STEEP

MANAGEMENT

Smart Technology For Mountain Operations

Steep is your destination for the best mountain ops technology solutions, representing three premier tools to improve efficiency, workflow, and staff satisfaction.

From equipment to safety, staff to slopes, Steep has you covered.

Resort management software for mountain infrastructure

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Slope management and optimization software and services

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Geospatial software for patrol and mountain dispatch

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Contact


Bob Ackland, Managing Partner backland@steepmanagement.com

SLOPE MANAGEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION SOFTWARE
AND SERVICES

Not just a snow depth measurement tool, ARENA is so much more. Analyzing snow depth measurement data (from ARENA or other measurement tech), along with historical snowfall and snowmaking data, ARENA’s consulting services create tailor-made strategies for the optimal use of resources. Leveraging data often untouched after its initial use, ARENA takes slope management to a new level, giving teams more foresight to make objective decisions in snowmaking and grooming. 

THE RESULTS:

  • 20% cost savings in water and energy

  • $860 in savings per acre of slope 

  • A return on investment within the first year of use.

  • Basis for further investments in slope corrections and snowmaking systems.

“By partnering with ARENA, we achieved a significant reduction of resources at a constant and high level of quality.”

BERGBAHN AG GASTEIN Innerhofer, CEO

WHAT SETS ARENA APART?

Measurements alone are not all that useful if you do not leverage them to create a more sustainable snowmaking plan. With ARENA Slope Management, essential adaptations for future winter seasons can be derived from this treasure trove of data. ARENA’s master planning team of piste management experts offers this support with enormous savings potential.  

SEASON 1

In-depth snow depths are defined in advance in the master plan and then compared with the actual condition of the slopes throughout the entire season, using snow depth measurement data. 

SEASON 2

Previous season data is paired with natural snow level averages and ARENA provides a master plan for snowmaking with up to 20% reductions in resources and energy.

BEYOND

Annual seasonal meetings initiate a continuous improvement process. Depending on resort requirements, ARENA also provides additional analyses and advice in the area of investment planning and terrain adaptation.

ARENA SLOPE MANAGEMENT TOOLS

  • · State-of-the-art smart antenna technology allows for measurement down to the centimeter for precise snow depth analysis.

    · Fewer components equal lower maintenance.

    · Geospatial system is compatible with all groomers.

    · Continuously updated snow levels show current shortages and surpluses of snow.

    · 3D visualization is displayed clearly.

    · Data can be viewed in real-time historically for future planning.

  • · Interface allows for analysis of combined natural snow height data and snowmaking data.

    · Interface can integrate with other snow depth measuring systems.

  • · ARENA slope management experts pull and analyze snow depth data from natural snow and snowmaking to identify areas of improvement.

    · ARENA creates a master snowmaking plan to reduce snowmaking resources by up to 20%.

    · Annual seasonal meetings initiate a continuous improvement process.

    · ARENA can provide additional analyses and advice for investment planning and terrain adaptation.

SKI RESORT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FOR MOUNTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE

Get organized, save time, increase productivity, and boost staff morale. Mountain Office is the ultimate multi-tool for managing mountain operations – from maintenance to inventory, task managing to documentation.

Mountain Office is a ski-specific database application that provides operators with a complete overview of mountain operations — lifts, snowmaking, vehicles & grooming.

Some key functions include:

  • Automates maintenance schedules

  • Documents completed maintenance

  • Manages staff schedules and work orders

  • Provides clear instructions and checklists for tasks

  • Connects staff notes and instructions to work orders

  • Logbook can record data and signatures, stops, and station assignments

  • Custom dashboards reflect a user’s specific needs

  • Information is easy to review, export, and store as needed

  • Hosts inventory of machines and tools

“Task managing, daily logs, maintenance scheduling, and long-term planning made easier and organized.”

NATHAN DORWARD Revelstoke, B.C., Mechanical Services Manager

Mountain Office might be for you if you want to increase efficiency, eliminate paper from paperwork, keep information and staff organized, and close liability holes so you and your team can focus on the product and customer experience.

“MountainOffice is a modern tool for ski resorts that provides organization to capture and document maintenance and other activities, from lubrication on a sheave assembly to the documentation of external oil tests for gears, reports of safety checks, or grip force tests. Everything can be managed and captured very easily with MountainOffice, even for lift operators or maintenance staff, with a minimum of paperwork.”

GEORG UNTERSTEINER Kronplatz Ski Resort, Italy, VP of Operations

GEOSPATIAL SOFTWARE FOR SKI PATROL AND MOUNTAIN DISPATCH

SmartMountain helps collect, organize, and share information vital to maintaining snow safety and improving ski patrol operations in ski areas. It provides ski lift status in real-time and geospatial incident tracking and time-stamped incident data.

Key functions include:

  • Geospatial incident tracking

  • Incident documentation

  • Automated time-stamping for incident reporting

  • Unique dispatch dashboards, formatted in-house

  • Real-time lift status

  • Roster management

  • Ski patrol work order and activity status management

  • Accident investigation tools

  • Immediate access to forms and procedures

Ultimately, SmartMountain creates transparency, clarity, and efficiency in operations and incident management with easily accessible and well-managed documentation.

"SmartMountain has been a reliable partner for tracking data for everything from avalanche paths to skier incidents. We love the ability to customize the programming to meet our operational needs, rather than having to adapt our operations to fit the software. In addition to supporting ski patrol needs, Smart Mountain has great applications for infrastructure planning and mapping, as well."

DREW KNEELAND Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Ski Patrol Director

SmartMountain, developed by Earth Analytic, is scalable to ski areas small or large. The information gained from Smart Mountain will allows for more informed decision-making and risk assessment. Whether it be skier incidents, avalanche mitigation, terrain assessment, patroller performance, or on hill work assignments, Smart Mountain provides visual feedback instantly. Visualize a day, a week, or a year of metrics instantly with SmartMountain.

SMART MOUNTAIN TOOLS

  • The dispatch and risk module leverages Esri’s Survey 123 for ArcGIS, providing an intuitive survey-form and data-driven workflow for point feature collection and reporting. Data collected with SmartMountain Survey apps are integrated with one or more SmartMountain modules, providing real-time or later synchronized workflows for data collection and integration.

  • The avalanche module provides the ability to document, track, and analyze slope conditions with one tool. Real-time data entry removes the need for logbooks or spreadsheets. Centralized and well-organized data assists in recognizing and evaluating patterns, resulting in more thoughtful planning and informed predictions, leading to savings and more precise use of explosives. It also provides detailed current and historical weather patterns for visualizing & prediction.

  • Smart Mountain for patrol supports real-time data entry during incidents removing the need for logbooks or spreadsheets. Smart Mountain also includesaccident investigation, risk management, and snow safety training tools. The web and mobile application suite provides editing and data collection tools for mapping incidents of all kinds. Together these tools increase safety by minimizing accidents through pattern analysis of incidents.

  • A database of records allows for centralized and organized data to assist in recognizing and evaluating patterns, resulting in more thoughtful planning and informed predictions. Rapid, intuitive retrieval of current and historical data (accessible on or offsite) improves decision-making at all levels of management.

    Access to organized data can reduces risk and potential lawsuits and support visualization of current and future mountain infrastructure (e.g. Gazex explosives locations, forest thinning, designing new runs, parking, etc.).

    Resorts customize their own Dispatch Dashboard to include what they’d like from on-hill incidents to missing persons, departmental work details to rosters.