REPORT

Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort opened for the season today, 11/29 (Wed.), two weeks earlier than last year! On the mountain this morning, I ran into a snowboarder from Yamanashi Prefecture (pictured), who commented, “If only the resort had opened yesterday, I could have spent my birthday on the slopes… It is pretty nice, though, to be able to ski wide, long runs in November.” Indeed, and Happy Birthday!
[Yamabiko Slope・D Course]

The officially announced base of 30 cm seemed spot on, and I didn’t notice any exposed brush on the open Course D (1,250m long), during my time on the slope. The groomed surface was topped with approximately 5cm of fresh, slightly damp snow from last night. Overall, my edges bit well, and I found it easy to ski, with the first half of the run (pictured) having a powdery feel, while the last half was more hardpacked. (*There were some icy sections due to artificial snow.)
[Yamabiko Slope・D Course]

I overheard visitors exclaiming how much fun they were having and how good the conditions were. In the morning, it was warm with some sunshine and patches of blue sky (pictured), but the sky gradually turned gray and looked as if it could start snowing at any moment.
[Yamabiko Slope・D Course]

I spoke with three local residents of Nozawa Onsen Village (pictured), who told me, “We love your site! We’re thrilled that the resort was able to open in November. We’ll be checking Snownavi every day during the season.” By the way, it was possible to ski up to the Rest House Yamabiko.
[Yamabiko Slope・D Course]

　
[Nozawa Onsen Availability Information on 11/29 (Wed)]
*Avaiiable Courses … Yamabiko Area D (Lower Part)
*Available Lifts … Nagasaka Gondola (8:30 -), Yamabiko No.2 Four(8:40 -)
*Fees … Adult JPY4,400, Under 15 y/o JPY2,900 (Until 12/15)

＊Click here to purchase photos found in this report
　
　
reported by Snownavi