Industry News
Navigating your way around a big ski resort can be quite difficult, especially when it is your first time there or the weather is nasty. Europe’s third-largest ski region, Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn Skicircus in Austria, has created a new straight forward slope guidance system. With a tongue-twisting name like that we sure appreciate the simplicity of their navigation system.
Saalbach Skicircus is made up of ten alphanumeric sections that are all arranged on a map in a clockwise fashion for easy interpretation and navigation. As you may imagine, building a whole new guidance system from scratch can be quite difficult but they have put everything into it and all the key elements are figured out.
- 10 alphanumerical skiing zones – positioned clockwise around the ski area
- Colors and shapes – for difficulty levels, safety, attractions… accessible for all
- Pictograms – simple symbols for fast comprehension
- Signposts – warnings, turn-offs with panoramas, distant destinations, and attractions
- Slope markings – with emergency phone numbers on the back
- Panorama boards – general overview at the valley stations, detailed view at the top
- Alphanumerical station names
- Detailed panorama boards – at the exits
- Portals at the lift entrances – with location, slope information, and routes
Simple is the name of the game with this new navigation system. The ski region wants visitors to be able to easily navigate their way around the different sections of the resort without the aid of technology, but for those who prefer using an App for navigation on the mountain, the ALPIN CARD NAVIGATOR will soon be available.
Even though the United States doesn’t boast big “ski circuses” like Europe, this new navigation system may be a great addition to some of the larger areas like Big Sky, Montana or Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia.
