SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 13, 2015—It knows how long skiers and riders have been standing in a lift line, and now it has the capability of giving them a head's up about lengthy wait times. Vail Resorts' latest EpicMix app addition, EpicMix Time, will give users access to real-time, up-to-the-minute wait times. The feature will be live across Vail Resorts' four Colorado resorts for the 2015-16 season, with information on 55 core lifts, with plans to expand the technology to its other ski areas in upcoming seasons.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 13, 2015—It knows how long skiers and riders have been standing in a lift line, and now it has the capability of giving them a head's up about lengthy wait times. Vail Resorts' latest EpicMix app addition, EpicMix Time, will give users access to real-time, up-to-the-minute wait times. The feature will be live across Vail Resorts' four Colorado resorts for the 2015-16 season, with information on 55 core lifts, with plans to expand the technology to its other ski areas in upcoming seasons.

"EpicMix Time delivers time transparency to our guests, showing them lift line wait times across the mountain, providing them with information to choose where to ski and ride, and giving them more time on the slopes," said Kirsten Lynch, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts.

To gather the data, Vail Resorts said, it is “applying unique and sophisticated analytics to anonymous location data generated by smart phones to calculate reliable information for our guests.” EpixMix accesses data from each user through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals. This “crowd-sourced” data is then calculated to provide estimated lift line wait times.

Robert Urwiler, Vail Resorts' executive vice president and chief information officer, said EpicMix Time is similar to apps showing traffic flow, like Google Maps or Waze.

EpicMix debuted in 2010 as an RFID-based system that allows skiers and riders to track their days on the slopes. The RFID chip in season passes and day tickets tracks vertical feet, number of lift rides and other data. Since then, EpicMix has expanded to include EpicMix Photo, delivering free digital photos through ski pass information; EpicMix Racing, recording digitized amateur racing statistics; EpicMix Academy, providing information and goals for guests enrolled in ski school; and EpicMix Guide and Challenges, allowing guests to navigate and compete against friends and family on the mountain.

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