REPORT

Today, 12/20 (Tue.), a portion of the Iimori Zone opened to skiers and boarders a full two days earlier than scheduled! The Milky Four and the 6th pair lifts got moving on time at 8:00, providing access to the Soft Cream Course (pictured) and the Powder Snow Course. While light, dry snow was falling around the base area, light was being cast on the mountains at higher elevations, though the slopes themselves were cast with shadows.
[Soft Cream Course]

A thin layer of less than 1cm of fresh snow covered the Soft Cream (pictured) and Powder Snow courses, whose groomed surfaces were on the firm side due a mix of natural and man-made snow. There wasn’t enough snow to completely even out the undulations of the underlying terrain, but there was enough to ensure that no bushes were sticking out of the snow surface. The ungroomed area to skier’s left on the top of the Powder Snow Course had around 30 cm of soft, fluffy snow.
[Soft Cream Course]

Meanwhile, in the Alps Daira Zone, dry snow was being carried by the moderately-strong northwest winds. The high clouds were moving extremely quickly, but sunlight occasionally filtered down to the slopes themselves. I found roughly 25cm of soft, untouched snow upon entering the Technical Course (pictured) and thoroughly enjoyed another early-season powder run on its smooth surface.
[Technical Course]

I ran into an instructor with the Hakuba Goryu Ski School (pictured), who exclaimed to me, “The conditions are great!” The moderately firm, groomed powder surfaces of the Panorama Course, the upper portion of Route 8, the Grand Prix Course, and the Dynamic Course were topped off with approximately 2cm of new snow, while the well-packed groomed surfaces of the Woody Course and Toomi Slope allowed for fun, comfortable, and consistent turns.
[Champion Dynamic Course]

　　　　
[Hakuba Goryu & Hakuba47 Opening Information for 12/19 (Mon.)]
*All courses are available. (*Except for Sunny way, DISCOVERY, DIFENDER, DISCOVERY SPORT, Snow Diving, Adventure, Merry Land)
*Available Lifts … Tele-cabin (8:15-), Alps 1 Pair,　Alps 3 Pair, Toomi Sky 4, Milky Four(8:00-), Iimori 6 Pair, Line-8 (8:00-) , Line-A, Line-C, Line-E
*Lift Fees … 1 Day Ticket Adult JPY6,000, 6-12 y/o JPY3,200, 13-17 y/o JPY4,300, 60-79 y/o JPY5,000 *JPY500 deposit will be required.
　　
＊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!

*Click here to purchase photos found in this report

reported by Snownavi