SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 31, 2010-Vail Resorts is launching EpicMix, an online and mobile application that lets guests at the company's five resorts digitally capture their ski and ride experiences and share them. "EpicMix takes the fun of playing and sharing online and marries it with the very real experience of skiing and riding," said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts.

Guests can access EpicMix online, at their computer or via a free mobile application that can be downloaded for the iPhone, Android or other smart phone. The app automatically captures the activity of guests throughout each of its resorts, via radio frequency (RF) scanners that are being installed at each of the five areas' combined 89 lifts. An RF-enabled chip embedded in Vail Resorts' season passes and Peaks multi-day lift tickets will automatically track guests' lift rides, calculating vertical feet skied and days on the mountain.

EpicMix will recognize special achievements and accomplishments by granting guests commemorative, collectible digital pins. There will be hundreds of available digital pins available, to recognize a multitude of unique experiences that can be achieved at each resort.

EpicMix will allow guests to share their statistics and accomplishments through updates on Twitter and Facebook; guests can create special EpicMix leader boards with their Facebook friends. The mobile app will also alert guests when any of their Facebook friends are skiing, and where they are on the mountain. The application will also allow guests to send messages to their private groups of Facebook friends on the mountain.

The mobile app will also provide trail and grooming information, snow and weather reports, resort news and traffic updates.

For kids under age 14, EpicMix will also have a special website that will connect them with their parents' accounts, but will have kid-specific content, and unique pins only kids can earn. The kids' site also will have special privacy restrictions. Parents will also be able to track the lift rides of their kids in real time.

Concerned about privacy, perhaps? VR says that no information collected through EpicMix will be shared, unless a guest "opts in" and specifically chooses to. Guests can also choose to disable the RF chip to prevent any scanning. Children under 14 participating in EpicMix will have limited features and a connection only to their parents' account.

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