Today we returned to ski the same backcountry peak we skied yesterday, the same one I wrote about, and posted photos of, right here at DolomiteSport. Unlike yesterday, the parking area was not empty, it had a couple of cars. Why? They saw 1) the turns from the road and 2) the post.
Together with friends we laughed at the power of the web – the post certainly got some traffic. But how does this broadcasting of experience really make you feel? We see info sprayed to followers for everything, and from this info we can gather our own necessary data to make decisions about where to go and what to do.
The example: You go ski a line, a peak, whatever. Your buddy posts how great it was on Facebook and others head over to poach what free lines remain.
Are you:
1) Psyched to see other people out
2) Feeling like your turf is being invaded and fully prepared for a territorial dispute
3) Going to de-Friend your friend on FB and un-follow on Twitter
4) Understanding that there is plenty of room for everyone and aware that you too glean heaps of info online
5) Could care less because you are headed to a sweet couloir that you saw on SuperTopo
6) Don’t understand what I am talking about because you came here looking for a Hotel in the Dolomites
No one seemed to mind and we actually knew the other skiers. There was peace and harmony when the groups crossed tracks. Nevertheless, as we were skinning a friend asked if we wanted to ski a secret tree stash tomorrow that is not in the new Sierra Backcountry Guide, “But no Facebook!”, he added. We are going, but you won’t be reading about it here. Eastern Sierra Privacy Laws.
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Comments 9
Author
The answer is 1 and 4, but truly, the terrain around here is huge and plentiful for powder addicts.
–Janine
I blog every time I’m going to run somewhere, expecting to make anyone interested to run in same place. But unfortunatly nobody is… 🙂
I’m joking, but actually in France, Facebook in less integrated in minds than in US.
(I have only 14 fans in 1 month ! : http://www.facebook.com/pages/runtheplanet/209918733756
-me included LOL)
So… no danger for me to see armies of runner in my running spots…
Author
Thanks for the comment. I think this site started the same way though, it was my enthusiasm for being somewhere I love being put into word to share the experience. Over time it actually began to influence a lot of people and tourists came to the Dolomites because of what we shared. They had an amazing time as well. We have even just helped some people plan a honeymoon in the Dolomites after they decided on the area from our site.
Ultimately, we want to share more than the locations, we want to inspire people to do things in the mountains. There are lots of people like yourself and us doing the same thing. Luckily, in Europe it is alreay so popular and influences the culture, but in the US… I think there is some additional work to do to make the culture more active and aware of the mountains. Some think this is a bad idea, to bring people to the mountains, I disagree.
Thanks again.
Dan
Never, ever publicize a stash by name until you have throughly skied it out!
Author
Uh, I have to tell you… there are moguls in your backyard. sorry ’bout that.
But tomorrow I will have a new back yard, no?
Author
Obviously you are not writing this from a snow survey cabin… are you AWOL?
#4
I think something depends in which are you live. As for here, in the Dolomites, as soon it’s snowing, we go out to carve some save paths for all our tourists and we let that know to the towns tourist offices what is ready or not:
Why we do that, is written here:
http://holimites.posterous.com/path-carving-for-ski-mountaineering-and-snows
But then, automatically the most people will skin or walk up on this paths, and the special spots, known by us locals, are save for some other days or weeks 😉
Igor