Info on New Ski Routes in the Cascades

What guidelines would be applicable to an effort like this?

Well, I think most importantly, to answer this with the first thought that came to my mind would be a way to quantify all of the information.  As is the case right now, wiki technology (I am taking my example specifically from wikipedia) allows everyone and anyone to adjust the definitions as they see fit.  So, how do we accurately quantify information about ski mountaineering?  I think wiki technology is great in something as objective as dictionary meanings.  Everyone knows, or has an idea about, what the word "mountain" means.  Someone might have a more scientific explanation and can objectively add that to the wikipedia definition, and on and on.

Ski mountaineering isn't objective though.  It's subjective, so I see it as being a difficult move to accurately portray routes in ski mountaineering in a "guidebooked" format.  Variables such as snowpack/avy danger, solar warming, slope angle/aspect, convergence zones, weather/snowfall, wind, ability, ect. will constantly own us in the mountains.  I'm not saying guidebooks are bad - but they are written by people who do all the tours in them and have extensive experience.  To get this kind of information from a wiki source - where the sources might range from experts to noobs - I find a little scary.  Not that TAY isn't also somewhat in this category, which has been discussed before - to what degree are TR's taken to plan for trips, or forecast conditions for others venturing out?  I don't know an answer, I'm just throwing out my thoughts and posing the rhetoric...

One thing I do know is that when I'm looking into new areas to ski where I have no previous information, I dig through the Becky guidebooks.  I use respected sources, or the "wise sages" that may have some information about the area I'm thinking about.  I get maps of the area.  I collect photos.  I look up key words in the TAY search.  I sometimes even use some trig when looking at topos and trying to figure out approx. slope angle before venturing out...not to mention all the other subjective variables that come with ski mountaineering.  And sometimes I reap some great benefits from the work.  Afterwards I usually write up a TR.  I go through all my photography and touch it up.  I edit my video footage and sometimes throw a quick vid together.  After all that work, at least for me, I don't really want to hand it over to a wiki technology.  Like I said before, it's selfish, but I feel it would pull the magic out of bc touring and ski mountaineering.

Wikis are ok I guess but they are'nt all that pleasing to look at. Rather than that I would guess the future of these trip report related sites will revolve around a clickable map like the NOAA weather maps. One site could house multiple sports and types of info. Imagine you click the area you are interested in visiting, the sport you plan to do there, and it gives you back weather, avy or other hazard type reports, news articles, history, topo, and a list of dated reports that people have written for the spot. I am going to install a gps jamming device at all my stashes.

A website might already exist to meet these needs: www.bivouac.com/

It is very detailed on BC mountains, but a bit thin on mountains in the states. The database structure does an amazing job of cross referencing everything, which I found incredibly useful. For example you can look up a logging road and it will tell you what mountains are in the area. Then if you select a mountain it will give you all the info about it from trails, to pictures, to trip reports. It is especially helpful when areas have different names.

The best way to use the site is to search for particular peaks.

It does have a small administration fee, which probably also helps in keeping contributers honest. But a lot of the info is free. And because it is more of a database and less of a wiki, it has a more systematic organization of the information.

Perhaps putting energy into an already established site like this would make sense.

Yeah that looks like it is along the same lines of thought. Pretty cool. I guess you have to pay to see the pictures on trip reports.

After reading through these posts again and feeling quite a bit like a nay-sayer, I wanted to sound a bit constructive...so...

What guidelines would be applicable to an effort like this?

-A fee to look at photos or maps would be fair I think, so as to honor those whose time and work is being presented.

-And, as mentioned, the database type format is one that seems like a more user friendly and organized format.

-Maybe links to other websites that have extensive information about various routes (TR's) such as Amar's page or Hummel's page.

It looks like this is going to happen.  CC.com is readying a test version.  They are taking suggestion as to form and function.  It sounds like it will serve all forms of mountain travel.