One year after a Google crew cruised the slopes at Panorama Mountain Village and Fairmont Hot Springs Resort last February, Google Maps now offers three-dimensional tours courtesy of the Street View feature.

Google came out with a snowmobile that was equipped with a rotating camera that was mounted on the snowmobile, explained Panorama marketing coordinator Jamie Hurschler. One of our snowmaking staff drove the snowmobile, because they know the mountain better.

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort marketing manager

Colleen McKee said the sled looked like something that arrived from space.

The rotating multi-lens camera sat on top of a high-tech snowmobile which they had to drive in a very planned manner, she explained. The custom Google-sled features a five-foot high tower behind the snowmobile driver, containing a computer system as well as an eight-sided camera that takes images from above the drivers head level. It took a full day of sledding to capture most of Panoramas 120 trails, said Mr. Hurschler.

Users of Google Maps were previously afforded the Street View feature along populated roads, and now have the

opportunity to view 360-degree visuals on the ski hills.

That will allow visiting skiers and snowboarders from around the globe to take a tour of the hills, and will give tourists the ability to bring some of their experience home.

Google Maps is dedicated to building the worlds most comprehensive, accurate and usable map. With this ambition in mind, weve ventured to far flung places (like Cambridge Bay, Nunavut), weve gone under water in the Great Barrier Reef, and, yes, weve ventured down ski hills around the globe, helping users navigate to the nearest chairlift or the chalet, added Google Canadas communications and public affairs manager Aaron Brindle.

Photo submitted by Panorama Mountain VillageWEB---Google-street-view-snowmobile