Every seasoned skier has their end-of-season checklist. Storage wax? Check. Batteries pulled from all the avalanche gear? Check. Boot liners drying after that closing-day pond skim? Check. A slick season recap of vertical feet, total days skied, and a leaderboard to see how you stacked up? If you’re riding at Powder Mountain, Utah—check.
“Unpacked” is Powder Mountain’s season stats feature introduced last year for its pass holders. Think Spotify Wrapped meets Strava, tailored for skiers. It lets users geek out over their season metrics while also tapping into a sense of friendly rivalry. Unlike other resort apps like Vail’s “Epic Mix,” Unpacked doesn’t require a download—just enter your pass number on the website and your data is all there, neatly visualized and leaderboard-ready.
The addition of a public leaderboard takes the experience from reflective to competitive. “The opportunity here is our ability to gamify the entire resort, and create new and unique trophy categories as our data-reporting expands, said Liam Goslett, Powder Mountain’s Creative Director. “Our community has responded really well to our initial release, so now we get to start having even more fun with it.” Goslett explains. With other stat reviews, it was all about personal accomplishment. How many trophies could someone earn? Could they beat their personal best? Now, there is a new competitive element driven not only by the spirit of competition, but by real-world rewards as well.
Riders who compete for categories such as “most days skied” have the chance to win prizes for their dedication to riding Powder Mountain. “Our most dedicated riders this year were rewarded with guided trips through DMI for them and their friends, day passes to bring friends, their names on a billboard, and we’ll be starting a Wall of Glory where the leader’s names will be memorialized each year,” Goslett shared. With these incentives, riders are sure to push themselves to go for the gold.
One year in, Unpacked is still evolving, but the response has laid a strong foundation. Powder Mountain is currently using the data collected from this first year of use and is looking to elevate the guest experience even more. “For now, our focus is taking the learnings from this first year to make Unpacked even better for our passholders going forward,” Goslett said. “It’s clear from the reception that people loved using it—now it’s on us to level up the fun each year.” With more features on the horizon, Unpacked looks set to become a highlight of the Powder Mountain experience.
