How am I doing?

**Greg** · Dec 16, 2003, 9:25 AM

I'm making a pretty conscious effort to improve the site and forums. Some of the accomplishments so far this season include:

A new logo and offical AlpineZone.com merchandise.
The Gear Store.
I've repartnered with WorldRes to offer better online reservations and ski and stay packages.
With Jon's help on the new header, the site is looking better aesthetically.
I am continuing to make every effort to limit advertising and make it as least intrusive as possible (i.e. limited ad space, no pop-ups, etc.).
I'm also making an effort to breath new life into these forums and build a true sense of 'community' around the site (seems to be working).

The only thing left on the list is a new script to provide more accurate resort profiles which will ultimately allow us to expand coverage to other Northeast states. Based on Josh's and Jon's suggestions, I'm also going to work on jazzing up the index pages a bit.

So...what else would you like to see? I'd like to start building and prioritizing a new "to do" list and would love feedback on what features would interest all of you. After all, you, the site's visitors, are what make AlpineZone.com a success.

Thanks in advance!

SilentCal · Dec 16, 2003, 1:15 PM

I think your doing a terrific job Greg. I definitly like the the community aspect of this board rather than the snipe-fest AMC boards. Your on top of everything as a moderator and never let any disscusion get out of hand. As for a "to do list" idea, i would like to see a this site just grow and get new members to contribute. Also your help and time that you put into the Flags on the 48 event is greatly appreciated. Maybe an Alpinezone patch for the frequent users of the board.

**MichaelJ** · Dec 16, 2003, 8:00 PM

I really like what this board has become. You've done a fine job.

As for the future, in terms of hiking, VFTT has a solid lock on the ADK''s and Whites, a well-established community, and that's not going to change. To compete would not benefit either board. As it is, I find it difficult to stretch myself and focus as much as I'd like there, here, and on the AMC site.

To that end, I would say to focus and build on AlpineZone's specific strength: winter snow sports. You really have a wonderful resource for skiing here, it's far more than just the forums, and the community is here, too, to support it. And nobody else has it. This is *the* place to come.

I'm not thinking of lessening any of the hiking stuff. Come Spring, the mountains will thaw and the focus will shift and we'll go back to getting traffic in the hiking forums, which have always been top-notch quality. And of course without your generous contributions, Flags on the 48 would not nearly have been the same. But I think to really solidify the site a route to follow is the snow sports. And you're already doing a fantastic job of that with the lodging, the camera links, etc.

Get the people in and the community growing and everything else will follow.

If you post it, they will come.

**Greg** · Dec 16, 2003, 9:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilentCal

I think your doing a terrific job Greg. I definitly like the the community aspect of this board rather than the snipe-fest AMC boards. Your on top of everything as a moderator and never let any disscusion get out of hand. As for a "to do list" idea, i would like to see a this site just grow and get new members to contribute. Also your help and time that you put into the Flags on the 48 event is greatly appreciated. Maybe an Alpinezone patch for the frequent users of the board.

Thanks Cal! Word of mouth is the best way to help a community grow so you can have a direct impact on how quickly that happens.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

I'm not thinking of lessening any of the hiking stuff. Come Spring, the mountains will thaw and the focus will shift and we'll go back to getting traffic in the hiking forums, which have always been top-notch quality. And of course without your generous contributions, Flags on the 48 would not nearly have been the same. But I think to really solidify the site a route to follow is the snow sports. And you're already doing a fantastic job of that with the lodging, the camera links, etc.

Thanks Michael. I think the one thing that makes our Hiking forum unique is that many of those that post here both hike and ski. I like to think the Hiking board is a good balance between camaraderie and useful info. I'm more open to joking and light hearted conversation than what's allowed now at VFTT, and I like to think the members here are less inclined than the AMC M&M bunch to turn everything political. I think there's room for everybody. You're right though. I'll probably never have the most active Northeast Hiking board, but the rate at which the Skiing forum has grown in the past few weeks has astounded me. It literally has exploded. I guess I'm doing something right...

Joshua B · Dec 16, 2003, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

I guess I'm doing something right...

Question. Who said you did anything wrong?

**Greg** · Dec 16, 2003, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua B

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

I guess I'm doing something right...

Question. Who said you did anything wrong?

Oh..no one. I didn't mean it that way. You see Josh, you're an infant here. This board has been up as a phpBB board since July 2001. Before that it was hosted remotely on Everyone.net. It's kinda funny as they actually still run it:

http://alpinezone.community.everyone.net/

Before that, it was one of those threaded BBS systems similar to the old VFTT (Lexicomm days). Here's an archive.org view of it:

http://web.archive.org/web/200010121...ng/skiforum.mv

So...AlpineZone.com has had a message board in one form or another since late 1999. Guys like riverc0il and Mike P. have been around since the early days. For whatever reason, the forums have finally caught on this season. I'm not exactly sure why and thus my comment above.

Joshua B · Dec 16, 2003, 10:24 PM

Gotcha. Well I learned about this site when you started posting over at Snowjournal.com.

Dec 16, 2003, 9:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
Greg Mad River Glen - 2/8/08 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Thomaston, CT Posts: 18,918	How am I doing? I'm making a pretty conscious effort to improve the site and forums. Some of the accomplishments so far this season include: A new logo and offical AlpineZone.com merchandise. The Gear Store. I've repartnered with WorldRes to offer better online reservations and ski and stay packages. With Jon's help on the new header, the site is looking better aesthetically. I am continuing to make every effort to limit advertising and make it as least intrusive as possible (i.e. limited ad space, no pop-ups, etc.). I'm also making an effort to breath new life into these forums and build a true sense of 'community' around the site (seems to be working). The only thing left on the list is a new script to provide more accurate resort profiles which will ultimately allow us to expand coverage to other Northeast states. Based on Josh's and Jon's suggestions, I'm also going to work on jazzing up the index pages a bit. So...what else would you like to see? I'd like to start building and prioritizing a new "to do" list and would love feedback on what features would interest all of you. After all, you, the site's visitors, are what make AlpineZone.com a success. Thanks in advance! __________________ Greg 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05 Life's too short for warm up runs.

Dec 16, 2003, 8:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
MichaelJ In prior times Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Out in the MA 'burbs near 495. Posts: 1,889	I really like what this board has become. You've done a fine job. As for the future, in terms of hiking, VFTT has a solid lock on the ADK''s and Whites, a well-established community, and that's not going to change. To compete would not benefit either board. As it is, I find it difficult to stretch myself and focus as much as I'd like there, here, and on the AMC site. To that end, I would say to focus and build on AlpineZone's specific strength: winter snow sports. You really have a wonderful resource for skiing here, it's far more than just the forums, and the community is here, too, to support it. And nobody else has it. This is the place to come. I'm not thinking of lessening any of the hiking stuff. Come Spring, the mountains will thaw and the focus will shift and we'll go back to getting traffic in the hiking forums, which have always been top-notch quality. And of course without your generous contributions, Flags on the 48 would not nearly have been the same. But I think to really solidify the site a route to follow is the snow sports. And you're already doing a fantastic job of that with the lodging, the camera links, etc. Get the people in and the community growing and everything else will follow. If you post it, they will come. __________________ Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face. - Dave Barry Waterville 12/20, 12/30; Wachusett 12/21, 12/28, 3/9; Jay 1/26-1/27; Bretton Woods 2/2, 2/23-2/24, 3/22; Snowbird 2/10, 2/12, 2/14; Alta 2/11, 2/15; Sunday River 3/1-3/2, 3/8, 3/15, 4/6; Wildcat 3/30 (21 days '07-08

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Dec 16, 2003, 1:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
SilentCal Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Western Mass Posts: 417	I think your doing a terrific job Greg. I definitly like the the community aspect of this board rather than the snipe-fest AMC boards. Your on top of everything as a moderator and never let any disscusion get out of hand. As for a "to do list" idea, i would like to see a this site just grow and get new members to contribute. Also your help and time that you put into the Flags on the 48 event is greatly appreciated. Maybe an Alpinezone patch for the frequent users of the board.

Dec 16, 2003, 10:24 PM	#7 (permalink)
Joshua B Mad River Glen Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Hudson, MA Posts: 917	Gotcha. Well I learned about this site when you started posting over at Snowjournal.com.