REPORT

With heavy snowfall warnings in place, I left home earlier than usual and headed to Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field. Light, dry snow was coming down intermittently, and by the time I arrived around 7 a.m., about 5 cm of fresh snow had accumulated in the parking lot. Faint sunlight peeked through, creating a mystical atmosphere, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the calm before the storm.
[New Gondola]

A skier I met remarked, “It’s completely white at the summit.” The South Slope (pictured) was covered in 5 to 10 cm of fresh, light snow on top of a well-packed, groomed powder base. Though dense fog enveloped the area, the wide and impeccably groomed surface made for a comfortable and confident descent.
[South Slope]

Three visitors from Shizuoka (pictured) shared with me, “The fog makes visibility poor, but the snow is amazing—it’s so much fun! It’s soft, so even if we fall, it doesn’t hurt much.” Like the South Slope, the East Slope (pictured) had a moderately firm groomed powder base with about 10 cm of fresh, light snow on top. The sensation of my edges slicing smoothly through the snow was incredibly satisfying.
[East Slope]

The intense cold felt on the Mountain Side was also noticeable on the Village Side. As I descended to the Sunny Valley Course (pictured), the fog thinned, and visibility gradually cleared. From top to bottom, the course was covered in powder snow, and I had a blast playing on the sloped sides of the run as I skied down.
[Sunny Valley Course]

　 　
[Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field Details on 2/4 (Tue.)]
*All Courses are OPEN (Except for North, VIEW A, B)
*Available Lifts … Gondola (8:00-), and totally 6 lifts.
*Fees … Special In-Season Rates 1 Day Ticket Adult JPY5,000, 6-12 y/o JPY2,500 *A preschooler will be free per adult.
　
*Printable Rental Discount Coupons!
Carving Ski・Snowboard 1-Day Rental Set JPY3,000 / Outerwear JPY2,500!
Carving Ski・Snowboard High Performance Model Rental JPY500 OFF!
Kid’s Ski・Snowboard 1-Day Rental Set JPY2,500 / Outerwear JPY1,500!

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi