REPORT

This morning, I met a couple from Aichi Prefecture (pictured) who told me, “We always read your reports, but it’s our first time meeting someone from Snownavi in person! We were at Myoko the day before yesterday, and have been skiing at Kumanoyu since yesterday. The difference in the feel of the slopes is amazing. The higher elevation really makes a difference in snow quality!” It was a warm spring morning, with a slightly hazy blue sky that gave off the distinct feeling of the spring season.
[Kumanoyu・Second Beginner Course]

With solid snow coverage all the way down to the base area, Kumanoyu Ski Resort plans to stay open until 5/6 (Tue., holiday), with both the First Pair (pictured) and Second Pair lifts operating. Kumanoyu will also kick off early morning skiing beginning on 4/19 (Sat.), which already began at Yokoteyama and Shibutoge on 3/29 (Sat.), and at Yakebitaiyama and Okushiga Kogen on 4/5 (Sat.). Both lifts will start running at 6:00 a.m., and all courses except the upper part of the Third A Course will be open! (※ Early morning hours: 6:00 to 8:30 a.m. / Adults ¥2,500, Elementary students ¥1,700, Age 60+ ¥2,300.)
[Kumanoyu・First Pair Lift]

As you would expect on a weekday in April, visitor turnout was slow during the morning. On the First A Course, Second Beginner Course, Third Beginner Course (pictured), and Fourth Beginner Course, the surfaces of the hard packed, groomed spring corn snow bases started to soften around 9:00 a.m., allowing for better edge grip. As time passed, the soft surface layer grew thicker, but the glide remained smooth and consistent, making for an enjoyable ride.
[Kumanoyu・Third Beginner Course]

The ungroomed Second A Course, Third A Course, Third Rinkan Course, Fourth A Course, and Fourth Event Course offered hard, bumpy, technical conditions. On the Umanose Course (pictured), grooming had been done to the width of about two grooming machines towards the beginning and roughly half that width in the middle to lower sections. The firm surface allowed for edge control and smooth, high-speed turns.
[Kumanoyu・Umanose Course]

　
＊The base depth at the top of this report reflects the maximum depth across all of Shiga Kogen. Currently, the highest recorded depth of 200 cm is at Okushiga, Yakebitaiyama, and Terakoya. Kumanoyu is reporting 160 cm.
*The planned final day of operation for each lift can be found here.
　
[Shiga Kogen Details on 4/8 (Tue.)]
*Available Courses … (Okushiga) 1st, 2nd Expert, 3rd, 4th, 6th, Downhill, Kumaotoshi, Rinkan, Hillside, Detouring, (Yakebitaiyama) Giant Slalom, Gondola Contact, Gondola detou, Olympic, Super Giant, Panorama, Middle Contac, East, Middle, East connecting route, South connecting route, (Ichinose Family) Front, Teng, Panorama, Perfecter, (Kumanoyu) 1st A, 1st Mogul Bahn, 1st Shirakaba, 2nd A, 2nd Beginner, 3rd A,3rd rinkan, 3rd Beginner, 4th A, 4th Beginner, 4th Event, Umanose, (Yokoteyama) 1st, 2nd, Kaiwa, Jumbo, King, (Shibutoge) Gemut
*Available Lifts … (Okushiga) 2nd Rapid Pair, 3rd Rapid Pair, Gondola, (Yakebitaiyama) No.1 Gondola (8:00 -), No.2 Gondola, (Ichinose Family) Ichinose Quad, 2nd Pair B Line, (Kumanoyu) No.1 Pair, No.1 Pair B Line, (Yokoteyama) 1st Sky B Line, 2nd Sky, 3rd Sky, 4th Pair, (Shibutoge) 1st Romance
*Fees … 3/31- Spring Fee 1 Day Ticket Adult JPY6,500, Middle & High school students, over 60 y/o JPY5,900, Under 12 y/o JPY3,200

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi