 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi everyone,
Im my spare time I've been working on Montino, a free app for finding ski adventures. I spent a couple of winters in the Alps and always loved helping people have great days on the mountain by recommending runs and areas to ski. My app basically collects them together into itineraries to follow. You can sort them by country, resort and difficulty.
The app features the Three Valley Escapade (remember that!?) And the Sella Ronda (both clockwise and anti clockwise). I'd love it if people fancy trying them out and sharing how you get on.
I've loaded lots of adventures which I love skiing and want to share. Now I'm looking to add more content from other ski experts. Take a look at the app and if you'd like to contribute adventures please let me know.
The app is on Android and iPhone. There might be some bugs so please be gentle but honest with your feedback.
Links to the appstore and play store are here: www.montino.app
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Tried to download but says it isn’t compatible with my phone.  (S10 I think?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Not compatible with a Sony Xperia running Android 12
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Works on my Google Pixel 8 but sadly won't get to any of the featured resorts this year (not a complaint about the app). From my very quick look there, it looks user friendly and the search function seems to work well, congrats @Montino
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Lauka wrote: |
| Works on my Google Pixel 8 but sadly won't get to any of the featured resorts this year (not a complaint about the app). From my very quick look there, it looks user friendly and the search function seems to work well, congrats @Montino |
Thanks for taking a look Lauka. Where will you be going this year? I can definitely add an adventure for you to try.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Je suis un Skieur wrote: |
| Not compatible with a Sony Xperia running Android 12 |
I've updated the app to cover more versions of Android, please could you give it another go and see if it works now?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Penelope wrote: |
| Tried to download but says it isn’t compatible with my phone. (S10 I think?) |
Thanks for trying Penelope, I've updated the app to cover more versions of Android, please could you give it another go and see if it works now?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Montino, nice idea. Just a small thing having looked at the Andorra challenge some of the locations aren’t accurate. Espiolets is Soldeu, Llosada is El Tarter and Cortals is Encamp. I might do this challenge this afternoon!
Last edited by After all it is free  on Tue 2-01-24 12:56; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Needs maps please
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's pretty niche, not something I'd use.
Not sure it really needs an app, I'd rather browse a website or even a coffee-table book for this kind of thing.
To make an app make sense you would need to incorporate real time lift openings (would be quite annoying to get half way round the find a necessary lift is closed) and maps that display route and current location. Seems like an easy option would just be to put your routes on fatmap app which is fantastic and really what you'd need to be aiming for imo.
There's always the question about putting goal times on any of these kind of things. Does it encourage people to ski faster and more recklessly?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| hammerite wrote: |
| @Montino, nice idea. Just a small thing having looked at the Andorra challenge some of the locations aren’t accurate. Espiolets is Soldeu, Llosada is El Tarter and Cortals is Encamp. I might do this challenge this afternoon! |
Thanks for the feedback - I've updated the locations using your suggestions. Let me know how you get on if you do try it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| boarder2020 wrote: |
It's pretty niche, not something I'd use.
Not sure it really needs an app, I'd rather browse a website or even a coffee-table book for this kind of thing.
To make an app make sense you would need to incorporate real time lift openings (would be quite annoying to get half way round the find a necessary lift is closed) and maps that display route and current location. Seems like an easy option would just be to put your routes on fatmap app which is fantastic and really what you'd need to be aiming for imo.
There's always the question about putting goal times on any of these kind of things. Does it encourage people to ski faster and more recklessly? |
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it won't be for everyone. Sadly I think lift openings and a map might be a bit too technically difficult for the near future. Definitely, things to add to our list and see if we can get working for the long term though.
I like Fatmap for looking at the mountain in detail but I wanted to make a simple app that is easier to use on a lift or the mountain. Fatmap is an amazing tool, I wish I had the skills to make anything approaching it.
We have mulled over the goal times a lot - I know that people have had injuries chasing too hard on Strava to become king of a route. That is why for now we don't have league tables. The times we have put in should hopefully be a fun aim rather than to encourage dangerous skiing. It is good feedback and a function we will keep tweaking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I'm in Austria, but familiar with quite a few of the areas in France and Italy, so I downloaded it to have a look.
Looking at the Sella Ronda as an example, would the Adventure only tick off if you use all the lifts on the list? I'm pretty sure it's possible to get around without taking any drag lifts, and I'm not certain all the other lifts are necessary to complete the circuit. Regarding the timings, Gold, Silver and Bronze are listed as 4, 6 and 10 hours respectively. I have skied this loop several times, so I know that 4-6 hours is achievable. However, realistically the lifts are only open approximately 7 hours, so taking 10 hours means a ride in a taxi or an emergency hotel!
If I was visiting the area for the first time, more useful information would be the average or expected time taken to complete the circuit, as I would want to know in advance that it was achievable for me (or someone in my group), so that I wouldn't be in the wrong area when the lifts closed. What would be the expected completion time for a beginner, intermediate and advanced skier? E.g. if I'm an intermediate skier who didn't make it to the slopes until 11am, do I have time to get round before closing time?
Otherwise, nice idea. I get what you're saying about FatMap, but most people don't need that level of detail to ski marked pistes anyway. What about Google Maps? Lifts and pistes are marked on there, though I appreciate there may be costs involved with integration.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@Montino, well done on the effort. Got to admit, not my thing. But don't use me as a reference!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Quote: |
I appreciate it won't be for everyone. Sadly I think lift openings and a map might be a bit too technically difficult for the near future. Definitely, things to add to our list and see if we can get working for the long term though.
|
Fair enough but then I don't really see what it's adding?
The adventures you are proposing are fairly normal, even famous routes. You don't need the app to find them. The kind of people that would be into this would arguably prefer the route on Strava and gpx files to navigate from their watch (a lot easier than getting a phone out a pocket). But even then navigating around a resort using pistes is not super complicated.
Again, it would make a great coffee-book - "best on piste ski adventures in Europe". Even as someone who's not a huge piste skiers that book with lots of nice photos would appeal to me. I don't see the need for an app, but maybe I'm just not the target market.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Scarlet wrote: |
I'm in Austria, but familiar with quite a few of the areas in France and Italy, so I downloaded it to have a look.
Looking at the Sella Ronda as an example, would the Adventure only tick off if you use all the lifts on the list? I'm pretty sure it's possible to get around without taking any drag lifts, and I'm not certain all the other lifts are necessary to complete the circuit. Regarding the timings, Gold, Silver and Bronze are listed as 4, 6 and 10 hours respectively. I have skied this loop several times, so I know that 4-6 hours is achievable. However, realistically the lifts are only open approximately 7 hours, so taking 10 hours means a ride in a taxi or an emergency hotel!
If I was visiting the area for the first time, more useful information would be the average or expected time taken to complete the circuit, as I would want to know in advance that it was achievable for me (or someone in my group), so that I wouldn't be in the wrong area when the lifts closed. What would be the expected completion time for a beginner, intermediate and advanced skier? E.g. if I'm an intermediate skier who didn't make it to the slopes until 11am, do I have time to get round before closing time?
Otherwise, nice idea. I get what you're saying about FatMap, but most people don't need that level of detail to ski marked pistes anyway. What about Google Maps? Lifts and pistes are marked on there, though I appreciate there may be costs involved with integration. |
Hi Scarlet, thanks for taking a look.
I built out the Sella Ronda adventures using the Dolomiti Superski suggested routes, which I followed when I was there but if there are places where lifts can be skipped or alternative routes taken then I can switch things around. The content is really simple to edit so I can make changes based on people's experiences. I'll reduce the time for the Sella Ronda adventures on your recommendation. I like the suggestion of more guidance in there to help people understand if they should attempt the adventure or not so I'll see what I can do there too.
If you are interested in sharing any adventures for another place then you can drop me an email on contact@montino.app. I'd love to have more experts in the app.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Copied from your other thread: https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=167038
I like the concept. I also like that I don't have to put in an email address or anything to try it!
Adding maps of some kind to the 'adventures' would be very helpful - and being able to select a starting point e.g. most of the 3 vallees ones look like you have to start at a fixed point, when you might actually want to start elsewhere on the 'loop'.
And a bug (Android) - when hitting 'back' from within an 'adventure', it takes me the whole way back to the swipey intro screens, not just back to adventure selections or the home screen (using gesture navigation, android 13, LG V60).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Hi @Montino, I think this is a great idea and something I would definitely use. We're just back from Saalbach and each morning the hotel gave a suggested area to ski or challenge for the day, some harder than others. Although we're no strangers to reading a ski map it was good to have an alternative focus, and generally we went with the suggestions. Our family always likes a challenge and I think that's true of many skiers. Hoping to give your app a proper go in Avoriaz later this month.  Keep going with it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| fixx wrote: |
Copied from your other thread: https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=167038
I like the concept. I also like that I don't have to put in an email address or anything to try it!
Adding maps of some kind to the 'adventures' would be very helpful - and being able to select a starting point e.g. most of the 3 vallees ones look like you have to start at a fixed point, when you might actually want to start elsewhere on the 'loop'.
And a bug (Android) - when hitting 'back' from within an 'adventure', it takes me the whole way back to the swipey intro screens, not just back to adventure selections or the home screen (using gesture navigation, android 13, LG V60). |
Hi Fixx, I'm pleased to hear you like the concept. My friend who works on the app with me is going to play around with maps to see what we can add. We've also got some ideas on how we can address the looped itineraries where people start at different points.
Thanks for the bug tip off too, we'll add it to our backlog to fix.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| rachelb wrote: |
| Hi @Montino, I think this is a great idea and something I would definitely use. We're just back from Saalbach and each morning the hotel gave a suggested area to ski or challenge for the day, some harder than others. Although we're no strangers to reading a ski map it was good to have an alternative focus, and generally we went with the suggestions. Our family always likes a challenge and I think that's true of many skiers. Hoping to give your app a proper go in Avoriaz later this month. Keep going with it! |
Thanks Rachelb, I'll try and get some more adventures loaded in for Avoriaz before you go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I will test it on 15th Jan.
We’re doing the 3 valleys escapade but starting from VT. Will it work
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| skimummk wrote: |
I am an anxious intermediate I therefore like the idea of being able to follow a route that someone else has assured is really "low intermediate" e.g. a route that might include a red or two where actually they aren't that difficult or that might exclude some of the blues because they should really be reds.
What we do at the moment if we go to a new resort is that hubby will go and recce the runs before I attempt them - an app like this might alleviate the need to do that. It would need whoever has declared the route "beginner" to not overestimate what someone can do though.
I guess another way to give me what I'd like in an app is a database of the runs and reviews of them - e.g. "easy red, mostly wide pistes", or "blue but with narrow steep bit at blah, best avoided a home time" "green, road, lots of pole punting required" "narrow road, steep drop to the left" (I'm scared of heights lol!)
If the route creator/reviewer is "named" can put their own skill level that would help to decide whether to trust it or not. e.g. If I saw it was written by someone "very advanced" then I'd be less likely to take their opinion that a route was "beginner" than someone who was a "low intermediate"
Happy to document the routes that we do in Valmenier/Valloire next week if that helps. |
Thanks for the ideas, we plan on adding new features and want it to be useful for a broad range of abilities. Having adventures suitable for true beginners is important to us, we don't want anyone put off!
It would be great to get your routes for Valmenier/Valloire and add them to the app for other skiiers to enjoy. Thank you
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| bezthespaniard wrote: |
I will test it on 15th Jan.
We’re doing the 3 valleys escapade but starting from VT. Will it work |
Hi bezthespaniard, yes it works no matter which checkpoint you go to first. Start the adventure before you head out and when you get to the first point you should hear a notification that you've checked it off. Worth keeping an eye on the app to see if the checkpoints all get triggered properly. There is a good margin for error so I'm hopeful they will all work fine. Let me know how you get on and have fun
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@Montino, completed the Grandvalira challenge this afternoon. It seemed to work well. One thing I noticed, it didn’t seem to register when I got to the top of assaladors chair after riding on the chair. When I went past the top of that chair a little later, it did register it.
The thing I found with this challenge, was that it’s quite easy to achieve by skiing past the top of a lift rather than skiing one of the pistes to the bottom and riding the chair up.
If you want some ideas for some more challenges in Andorra, I can think some up for you. I live here so I know the ski areas well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Montino wrote: |
| Je suis un Skieur wrote: |
| Not compatible with a Sony Xperia running Android 12 |
I've updated the app to cover more versions of Android, please could you give it another go and see if it works now? |
Yes, it loads now.
I was particularly interested to see what you'd done in the 3Vs as that's my home area and it would be fair to say I have plenty of experience regarding the Escapade. I can see what you're trying to do, you've taken the 2017 lift list and replaced the ones no longer there with another on the same route. Fair enough but without the list of intervening lifts and pistes, and/or an interactive location map, I'm not sure how much sense it's going to make to someone unfamiliar with the area. Anyone using it is either going to have to continuously flip between your app and the 3V app (or a paper piste map), which would be pretty annoying, or plan it out separately in the first place and then not bother with your app at all.
If you compare it with the simple full circuit lift list that the LT community used to publish like this https://www.latania.co.uk/skiing/escapaders/2017/2017Escapade.pdf then it's much easier to work out where you're supposed to be going to get from one checkpoint to the next. Maybe in the text for each checkpoint you should give the list of connecting lifts to get to the next checkpoint? You've also got Signal (which replaces Petites Bosses) in the wrong place - it should be in-between Mont Vallon and Aiguille de Fruit to continue the circuit, not at the end.
As I think others have mentioned, the back button taking you back to the main menu instead of the previous screen is infuriating and it would be much better if you can favourite the area where you are so you don't have to keep going through the same menus again and again.
Overall though, I can't really comment for other areas much these days but you're up against it in the 3Vs anyway. They launched a new 3V Explorer site within the 3V app just two weeks ago that includes challenges and, sorry to say, rather outshines your efforts. You might not be aware of it, it wasn't exactly publicised but you can see it on a desktop here https://explorer.les3vallees.com/en/challenges I thought it might reintroduce the Escapade as one of the challenges as the word Escapade reappeared on the 3V website in the off-season but I can't see it.
You may already know that the LT community also has an unofficial Escapade challenge that was launched last year. https://www.latania.co.uk/skiing/escapade2023.htm Hard to compete with the glory of having your pic on the LT website! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| hammerite wrote: |
@Montino, completed the Grandvalira challenge this afternoon. It seemed to work well. One thing I noticed, it didn’t seem to register when I got to the top of assaladors chair after riding on the chair. When I went past the top of that chair a little later, it did register it.
The thing I found with this challenge, was that it’s quite easy to achieve by skiing past the top of a lift rather than skiing one of the pistes to the bottom and riding the chair up.
If you want some ideas for some more challenges in Andorra, I can think some up for you. I live here so I know the ski areas well. |
That's great to hear you completed it. It would be good to make some changes to make it better. Your suggestions about where I could put extra checkpoints in or move them would be welcomed. It would be great for you to make up some challenges too - thank you for the offer. You can email me at contact@montino.app with your ideas and I'll get them loaded.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Je suis un Skieur wrote: |
I was particularly interested to see what you'd done in the 3Vs as that's my home area and it would be fair to say I have plenty of experience regarding the Escapade. I can see what you're trying to do, you've taken the 2017 lift list and replaced the ones no longer there with another on the same route. Fair enough but without the list of intervening lifts and pistes, and/or an interactive location map, I'm not sure how much sense it's going to make to someone unfamiliar with the area. Anyone using it is either going to have to continuously flip between your app and the 3V app (or a paper piste map), which would be pretty annoying, or plan it out separately in the first place and then not bother with your app at all.
If you compare it with the simple full circuit lift list that the LT community used to publish like this https://www.latania.co.uk/skiing/escapaders/2017/2017Escapade.pdf then it's much easier to work out where you're supposed to be going to get from one checkpoint to the next. Maybe in the text for each checkpoint you should give the list of connecting lifts to get to the next checkpoint? You've also got Signal (which replaces Petites Bosses) in the wrong place - it should be in-between Mont Vallon and Aiguille de Fruit to continue the circuit, not at the end.
As I think others have mentioned, the back button taking you back to the main menu instead of the previous screen is infuriating and it would be much better if you can favourite the area where you are so you don't have to keep going through the same menus again and again.
Overall though, I can't really comment for other areas much these days but you're up against it in the 3Vs anyway. They launched a new 3V Explorer site within the 3V app just two weeks ago that includes challenges and, sorry to say, rather outshines your efforts. You might not be aware of it, it wasn't exactly publicised but you can see it on a desktop here https://explorer.les3vallees.com/en/challenges I thought it might reintroduce the Escapade as one of the challenges as the word Escapade reappeared on the 3V website in the off-season but I can't see it.
You may already know that the LT community also has an unofficial Escapade challenge that was launched last year. https://www.latania.co.uk/skiing/escapade2023.htm Hard to compete with the glory of having your pic on the LT website! |
Yep, that was my approach to loading a version of the Escapade. I remember completing it when I worked a winter in Meribel (07/0 and I loved the challenge.
I've corrected the order for Signal - thanks for that tip-off. I agree that it would be good to add more text into the descriptions to help people navigate, thank you for the suggestion.
We've added fixing the back issue to our backlog to fix and will also add a way of favoriting an area, it is a very handy idea.
The new Explorer does look great, I will try it when I am next in the 3V. I hope that Montino is still fun for people to try and in time it can become more polished. We've been working on it in our spare time for a year now. It covers multiple resorts in multiple countries which should help. It is a passion project so I'm not too surprised that the 3V official app outshines it. Hopefully, the two can co-exist together.
Thanks for your feedback and if you'd like to create some adventures to feature in the app please email me on contact@montino.app. It would be great to have some that weren't created by me!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Montino, I can’t see myself using it without a map feature. I would at least want to see an overview map of each challenge to understand whether I want to undertake it. Ideally I’d like to see my live location and a breadcrumb trail of where I’ve been.
Is it not feasible to use the https://openskimap.org/ platform?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
