REPORT

For a true taste of northern Nagano’s stunning scenery, the Skyline Course, perched along the ridge, is a must-try! Last season, Skyline opened on 1/14 (Sun.), but this year things got started 22 days earlier on 12/24 (Tue.). This morning, I took the Nagasaka Gondola (pictured, 3,129m) followed by the Skyline Link Pair (198m) to reach the top of the Skyline Course.
[Nagasaka Gondola]

The Skyline Course stretches 3,500m with a maximum gradient of 32 degrees and an average of 25 degrees, offering a long and challenging ride with no easy escapes. However, thanks to consistently excellent grooming, intermediate skiers seem to really enjoy it as well, especially first thing in the morning when conditions are at their best. From the start (pictured) to the middle section, the course featured well-packed, slightly damp snow with a powdery feel that was smooth and made it fun to pick up speed.
[Skyline Course]

The final stretch of the Skyline Course featured a firm, slightly damp groomed snow surface. I continued onto the Kitsune Course and skied all the way down to the Nagasaka Slope in a single go. There, I met a season pass holder from Iiyama City who shared, “Today is my birthday. I moved here from Gifu Prefecture because I was drawn to the excellent snow quality. It’s shaping up to be a great season with a lot of snow!” (Next time, I’ll make sure to take your photo!). Additionally, the Skyline Course is set to host First Tracks event on 2/17 (Mon.) and 3/3 (Mon.).
[Skyline Course]

The Hikage Kids Park (pictured), which is equipped with a snow escalator, was bustling with activity, and especially popular with international visitors. Despite its very gentle slope, sleds seemed to be sliding effortlessly inside the park. From the Hikage Slope, I returned to the Nagasaka Slope via the Nagasaka Link Course. By the time I wrapped up around 10 a.m., light snow mixed with drizzle had started to fall at the base.
[Hikage Kids Park]

　　
＊Today there was a line on the Nagasaka Slope for those waiting to ride the free “Nasuki-go” snowmobile-powered shuttle.
　
[Nozawa Onsen Details on 12/26 (Wed.)]
*All Courses are available (Except for Skyline, Grand Prix, Mukobayashi, Karasawa, Hachiman, Karasawa-Link, Kamoshika, Tanuki, Usagi)
*Available Lifts … Nagasaka Gondola (8:30～), Hikage Gondola (8:30～) and totally 13 lifts
*Fees … Adult JPY7,300, Senior JPY5,900, Under 15 y/o JPY4,400
　
*Click here to purchase photos found in this report
　
reported by Snownavi