 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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^ was it on?
I checked out the online version but it's only playing at something like double speed and I got fed up watching it on fast forward with squeaky diddy men voices - hopefully they'll fix it!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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All this chatter is very exciting. Had to have cartilage tear in my knee done last Wednesday, so just hoping my newly operated-on knee is ready in time for the opening! Seems such a long time since building began looking out at it from the JJB gym - even the roof looks good enough to ski on!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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sharon1953,
Ha ha, funny you should say that!! There is a funny story about someone driving past on the way to a meeting at CFe, and saying to his colleague - "Looks great - but how will they stop people falling off the sides?"!!!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| beanie1 wrote: |
sharon1953,
Ha ha, funny you should say that!! There is a funny story about someone driving past on the way to a meeting at CFe, and saying to his colleague - "Looks great - but how will they stop people falling off the sides?"!!! |
Wow!
You mean they're going to let people ski on the roof as well? That's a quick way of doubling the income.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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New website was obivously produced by marketers in hyperdrive
the "angled" look is quite stylish I'll admit but doesn;t make it easy to read
there's NO mention of prices anywhere on the site
The NEWS and SPECIAL EVENTS links don't have any content in so both come with with "undefined" all over the place
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don't think it's quite finished yet... Not sure i like the slanty writing either.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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yea, the sites not great....
I really want to know the prices for tution....
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I can only assume that the ‘sloping’ writing is meant to be a representation of the slope itself! A bit cheesy really, I guess the design team were going for novelty rather than quality. Odd that they didn’t put the price list on as a priority, this is the first thing most people will want to know, especially as they have managed to get the booking form sorted!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| sharon1953 wrote: |
| I can only assume that the ‘sloping’ writing is meant to be a representation of the slope itself! |
If it is then they've made a major boo-boo as it slopes upwards as you read it not downwards. I wanna ski down a slope not up it!!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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lol, ah well, I guess they were looking at from the view point of the button lift 
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Thu 11-10-07 21:27; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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the lucky so and so's!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Toboggan run looks fun 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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funny when he falls off lol
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Chewy's laugh is fantastic. Funniest thing I've seen all night 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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beanie1, sorry to sound like a moaner but I think the new website is awful (and I've spent the last 7/8 years in web development/design and now teach it) - don't like it for all the reasons posted above plus lots of info seems to be missing, links leading to nothing is dreadfully frustrating and a real turn off for users. This is something I've seen before with poorly conceived Flash websites (Cairngorm Mountain did it last season and had to get the whole thing redesigned again), all bang and fizz (but this time at an almost unreadable angle for some crazy reason) but little in the way of content and usability/accessibility thrown out the window (the latter now a legal requirement by the way and rather ironic given the Disability Snowsport UK logos all over the site).
Anyway, because I'm keen I'll persevere but I guess there are some out there who'll give up on it, including many disabled people who'll not even get started I'm afraid.
Nice to see the YouTube videos though, first time I've seen people skiing/boarding in hard hats and reflective jackets LOL - thanks for the link 
BTW, there's nothing in detail about lessons on the site - specifically how young do they take kids?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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roga,
Interesting comments, I will pass them on. That's interesting what you say about accessibility for disabled people, it's not something I'd thought about with regard to websites, although working in property implications of DDA are at the forefront of my mind in terms of physical accessibility. Evidently the designers must have been aware of this though.
Must say I agree that the website is bad - made me feel quite sick when i read it for 15 mins. I expect to see changes soon!
Yeah - I'm loving the hard hats and vis vest look - I think they'll set a new trend for 08 season!! I'll find out about kids.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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roga, It's age 6 for group lessons, age 3 for private. I'm assuming that's for ski.
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beanie1, of the 4 ski full-timers, how many are ISTD? And are the ISIAs BASI Ski Teachers, CSIA III, APSI, NZSIA, Landesschilehrer etc or what?
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slikedges,
Don't know for sure, I'll find out. But I think the answer is - one of the 4 is ISTD and the other 3 ISIA. Not sure about the BASI / other qual split - although i know a lot of applicants for part time jobs were not BASI. There are also 2 ISTD in management roles, who although not full time instructors will do some teaching.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| beanie1 wrote: |
roga,
Interesting comments, I will pass them on. That's interesting what you say about accessibility for disabled people, it's not something I'd thought about with regard to websites, although working in property implications of DDA are at the forefront of my mind in terms of physical accessibility. Evidently the designers must have been aware of this though. |
A lot aren't to be honest and there are a lot of them (particularly working with Flash) who just ignore it. The chances of getting prosecuted under the DDA for a website are very slim indeed but being a sports establishment, particularly with links to disabled sports, make it slightly more likely I'd imagine - particularly if someone decided to make a fuss.
There are a couple of issues that hit me and should be obvious to any designer worth their salt. First is the fact it's a Flash site - they may have been aware of the DDA and may have created alternative text for everything but my guess would be they haven't - ask them to test it with a screenreader (used by the blind), I'll bet it's a nightmare to navigate
The other is the layout and readability of the site which to a number of people here, including myself, who I am guessing are fully sighted seems to be problematic. Now think of someone who is partially sighted and you'll be able to imagine what a nightmare the site would be.
Bottom line is that a site like this is likely to frustrate and scare users away, some of them disabled, and could conceivably loose Chill Factore business to boot - not really a very good end result I'd suggest.
There are many related issues, too many to go into here, but these are the two main things that are absolutely obvious to me straight away. I'm just a bit gobsmacked the designers thought they could get away with it to be honest!
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| Must say I agree that the website is bad - made me feel quite sick when i read it for 15 mins. I expect to see changes soon! |
Good 
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| Yeah - I'm loving the hard hats and vis vest look - I think they'll set a new trend for 08 season!! |
Oh I can just imagine Victoria Beckham in her Armani hard hat and vest
Thanks for finding out about the kids too - I'm interested for when we visit because I have a 4 year old and whilst it's good they do privates it's a shame they don't do proper sessions like Tamworth do, that'd be perfect.
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Thanks, Roga, all v interesting!
I've also found about kids' boarding - minium age is 8, but it's really dependent on size of child and if they are big enough for the smallest hire kit.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Date now appears to be 16th November for grand opening!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Although slope will open to general public in 16th, it will be open to members a week earlier. This is so staff are broken in gently before the huge enslaught! This info is only being quietly publicised...
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| beanie1 wrote: |
| Although slope will open to general public in 16th, it will be open to members a week earlier. .. |
What do you mean by members. I cant find any reference to membership on that stupid web site
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You know it makes sense.
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I have just tried to ring up to find out about membership but keep on getting the out of office reply saying that the office is not open until 9:00. I will post details when i get through to them as the members week sounds interesting.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Right then, I have just spoken to someone there and there is a members week which opens on the 9th. Membership is £100 but i was told that they cant process anything at the moment so just to turn up on the 9th and get it all sorted then.
I also asked what was needed for a membership application but she couldnt tell me for definate as things are still being finalised so reccommended that I rang up a few days before just to check everything.
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Poster: A snowHead
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punts, that's interesting to know, thanks, so my other half might get a ski before his knee op after all. Just turning up is a bit vague though, especially if someone is travelling a long way. You can imagine them saying "well we did say it was the 16th..."
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I thought that myself so ringing up a couple of days beforehand does sound like a good option to confirm and not waste a journey. The woman was very helpful and apologised for not having all of the information available but i can imagine what it must be like. Chuffed that there is finally going to be a snowdome relatively close. I just wonder now if a member could take a non-member along during the first week otherwise im going to be on my jack jones.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Membership is £100 per annum and gives you 30% off slope use and lessons. They have staff training this week which may explain why it can't be processed - I'd try again a bit closer to the time.
Oh guess what - I'm going skiing there tonight, woo hoo!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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beanie1, more photos please
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar,
Sorry i dropped my camera the other day and it broke!!
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Well, I had a chance to ski the slope tonight, and considering it's not finished, it was pretty OK.
Sure, there were teething problems and snagging issues (both Poma's kept stopping), but on the whole it was pretty good. The snow was a little funky lower 1/3 of the slope, marbly/pebbly, as if there was a partial thaw and then re-freeze, then the pistebasher churned up the pebbles..... middle and top part of the slope were good though. Need lots more snow making and bashing between now and opening day.
I'm convinced that the Poma's are running the wrong way round, especially the one on the far wall (skier's left). OK, I understand the need to keep the people on the poma close to the wall, away from the slope, but it means that to get to the Poma, you have to dodge (ski through) the carriers that are on the way down in order to get to the far side to ride up! I can see some people getting a few clonks to the head!
There are some undulations in terrain (interesting, as the slope is flat!) - I'm not sure if this is by design, or just how the snow settled! Made it interesting anyway.
The texture of the snow was interesting, it was as if it was a high moisture content snow, which made it clump slightly. Compared with Tamworth, whose "snow" is like talcum powder. I guess that's what you get with that particular system of snowmaking. However - if you skate from the very top and lauch yourself down the slope, you can soon build up a pretty considerable speed! Quite impressive!
And beanie1, wasn't it cold in there!!!! brrrrrr! Tell you what though. The building looks brilliant at night when all lit up!
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veeeight, Didn't know you were gonna be there or I'd have said hi!! Which one were you?! I was the one in black trousers, grey jacket skiing with AL and JG - didn't join in with the assessment I'm afraid!
I thought the snow was quite good - considering they're making snow about 21 hours a day, and they've only started piste bashing relatively recently - had to wait until the snow was deep enough, before that the entire slope had to be covered in snow using shovels!! Don't envy anyone that job... There were still parts of the floor showing through, and the snow needs to be about 15 - 20 cms deeper in places, which is why the poma swung back to hit your head when you let go! Speaking of the poma it's just teething problems - they spoke with the lift company last night and the sensors are set too sensitvely apparently.
Did you get a chance to see the rest of the inside - or look at the street through the big window?
There were about 60 / 70 potential part time instructors there last night, really varied standard. A number of people had inexplicably forgotten their poles! Which caused much hilarity... Same again tonight.
It was cold! It was -6 but will be -1 when they're not making snow. Glad I wore 4 layers and a hat last night - normally when I'm showing people round site I'm stood out on the balcony in a skirt (work suit)!!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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veeeight, Trying to visualise what you are saying, as the pomas in Castelford also keep you next to the wall, but the returning pomas are high in the air and you queue to use them from below the start point of the lifts, so never crossing the paths - how do these differ? How come you two got to use the slope before anyone else???
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FAQ
that laugh is great 