Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Skihelper.com ("we," "our," or "us"). We operate skihelper.com (website) and our iOS mobile app (available on the Apple App Store). We respect your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our service to check snow forecasts and road conditions, coordinate ski carpools, exchange ski equipments within the US western region family community, or look for ski and snowboard video coaching analysis.

This policy applies to both our website and iOS mobile app. Both platforms offer the same core features and privacy protections.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Types

We offer two types of access to our platform:

• Registered Accounts: Full access with personal data storage
• Guest Access: Limited, view-only access without personal data storage

2.2 Required Information for Registered Accounts

To create a registered account and use full features, you can register using one of three methods:

• Email & Password Registration:
  • Email address: For account creation and login (must be real)
  • Password: Encrypted and securely stored
• Google Sign-In (OAuth):
  • We receive your Google email address and basic profile information
  • No separate password required - uses Google's secure authentication
  • You maintain control through your Google account settings
• Apple Sign-In (OAuth):
  • We receive your Apple ID email or privacy relay email (if you choose "Hide My Email")
  • No separate password required - uses Apple's secure authentication
  • Enhanced privacy options through Apple's privacy features

Required for all registration methods:

• Family name: How your family will appear to other users
• Travel destinations: Where you're going skiing (needed for carpool matching)

2.3 Guest User Information

Guest users can explore the platform with limited functionality:

• No personal data collected: Guest access requires no registration
• View-only access: Can browse general features but cannot create listings, messages, or carpool arrangements
• No data retention: Guest sessions are temporary and not stored
• Limited features: Cannot access messaging, carpool matching, equipment exchange posting, or Video Coach uploads

2.4 Optional Information for Registered Users

You may choose to provide additional information to help with carpooling and community features. You can use nicknames, provide approximate locations, or share general information at your comfort level:

• Family name or nickname
• General home location (city/neighborhood level)
• Vehicle information (if offering rides)
• Children's information (names, ages, ski ability levels - for carpool coordination only)
• Profile photo or avatar
• Phone number (optional)

2.5 Information You Create

When using the platform, you may create:

• Travel schedule entries (where and when you're skiing)
• Carpool availability listings (seats offered or needed)
• Equipment exchange listings (ski gear for sale/trade)
• Messages to other families
• Friend connections and blocking preferences
• Favorite resort selections and preferred elevations (stored locally and synced to your account)
• YouTube Live Video viewing preferences and web camera link access (no viewing data is tracked or stored)

2.6 Video Coach Information

If you use our Video Coach feature for AI-powered ski and snowboard technique analysis:

• Profiles: Name, age, gender, sport, and skill level of skiers or snowboarders in your family (used to personalize coaching feedback)
• Video Uploads: Ski or snowboard technique videos you upload for analysis
  • Videos are stored in Google Cloud Storage
  • Videos are automatically deleted after 30 days
  • AI-generated coaching feedback is permanently preserved
• Custom Analysis Notes: Optional notes you provide to focus the AI analysis (e.g., "Check my pole timing" or "Focus on turn shape")
• Video Comparison: You can set reference videos and compare newer videos to track progress - Comparison notes and analysis results are saved with your feedback
• Video Thumbnails: Preview images generated from your videos
• Visual Annotations (Premium): If you enable visual annotations, the AI extracts key video frames at moments where technique errors are detected, performs body keypoint detection, and draws coaching overlays on those frames
  • Annotated images are generated by Google Gemini (Vertex AI) and drawn using server-side image processing
  • Annotated images are stored in Google Cloud Storage alongside your video data
  • Annotated images are retained with your feedback and are not subject to the 30-day video deletion policy

2.7 Snow Forecast Information

When you use our Snow Forecast feature:

• No personal data collected: Snow forecast is available without registration
• No tracking: We do not track which resorts you view or your forecast preferences
• Weather data source: We fetch weather data from Open-Meteo, a third-party weather API
• Comprehensive hourly data: We provide hourly weather reports including temperature, snowfall (split into daytime and evening amounts), wind, precipitation, snow level elevation, snow-to-rain ratio, snow quality indicators, and wax suggestions
• Wax suggestions: We provide morning and afternoon wax color recommendations based on estimated snow temperature using the SWIX wax chart. Users can toggle between recreational and professional race-level recommendations. This is a calculated estimate for informational purposes only
• Server-side caching: Weather data is cached on our servers (updated hourly) to improve performance
• No user fingerprinting: We do not use the Snow Forecast feature to identify or track individual users
• Guest vs Registered access: Guest users can view 3-day forecasts and past 7 days of snow history; registered users get full 16-day forecasts with hourly details and wax suggestions (with professional toggle) for all 120 supported resorts across 9 states (California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming)

2.8 Road & Traffic Information

When you use our Road & Traffic Conditions feature:

• No personal data collected: Road & Traffic is available without registration
• No tracking: We do not track which cameras or routes you view
• Camera data sources: We fetch traffic camera feeds from Caltrans (California Department of Transportation), NDOT (Nevada Department of Transportation), UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation), CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation), ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation / TripCheck), WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation), ITD (Idaho Transportation Department), MDT (Montana Department of Transportation), and WYDOT (Wyoming Department of Transportation) with expanded coverage across major ski routes
• Road conditions source: Chain control and closure information comes from official Caltrans, NDOT, UDOT, CDOT, ODOT, WSDOT, ITD, MDT, and WYDOT data
• AI analysis: Our AI analyzes camera images from California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming to assess road conditions using an improved scoring algorithm; no personal data is used in this analysis
• No user fingerprinting: We do not use the Road & Traffic feature to identify or track individual users
• Guest vs Registered access: Guest users can view traffic camera images; registered users get additional AI-powered road condition analysis with safety scores
• Location feature (optional): You can optionally enable location to see your position on the map. Location data stays on your device only - we do not collect, store, or transmit your location to our servers
• Map view modes: Multiple map styles (Standard, Satellite, Hybrid, Terrain) are provided through Apple MapKit (iOS) and Leaflet (web) with no additional data collection

2.9 Usage Analytics & Activity Tracking

For registered users (not guests), we collect limited usage analytics to help us understand how the platform is used and to improve our services:

• Page Activity: We track which sections of the app or website you visit and how long you spend on each section (e.g., Travel Info, Carpool, Marketplace, Coaching, Account). This data is recorded as aggregate time per page per day.
• Login Information: When you log in, we record the date and time, your IP address, approximate location derived from your IP address (city, state, country), and general device/browser type (e.g., "Chrome / macOS" or "iOS App / iOS").
• Registration Information: When you create an account, we record your registration method (website, iOS app, Google Sign-In, or Apple Sign-In), IP address, and approximate location at the time of registration.
• What we do NOT track: We do not track specific content you view within each section (e.g., which resorts you check, which listings you browse, or which messages you read). We only track time spent at the section level.
• Guest users: No usage analytics are collected for guest users.
• IP Geolocation: We use a third-party service (ip-api.com) to convert IP addresses into approximate locations. Only city-level location is derived — no precise GPS coordinates are collected through this method.
• Purpose: This data is used solely for platform administration and improvement. It is never sold, shared with third parties, or used for advertising.

2.10 YouTube Live Video & Web Camera Information

When you use the YouTube Live Video or Web Camera features from your Favorite Resorts dashboard:

• No personal data collected: We do not track which live streams or web cameras you view
• YouTube Live Video: Available for select resorts (Palisades Tahoe, Alpine Meadows, and Sierra-at-Tahoe, etc.). Live video streams are embedded from YouTube. YouTube may set its own cookies and collect data according to Google's Privacy Policy
• Web Camera Links: Available for all ski resorts when added to your favorites. These links redirect you to the resort's official webcam page, which is governed by each resort's own privacy policy
• No user fingerprinting: We do not use these features to identify or track individual users
• Third-party content: Both YouTube live streams and resort webcam pages are third-party content — we have no control over the data practices of YouTube or individual ski resorts

2.11 Content Reports

When you submit a content report using the 🚩 Report button:

• What we collect: The content being reported and its ID, your user ID and email (as the reporter), the reason and any details you provide, and the date and time of the report
• Who can see it: Report data is only accessible to platform administrators
• How it's used: Solely to review and act on the report within 24 hours
• Retention: Reports are retained for our records but are not shared with third parties

3. How We Use Your Information

We're a simple community tool. Your information is used for:

• Carpool Matching: Connect families with similar travel plans
• Account Management: Maintain your login and account settings
• Platform Features: Enable equipment listings and messaging (if you choose to use them)
• Video Coach: Provide personalized AI-powered ski coaching feedback based on your skill level and age
• Snow Forecast: Display comprehensive weather predictions including hourly detailed reports with snow level, snow-to-rain ratio, snow quality, daytime/evening snowfall splits, and wax suggestions (recreational/professional toggle) for 120 ski resorts across 9 states (no personal data used)
• Road & Traffic: Display real-time traffic cameras and AI-powered road condition analysis for ski routes in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming (no personal data used)
• Usage Analytics: Understand how the platform is used so we can improve features and performance (registered users only; no individual content tracking)
• Basic Security: Prevent spam and abuse
• YouTube Live Video & Web Cameras: Provide embedded YouTube live streams for select favorite resorts and web camera links for all favorite resorts (no personal data used)

That's it! We're a simple community tool. We don't sell data, run advertising, or do complex analytics. Your information is used only to help families coordinate with each other and improve their skiing.

4. Information Sharing

4.1 Within the Community

This is a community platform. When you use the carpool matching feature, other community members in your match will see the information you've provided (family name, travel plans, contact info if you shared it).

Equipment listings are visible to all community members who use the exchange feature.

Video Coach data (skier profiles, videos, feedback, and visual annotation images) is private and visible only to your family account.

Snow Forecast data is public weather information with no personal data involved.

Road & Traffic data is public traffic camera and road condition information with no personal data involved.

Guest users cannot see personal information or contact details as they do not have access to messaging or detailed carpool coordination features.

4.2 Third-Party Services

We use minimal third-party services:

• OpenAI: For AI-powered carpool suggestions (only destination and travel info is shared)
• Google Gemini (Vertex AI): For AI-powered ski video analysis in the Video Coach feature (video files and skier profile information are processed to generate coaching feedback); also used for body keypoint detection in the Visual Annotation feature (premium); a backup AI model is available if the primary model is unavailable
• Google Cloud Storage: For secure storage of ski videos and equipment listing photos
• Open-Meteo: For comprehensive weather data used in the Snow Forecast feature including hourly detailed reports with snow level, snow-to-rain ratio, snow quality indicators, and daytime/evening snowfall splits (no personal data is sent to this service)
• Caltrans: For California traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature with expanded camera coverage (no personal data is sent to this service)
• NDOT: For Nevada traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Nevada ski areas like Mt. Rose (no personal data is sent to this service)
• UDOT: For Utah traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Utah ski resorts including Park City, Alta, Snowbird, and the Cottonwood Canyons (no personal data is sent to this service)
• CDOT: For Colorado traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Colorado ski resorts (no personal data is sent to this service)
• ODOT: For Oregon traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Oregon ski resorts including Mt. Hood, Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood Meadows, Hoodoo, Willamette Pass, Mt. Bachelor, Warner Canyon, and Mt. Ashland via US-26, OR-35, US-20, OR-58, US-97, HWY-372, I-5, and OR-140 (no personal data is sent to this service)
• WSDOT: For Washington traffic camera feeds, road condition data, and mountain pass conditions used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Washington ski resorts including Summit at Snoqualmie, Stevens Pass, Crystal Mountain, Mt. Baker, White Pass, Hurricane Ridge, Loup Loup Ski Bowl, Mt. Spokane, and 49 Degrees North via I-90, US-2, SR-410, SR-123, SR-542, US-12, SR-20, US-395, US-101, and SR-206 (no personal data is sent to this service)
• ITD: For Idaho traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Idaho ski resorts including Sun Valley, Bogus Basin, Brundage, Tamarack Resort, Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Silver Mountain, Lookout Pass Ski Area, Pomerelle Mountain Resort, and Kelly Canyon via SH-75, SH-21, SH-55, I-90, US-2, SH-11, US-95, SH-13, SH-33, US-20, US-26, I-15, and SH-77 (no personal data is sent to this service)
• MDT: For Montana traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Montana ski resorts including Big Sky Resort, Whitefish Resort at Big Mountain, Bridger Bowl, Red Lodge Mountain Resort, Discovery Basin, Montana Snowbowl, Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Showdown, Great Divide Snowsports, and Blacktail Mountain via US-191, MT-64, US-93, I-90, MT-1, US-89, US-2, US-287, S-278, I-15, and MT-78 (no personal data is sent to this service)
• WYDOT: For Wyoming traffic camera feeds and road condition data used in the Road & Traffic feature covering routes to Wyoming ski resorts including Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Targhee Ski Resort, Snow King Mountain, White Pine Ski Area, Hogadon Ski Area, Sleeping Giant Ski Area, Snowy Range, and Pine Creek Ski Resort via WY-22, WY-390, WY-130, US-191, WY-251/258, US-14, and US-30 (no personal data is sent to this service)
• Server Hosting: AWS for hosting the website and mobile app backend
• Email Service: AWS SES for sending verification and notification emails
• IP Geolocation: ip-api.com for converting IP addresses into approximate city-level locations for login and registration records (no personal data beyond the IP address is sent to this service)
• YouTube (Google): For embedded live video streams on the Favorite Resorts dashboard for select resorts (Palisades Tahoe, Alpine Meadows, Sierra-at-Tahoe, etc.). YouTube is a Google service and may collect data per Google's Privacy Policy. No personal data from Skihelper is shared with YouTube
• Ski Resort Webcam Pages: Web camera links redirect users to individual resort websites. Each resort has its own privacy practices. No personal data from Skihelper is shared with these resort websites
• OAuth Authentication Providers (Optional):
  • Google Sign-In: If you choose to sign in with Google, we use Google's OAuth service for authentication. Google provides us with your email address and basic profile information. We do not share your family, travel, or activity data with Google.
  • Apple Sign-In: If you choose to sign in with Apple, we use Apple's OAuth service for authentication. Apple provides us with your Apple ID email (or a privacy relay email if you choose "Hide My Email"). We do not share your family, travel, or activity data with Apple.
  • Both OAuth services are industry-standard and provide enhanced security for your account

4.3 What We DON'T Do

• ❌ We do NOT sell your information
• ❌ We do NOT share with advertisers
• ❌ We do NOT use tracking cookies
• ❌ We do NOT run background checks or verify users
• ❌ We do NOT share your video data with other users
• ❌ We do NOT track your snow forecast viewing habits
• ❌ We do NOT track your road/traffic camera viewing habits
• ❌ We do NOT track your YouTube Live Video or web camera viewing habits

Legal Note: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect safety, but this is rare for a small community platform.

5. Data Storage and Security

We take reasonable precautions to protect your information:

• Passwords are encrypted
• Data is stored on secure servers (AWS)
• Videos and images are stored securely on Google Cloud Storage
• We use HTTPS for secure connections
• Access is limited to admins only when needed
• JWT tokens for secure authentication

However: This is a small community project run by volunteers, not a Fortune 500 company. While we do our best with security, we cannot guarantee absolute security. Use common sense about what information you share.

Data Retention

• Your data stays while your account is active
• Guest user data is not retained beyond the session
• Video Coach videos are automatically deleted after 30 days
• Video Coach feedback is permanently retained
• Visual annotation images (premium feature) are permanently retained with feedback
• Favorite resort preferences are synced with your account and deleted when you delete your account
• Snow forecast weather data is refreshed hourly (previous data overwritten)
• Usage analytics data (page activity, login history) is retained while your account is active and deleted when you delete your account
• You can delete your account at any time through self-service deletion
• Inactive accounts may be removed after extended periods

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Update

You have the right to:

• Access your personal information through your account dashboard
• Update or correct your information at any time
• View your carpool history and equipment listings
• Delete individual ski videos from Video Coach before the 30-day auto-deletion
• Export your data in a portable format

6.2 Privacy Controls

• Profile Visibility: Control what information is shared in carpool matches
• Communication Preferences: Opt out of non-essential notifications
• Listing Privacy: Choose visibility settings for equipment listings
• Video Coach Privacy: Your videos, coaching feedback, and visual annotation images are private to your account
• Snow Forecast Privacy: No personal data is collected when viewing forecasts; guest users see 3-day preview and past 7 days of snow history; registered users see full 16-day forecasts with hourly details including snow level, snow-to-rain ratio, and snow quality for all 120 resorts across 9 states
• Road & Traffic Privacy: No personal data is collected when viewing traffic cameras or road conditions; guest users can view camera images; registered users get AI-powered analysis with improved road scoring
• Live Video & Web Camera Privacy: No personal data is collected when viewing YouTube live streams or accessing resort web camera links; YouTube's own privacy policies apply to embedded streams
• Guest Mode: Use guest access to explore the platform without providing personal information

6.3 Account Deletion

We provide self-service account deletion. You can delete your account at any time:

1. Log in to your account
2. Go to Account Profile tab
3. Scroll to the "Danger Zone" section at the bottom
4. Click "Delete My Account"
5. Follow the multi-step confirmation process
6. Check your email for a confirmation link
7. Click the email link to complete deletion (link expires in 1 hour)

Note: Guest users do not have accounts to delete, as no personal data is stored during guest sessions.

7. Children's Privacy

Our service is designed for families with children who participate in ski activities. While we collect information about children (names, ages, ski levels) as part of family profiles:

• Parents/guardians must be at least 18 years old to create accounts
• Parents control all information about their children
• Children's information is only shared within matched carpool groups
• Video Coach profiles for children are managed by parents and kept private
• We do not knowingly collect information directly from children under 13
• Parents can request deletion of children's information at any time through account deletion
• Guest users cannot access detailed children's information

8. Cookies and Tracking

We use minimal tracking technologies:

• Authentication Tokens: Stored locally to keep you logged in (JWT tokens for email/password login, OAuth tokens for Google/Apple Sign-In)
• Session Data: Temporary storage for app functionality
• Local Storage: Browser and app storage for user preferences
• OAuth Cookies: If you use Google or Apple Sign-In, those providers may set their own cookies according to their privacy policies

We do NOT use:

• Third-party advertising cookies
• Cross-site tracking
• Analytics tools that identify individuals

Usage Analytics (Registered Users Only): For registered users, we track time spent on each section of the app and website using our own first-party system. This data is sent to our servers and stored with your account. No third-party analytics services are used. Guest users are not tracked. See Section 2.9 for full details.

iOS App Note: Our iOS mobile app uses the same minimal tracking approach and does not collect device identifiers or track your activity outside the app. For registered users, the app records time spent on each tab (e.g., Travel Info, Carpool, Marketplace) to help us improve the platform.

9. Third-Party Links

Our service may contain links to external websites (e.g., resort websites, equipment manufacturers) and embedded third-party content (e.g., YouTube live video streams for select resorts, resort web camera page links). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites or services. YouTube live streams are governed by Google's Privacy Policy. Resort web camera pages are governed by each resort's privacy policy. Please review their privacy policies before providing any information.

10. AI and Automated Decision Making

We use AI technology in two features:

10.1 Carpool Matching (OpenAI)

• What It Does: Analyzes family profiles, travel plans, and preferences to suggest optimal carpool matches
• Your Control: Matches are suggestions only; you always have final approval
• Data Sent: Only relevant matching criteria (anonymized where possible)
• Human Oversight: Admins review match quality and can override AI suggestions
• Guest Access: Guest users cannot access AI matching features

10.2 Video Coach (Google Gemini)

• What It Does: Analyzes ski and snowboard technique videos and provides personalized coaching feedback based on the person's sport, age, skill level, and any custom notes you provide
• Video Comparison: Compare current videos against a reference video to track progress over time and receive detailed improvement analysis
• Age-Appropriate Coaching: Feedback is tailored to be appropriate for children, teens, or adults
• Skill-Level Guidance: Technical advice matches the person's ability from beginner to advanced level
• Your Control: You choose which videos to upload, set reference videos for comparison, and can add custom analysis notes to focus the coaching
• Visual Annotations (Premium): When enabled, Gemini also performs body keypoint detection on extracted video frames; the resulting coordinates are used to draw coaching overlays on the images, which are stored in Google Cloud Storage
• Data Sent: Video files and profile information (name, age, gender, sport, skill level); for comparison analysis, both reference and current videos are sent; for visual annotations, individual video frames are sent for keypoint detection
• Privacy: Videos are processed and automatically deleted after 30 days; feedback and visual annotation images are permanently saved
• Guest Access: Guest users cannot upload videos or use AI analysis

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in:

• Our practices or services
• Legal requirements
• User feedback and best practices

Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Significant changes will be communicated via email or prominent notice on the platform. Continued use of our service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to know if information is sold or shared (We do NOT sell personal information)
• Right to delete personal information (available through self-service deletion)
• Right to opt-out of sale (Note: We do NOT sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

13. International Users

Our service is primarily intended for users in the United States, specifically the western US skiing community (California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming). If you access our service from outside the US:

• Your information will be transferred to and stored in the United States
• By using our service, you consent to this transfer
• US data protection laws may differ from your country's laws

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