REPORT

Happy New Year! Again this year, I’m excited to bring you more wonderful reports from the slopes! With gondolas and lifts starting 30 minutes earlier than usual from 12/30 (Mon.) to 1/3 (Fri.), Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort was bustling from early on. On the Uenotaira Slope (pictured), I noticed a handful skiers enjoying the slopes with their dogs. (Note: Dogs are only allowed on the Nagasaka Gondola.)
[Uenotaira Slope]

The rime ice coating the trees along the Uenotaira Slope, along with the fog, created an enchanting atmosphere, and the slope itself featured well-packed, groomed powder snow that was a pleasure to ski on. The Paradise Slope (pictured) offered similarly excellent powder conditions, making it easy to glide effortlessly. The snow flurries that had been falling in the morning stopped around 8:30 a.m., and patches of blue sky began to appear overhead.
[Paradise Slope]

I spoke with two visitors from Shizuoka Prefecture (pictured) who shared, “We love Nozawa Onsen and come here every year to ski. It looks like this will be a snowy season!” The Uenotaira Slope currently has a base depth of 190 cm, and just another meter of snow would make it possible to touch the signs. The Snow Park in the same area is fully open, but the half-pipe is scheduled to open in mid-January.
[Uenotaira Slope]

Descending from Paradise to Schneider, the groomed surface transitioned to more densely packed, slightly damp snow conditions. On the groomed Utopia B, Hikage, and Nagasaka slopes, the surface layer of the well-packed damp snow had started to soften. A long line had formed at the Nagasaka Gondola base station, and I overheard skiers saying, “Wow, it’s really crowded. Wouldn’t it be faster to take the Hikage Gondola instead?”
[Nagasaka Slope]

　　
*Night skiing on the Nagasaka Slope is open daily through 1/4 (Sat.)!

[Nozawa Onsen Details on 1/3 (Fri.)]
*All Courses are OPEN (Except for KANDAHAR, CHALLENGE 39°deg Wall, MUKOBAYASHI, HACHIMAN)
*Available Lifts … Nagasaka Gondola (8:30～), Hikage Gondola (8:30～) and totally 13 lifts
*Fees … 1-Day Pass Adult JPY7,300, Senior JPY5,900, Under 15 y/o JPY4,400
　
*Click here to purchase photos found in this report
　
reported by Snownavi