Computer vision · Mountain operations
A better view of the way Tahoe moves.
A camera-to-dashboard prototype exploring how vehicle observations can reveal traffic patterns around North Lake Tahoe.
- Engagement
- Independent Tahoe Labs product research
- Work
- Proof of concept · 2023
- Tools
- Python · Computer vision · Redis · Django
01 / The challenge
Understanding the busy days.
Crowded roads affect the experience of a mountain day long before anyone reaches a lift. Tahoe Labs explored whether existing camera observations could provide a more useful picture of traffic moving into and out of the region.
02 / The contribution
From observations to a working product.
- Built an image collection and vehicle-detection pipeline using camera-specific processing, computer vision, and time-bucketed observations.
- Connected the observations to a Django web prototype, close80, with regional traffic summaries and a JSON interface.
- Analyzed historical patterns and developed a design-partnership pitch for resort operations, grounded in the working prototype.
03 / The result
An idea made tangible.
A working proof of concept connecting image processing, traffic analysis, and a public-facing web interface. The prototype and its exploratory analysis formed the basis of the Palisades Tahoe pitch.
Independent research, not a commissioned Palisades deployment. The observations were exploratory traffic signals, not validated attendance counts. Forecasting and resort operations dashboards were proposed next steps.