REPORT

“Apparently, there’s about 30 cm of new snow at the top!” was the word I got from a man I met at the base of the Nagasaka Gondola. Taking his cue, I dropped into the ungroomed Yamabiko B Course first, where I found, you guessed it, 30 cm of fresh snow on top of well-packed, large moguls. I enjoyed the sensation of floating as I rhythmically tapped the bottom of the moguls.
[Yamabiko Slope・Special Self-Responsibility Area]

Next, I headed to the Yamabiko Special Self-Responsibility Area (pictured), which had the best conditions of anywhere I rode this morning. Large clouds of snow and cheers filled the air as tracks were quickly left behind on the smooth, untouched surface. Please note, if rescue is needed in the Special Self-Responsibility Area, unlike on the regular courses, the individual(s) requiring rescue will be charged for those services.
[Yamabiko Slope・Special Self-Responsibility Area]

The quality of the snow and the wonderful rime ice that enveloped the surrounding trees naturally lifted my spirits. When I descended, I skied down the challenging 39-degree Wall Course, which had about 30 cm of soft new snow. Below that, the Challenge Course, Utopia B Course, Nagasaka Slope, and Higashi Slope all had perfectly packed, ideal powder snow grooming, making for great skiing conditions.
[Yamabiko No. 2 Quad]

Since the winter pressure pattern intensified yesterday afternoon, strong winds had led to the suspension of the Nagasaka Gondola. Although strong winds were forecast for today as well, we were fortunate to have a calm morning. With the first significant snowfall in a while, the Nagasaka Gondola base station (pictured) was bustling with activity, as if it were a weekend, despite it being a weekday.
[Nagasaka Gondola Base Station]

　
[Nozawa Onsen Details on 1/30 (Thu.)]
*All Courses are OPEN (Except for Grand Prix , MUKOBAYASHI, Hachiman, Kurokura)
*Available Lifts … Nagasaka Gondola (8:30～), Hikage Gondola (8:30～) and totally 14 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