REPORT

The Okushiga Kogen Ski Area, which promotes itself as a “Timeless Resort,” continues to have an atmosphere and abundance of snow that seems far from April in Japan. The Second Rapid Pair, Third Rapid Pair, Fourth Pair, and Gondola are running and the resort is still “fully open.” (*The gondola is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays until 4/25.) The groomed Expert Course (pictured) had a loose, slushy surface due to the warm, sunny weather, and I was able to repeat turns comfortably.
[Okushiga Kogen・Expert Course]

I spoke with a skier from Osaka, who told me they were a fan of Snownavi, and added, “The Expert Course first thing this morning was especially nice and easy to ski.” The Fourth Slope, at the top of the mountain (pictured), had a groomed snow surface that had yet to loosen up. There were a total of eight mogul lanes on the skiers’ left side of the course, with four on the upper portion of the slope and four on the lower portion. The width and length of the moguls were different in each lane.
[Okushiga Kogen・Fourth Slope]

I had a conversation with a staff member (pictured) who remarked, “Spring is mogul season. It’s a lot of fun! For snowboarders, the two rows on the skiers’ left side are easy to manage.” I, myself, am not good at moguls, but I was able to give it a go. It’s possible to go back and forth between Okushiga and Yakebitaiyama from the top of the ski resort even during the spring lift operation period.
[Okushiga Kogen・Fourth Slope]

There is also a mogul lane at the bottom of the Expert Course (pictured, background, along the Second Rapid Pair). On the First Slope, a 1-meter-wide raised slope has been built on the skiers’ right side to allow visitors to ski down to the base of the slope even as the snow cover starts to thin. This morning, I saw some snowboarders playing on the raised slope.
[Okushiga Kogen・First Slope]

*The snow depth listed at the top of this report is the highest reported throughout the Shiga Kogen area. Currently, that amount of 210 cm is at Kumanoyu, while the official amount for Okushiga Kogen is 150 cm.

　
[Availability Information on 4/8 (Mon.)]
*Available Courses … (Okushiga Kogen) Expert, First, Third, Fourth and totally 46 Courses
*Available Lifts … Okushiga No.1 (8:30-) and totally 14 lifts
*Fees … 4/1- Spring Discount 1 Day Ticket Adult JPY6,500, Middle & High school students, over 60 y/o JPY5,900, Under 12 y/o JPY3,200

*Request for the original data of our photographs
　
　
reported by Snownavi