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RFID access comes to Mt. Washington

This season, skiers and snowboarders at Mt. Washington will gain access to the lifts a lot more smoothly with the installation of RFID technology. Guests of the resort will now have their season pass or lift ticket loaded onto the new MYMW Club Card, which contains an RFID chip. The new hands-free tech will be in full effect for Winter 2018.19.
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Mt. Washington guests will be on the snow faster this season with RFID technology.

This season, skiers and snowboarders at Mt. Washington will gain access to the lifts a lot more smoothly with the installation of RFID technology. Guests of the resort will now have their season pass or lift ticket loaded onto the new MYMW Club Card, which contains an RFID chip. The new hands-free tech will be in full effect for Winter 2018.19.

“RFID is Radio Frequency Identification; it is a chip-enabled technology embedded into all our lift passes,” explains Michael Hleck, IT Manager at Mt. Washington. “What that means to our guests is they no longer have to search around to get their ticket or pass out; our gates instantly read the chip and the lifts automatically open - getting everyone on the snow faster.”

Although the technology behind the system is sophisticated, usage for you as a guest is simple. Once you have picked up your reloadable MYMW Card, there’s only one thing to remember: keep it in a pocket by itself, somewhere on the left side of your body. As you slide through the new RFID gates, a sensor on the left will detect your card and grant you access to the lift.

The new system doesn’t just reduce lift lineups; it also allows guests to reload their lift tickets and Season Passes online. “You’ll never have to stand in a ticket line-up again once you grab your reloadable card.” states Dean Prentice, General Manager “The multi-year durability of the new RFID enabled cards will also drastically reduce environmental impact versus the old Season Passes and lift tickets.”

While RFID is relatively new to Canada, it has been the standard for decades in Europe, so it was natural for Mt. Washington to look across the pond for industry-leading tech. The Resort has enlisted Team Axess, an Austrian company with over 20 years of expertise in providing a reliable and secure system.

Season Passholders will be the first to see the new technology in-hand. The first shipment of the RFID enabled cards has arrived at the resort, just in time for the Early Bird Season Pass Sale. “We are already getting a lot of questions about the new cards from our Season Pass Members,” comments Sheila Rivers, Mt. Washington spokesperson. “Our Passholders are thrilled to hear the benefits of the touchless ticket validation and shorter lift wait times.” Rivers expects the call volume to only increase, as the Resort gets closer to the September 30th Early Bird deadline.

The Resort is installing the new technology this fall and is anticipating a smooth implementation for the December 7th opening day. Going online preseason and purchasing your card in advance will fast-track your first visit to the Resort. “…no one wants to wait for the first turn of the year,” Prentice continues.

For more information on the RFID technology or Early Bird Season Passes visit www.mountwashington.ca.