]

Although there is still allot of room for improvement, Killingtons new web site is a far cry from the cluster f$#% it used to be.

http://www.killingto...nter/index.html

[Allan]

Our site was just re-designed... http://www.redresort.com