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TECHNOLOGY
various crimes. That means local law enforcement is able having it as a tool going forward, whether it’s for recovering
to alert the ski area in real-time if a flagged vehicle enters stolen equipment or for any thing else. Hopefully it helps us
the ski area. out in the future.” —Colin Bane
Perfect North hasn’t received any complaints
or concerns about the new system, Davis said. “We were
really sensitive about what the perception might be— Chairlift Video Surveillance:
whether our guests would feel it was a violation of privacy—
but thankfully no one has brought it up at all. I think, above Old Technology, New Incentives

all, the additional sense of security, to the extent that any Video surveillance at chairlift loading and unloading stations LESS WAITING.
guest is even aware of it, has been reassuring. Especially for may not be new, but it’s finally being embraced across the
those guests we’ve recovered stolen equipment for!” he said. country, and its growth has been significant in the last few
Another resort, Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Mont., also years. Now, with huge new tax advantages specifically for MORE REVENUE.
installed a full security camera package with LPRs in October, such surveillance, expect its use to grow even more.
working with a company called exacqVision. Bob Pettit, By way of background, two ski areas—Sugar Bowl,
Bridger’s GM, says his team had already been discussing Calif., and Bear Creek, Penn.—initiated the innovative use
whether or not to include LPRs with the new security system of video surveillance at chairlift terminals several years ago.
when a snowboard thief messed with the wrong guy. (For more on the pros and cons of video surveillance at
“Last season we had a few days of stuff being stolen, chairlifts, see “A Watchful Eye on Lift Safety,” Convention
which honestly is pretty rare here,” Pettit said. “Ironically 2017, NSAA Journal.) Now, nearly two dozen ski areas have
enough, one of the first things stolen in that little spree was followed suit, as the cost of the technology (video cameras,
our security camera guy’s snowboard. By then it was maybe long-term storage capacity, fiber/copper service with lifts,
a little bit personal.” etc.) has dropped significantly in the last decade.
As with Perfect North, at Bridger Bowl the LPR cameras Besides the dramatic drop in the cost of the infrastructure,
catch every license plate coming and going on the one-way ski areas are realizing there is real value in investing in this
loop through the resort. “We’re also using a series of time- surveillance. One of the best reasons is its use for minimiz-
stamped, networked cameras upstream so that it’s now very ing legal exposures in lift loading or unloading claims—these
easy to follow a sequence of events if it comes to needing to claims make up a not insignificant amount of overall claims
do any kind of investigation,” Pettit added. “It’s too soon to against ski resorts. Also, surveillance video in these instances
say how effective it will be, but we’re looking forward to also almost always prevents the drawn-out “he said/she said”
in discovery and litigation
that often comes with such
Crystal Mountain claims. “Let’s go to the tape”
Loon Mountain is often the best way to see
if the guest, or the atten-
Brundage Mt. Snow dant, could have avoided

Powder Mountain Bear Creek Wachusett the incident.
Winter Park Camelback Importantly, ski areas
Sugar Bowl Perfect North are using many video clips
Sunlight
Arapahoe Basin Snowshoe with lift incidents to train,
Wolf Creek Boyne Gatlinburg Sugar Mountain and re-train, lift attendants
Angel Fire on what to watch for and
to anticipate in loading and
unloading environments.
Moreover, with employee
surveillance of any kind,
employees tend to adhere to
Video surveillance at chairlift policies and protocols when
loading and unloading stations they know their actions may
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32 | NSAA JOURNAL | WINTER 2019

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