MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Do you ever wonder what conditions are like or what trails are open at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area before you arrive? Well, now you don't have to.
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau has partnered with SkiText, a communication platform for users to access information at select Pocono ski resorts in real-time through text messaging.
"Get more information out to skiers and snowboarders that are really into the mountains in the Poconos, and then another way for the mountains to communicate with those skiers more effectively," said Brian Bossuyt, the executive vice president of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.
Bossuyt says SkiText is easy to use. You can sign up by texting the word ski to (844) SKI TEXT or going to poconoski.com.
The first Pocono ski resorts using SkiText are Shawnee Mountain Resort and Ski Big Bear.
Ticket information, snow reports, and dining options can also be texted to you.
More than 1,000 people have signed up since SkiText launched at Shawnee Mountain.
"I think people are just so used to their phones for everything, so this is just another easy way for them to find out information without having to search websites and everything else. It's just right there at the tip of their fingers," said Rachel Wyckoff at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area.
Participating ski resorts will have a sign letting you know how to sign up. All you have to do is scan the QR code; then, a link will pop up on your phone showing you have to sign up.
"It sounds super convenient, and probably will think about going skiing a lot more because it's right there on your phone," said Stephanie O'Donnell from Brooklyn, New York.
If you sign up for Shawnee Mountain between now and February you'll be entered into a drawing where you could win a pair of free tickets.
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau hopes to add more ski resorts in the future.