Ski Resort Hopeful New Digital Screens Help Skiers & Snowboarders
WINTER PARK, Colo. (CBS4) - Winter Park Resort just unveiled new technology to help skiers and snowboarders learn their surroundings.
The new digital screens on the chair lifts surprised the Hunt family who is visiting from Georgia.
The resort is testing out the first-of-its-kind technology on five chairs right now with hopes to install the screens on all their lifts in the future.
"This is 22nd century technology and it's super cool," said Jim Hunt.
This isn't like a chairlift you've ever been on before. Batteries help power several small screens that display maps of the mountain, Colorado Department of Transportation traffic cameras and other important information.
Alpine Media Technology is a Colorado company with the patented concept. They hope the tests this season at Winter Park will help them convince resorts elsewhere to add the system.
Currently five chairs on Mary Jane's Super Gauge Express have the screens as part of the pilot program.
The screens are automatically recharged as they pass through the lift terminals. They eventually will be able to talk to each other allowing the resort to put up safety and missing skier information fast.
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.
