Whiteface Website

[mark]

Hello everyone,

nice community you have here.

i was just hired by orda as the webmaster for whiteface and orda sites. i'm in the process of assessing the sites.

any feedback / comments you have (what you like / don't like, anything you would like to see...) about the whiteface site would be very helpful and appreciated).

don't hold back now :)

looking forward to chatting further

- mark

[NPN]

Congrats on the job, and welcome.

One of my biggest gripes about the site is the pathetic web cam situation. As you'll find out the main problem is a matter of domain rights, but I can't believe something can't be figured out to solve this nightmare.

Thanks for asking, and good luck!

[highpeaksdrifter]

I'd like to see updates on progress on Lookout Mt. All the website says is scheduled to open next season. It would be nice to know when the chairlift is going in, snowmaing, stuff like that.

You found your way to this forum, but an easy to find link, explaining what it is would be nice.

As NPN said, thank you for asking.

[Harvey44]

Skiers want conditions. Put them upfront. Don't make us dig.

How many clicks is it to the conditions for the unbookmarked masses?

When you type "Jay Peak" into Google (in winter) click on any link. The title tags for the home page tell you the story before the graphics can even load...."8 to 12 in the forecast for today"...or whatever.

Mark...do you have anything to do with the Gore site?

Also update the slides constantly and put it on the homepage.

[Denison]

Whiteface web cam should be relocated to the mid station restaurant and point at likes of Mountain Run
I doubt that this is webmaster's job though...

I'd like to put a nice whiteface picture om my PC desktop but current selection is quite pathetic: http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/multimedia/desktops.php[/url]

[snowman]

Hi Mark, I hope your new job treats you well!

There was a thread a little while back about the site -
http://forums.skiadk.com/viewtopic.php?t=1672&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc

I really like the way Jay and Mad River Glen have current info on the first page - it is the place to go in the morning for info for the day. Bridget's updates are good, but we need something in text in the morning. It also make you feel like part of the community.
http://www.jaypeakresort.com/en/jay_peak/
http://www.madriverglen.com/

Pictures - need current pictures, as many as possible - and, yeah, the web cam is pretty weak. It is cool to look at at around 4:00 when people are on the deck, but other then that, it really doesn't show much.

Also, bring this forum home - lets get rid of the Sugarbush ads. :-P

[mark]

thanks for your feedback everyone.

good to be here.

i'll address your comments one at a time on the board or offline.

keep them coming. it's great to hear your concerns

regards,
mark

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Hi Mark,

Good to have you, and great news that WF and ORDA are getting more serious about web content.

Most of my comments are in the link provided to you above, as well as the post I just posted the other day (http://forums.skiadk.com/viewtopic.php?t=1853). I agree that the webcam should be moved (somewhere that would provide a nice view of the mountain....lower gondola tower?).

Good luck and don't worry about pleasing everyone (it won't happen...), but please make all of my changes (it better happen!!! :wink: ).

Thanks!

[mark]

hello npn,

we are currently working on getting a new web cam up and running. we have a few choice locations picked out and just need to work out the technical issues.

thanks for your input,

mark

[Adirondackskier]

Hey Mark,
thanks for asking the forum their opinion for web enhancements. I agree with everyone's remarks on the board.
Very cool!

[mark]

hello highpeaksdrifter,

i'm having our editor write up a current status.

hopefully by the end of the day it should be posted.

have a look at the link below, later on today or tomorrow morning for an update.

http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/onmtn.php

thanks
mark

[mark]

Harvey44,

excellent suggestion!!! (conditions on homepage...)

might be a little tricky to implement however well worth it.

will see what i can do for 08-09 season.

presently i'm only responsible for whiteface.com and orda.org

thanks
mark

[mark]

Denison,

working on the webcam. sorry for the totally lame current spot...

we recently did a photoshoot - end of the season 08, we have some really great shots. will release new desktop images at beginning of 08-09 season

thanks
mark

[mark]

snowman,

thanks for the post, actually that post about the outdated content is what inspired me to get moving on this.

all great points, community is exactly the direction we want to head into...

thanks
mark

[mark]

ComeBackMudPuddles,

thanks for the post the other day. it's the reason why i'm here now. at this point you and the other folks on the board probably know the site better than i do. i'm still just getting a grasp on things here.

thanks for the kind words.

mark

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

have a look at the link below, later on today or tomorrow morning for an update.

http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/onmtn.php



Hi Mark,

Dig the map and info on Lookout Mt. Any word on Porcupine Lodge? ETA?

Thanks.

[mark]

ComeBackMudPuddles,

i'm learning a lot from you guys - haven't heard of the lodge until now. so i had to ask around a bit.

there are long term plans of restoring and opening the lodge.

at this point we have no timeframe carved in stone.

m.

[mikeharo]

Mark,

Congratulations on the new position.

I disagree with providing more information about The Slides. Perhaps there is a way to provide users with enough information to make an educated decision about when they may be opened but providing details about conditions, in my opinion, is not a great idea.

When we go into the backcountry of the High Peaks, we don't get up to date conditions reports. Instead, we read what little information in other trip reports we can find and trust our snow stability tests and knowledge. If The Slides are to be truly considered a bc area, keep details out of it. When they are open, they are open; too bad you drove 10 hours expecting them to be open and they were not (besides you didn't just skin 10 miles into the woods to find high slide conditions, you rode a lift and there is a whole mountain to ski).

Also, more information about the Adative School would be great. I know of at least one athlete from Whiteface going for a Paralympic spot at Vancouver. Anyway, you (Whiteface) have a great Adaptive Program, give readers some more information about it.

Thank you for reading. We appreciate your concern and your interest.
Mike

[Harvey44]

I mentioned wanting more info on the slides. I'm not advocating true detailed conditions reporting. Some basics could be very useful. If ORDA knows that "slides are closed for the season" post it, as soon as you know it, in a visible spot. Might save some people (me maybe) some driving. I was at the mountain this year on 4/9 the day after the last day the slides opened. We had a great day. But I made the drive for a shot at the slides.

Maybe it would be impossible to save me that drive this year. Maybe not. When you go into the backcountry it's your call if a slide is "closed." At WF you're subject to ORDA rules.

[snowman]

I agree with Harvey44 about post info about the slides. There is always a bit of frustration when they are open (days and times). That is something that should be avoided. One has to look to places like this forum for info, instead of the web site.

[tjf67]

I have learned to move around the web sight too get all the info I am looking for.
SOmething that I would like to see more of are daily pictures. There is a ton of good shots to be had up here but they never make the web sight.

Othere hills look in much better shape cause they post pics. For me the point is mute I know what to expect but for the customer coming up a couple of hours it would make a differance. If I was in my office in NYC and looked at the Vermont mountain pics and then looked at ours I would skip NY and head to vermont.

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Mark,

Another comment - I cannot stress how awful the online trail map is....Not only should it be more legible, but one shouldn't have to wait 5 minutes for the open trails to scroll by.

Thanks.

[mark]

thank you everyone for your wonderful feedback. i'm keeping track of all this. - keep it coming.

ps.- i completely agree the trail map is a high way up on m list :)


m.

[highpeaksdrifter]

http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/img/winter0708/header_top.jpg

We need a new pic that shows the new trails on the mountain.

[ssface]

Hi Mark,
I agree with just about everything said so far.

. Jay Peak does a great job of daily communicating the current/expected conditions up front...that is what is most important to skiers. Jay Peak seems to be right on top of this everyday.They send an email daily to those who sign up. Perhaps our 'Alive at Five' boys (Pat and Joe) could update the web site early in the AM just as they do for the Coke phone, etc. Burke Mt. in Vt. does a good job on this also.
. Trail map needs 'work'
. Web Cam needs improvement
. The Slides opening/closing is a tough one since it varies by the hour. However, it should be communicated via web site right away. Almost to the point of when it is announced in the lodge the web site should be updated also by the same person.
. Too bad the Ski Patrol couldn't be interactive with the web site and update the trail conditions realtime when they create and distribute their hardcopy report 'x' times throughout the day. I think it is all done 'by hand' right now. If they had a PC application to enter trail conditions it could be fed to the web site. Also, the hard copy print out would be easier to read coming from a PC and not handwritten.

Just some thoughts ....have fun!!!

[NPN]

[quote="ssface"]'Alive at Five' boys quote

Now that's funny, but you've gotta' luv' the service those guys provide.

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

mark,

any word on when we might expect an overhauled website?

thanks.

[CUskibum]

Hey Mark,

Whiteface already has a "photo of the day" posted on the website, but you can't enlarge it to see it better, and there is no archive of it. I thought that Alta did a nice job with this. www.alta.com They also let people submit photos to be posted and kept in the archive.

The site needs a snow/trail report that comes up as a panel on the homepage with weather and conditions. But do not get rid of the trail map with open/closed trails (just like there is now).

A photo background from the homepage would be cool too (like Jay Peak's), but that might be more than you want to change.

Good Luck and thanks for listening...

[nyspnypd]

Hi,Mark

I would say the webcam is an issue. And the slideshow should be created for the 08/09 season I liked them but as of 06/07 they were never created that would be nice and I thought it was neat to look at shots over the summer from the past years. :)

[toofaraway]

Will The Wizard of Oz please step out from behind the curtain and address the audience.

[mark]

greetings and hello,


here's a quick status:
working on getting the new web-cam mounted at mid-station. should be good to go shortly.
new desktops here http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/multimedia/desktops.php.
had a glitch with photo of the day - working out a better solution
website redo - working on it. not looking like a launch this winter. hang in there -
trailmap has been updated
masthead includes new trails (just right of the slides) - can't wait to ski them...

cheers and see you on the slopes
mark

[Snowballs]

yo mark, anyway of getting which lifts are running on the trail report or the Bridget Widget ? we live in the lake george region and would like to know if the kids kampus chair is running before we drive way up there. seems to me that lift info should be s.o.p. and would serve others as well. also, anyway of getting trail reports the night before?

by the way, the Bridget Widget thing is cool. we love her tricks. it's a fav w/the kids.

[mark]

http://prance.com/iprance/whiteface/snowreport.asp

here is a link to the snow report

the lift report is towards the bottom

hope this helps

thanks
mark

[Snowballs]

it does.

gracias!

[Adirondackskier]

you can also click on the second button from the upper left on the Prance conditions map. http://prance.com/iprance/whiteface/liftmap.asp
red = closed
yellow= hold
green= open

[Snowballs]

right. saw that. thank you adks.

[NPN]

Mark, nice new pan-o-ramic view on the home page.

Gets you into a major jones for that multiple fall line on the Wilmington Tail.

I, for one, truly appreciate your efforts, and can't wait to see a new web cam locate.

Thanks again!