REPORT

I spoke with a skier from Shizuoka Prefecture, who was the first skier on the No. 1 Pair Lift and told me, “The snow piled up quite a bit. I was going to go back home yesterday, but I decided to push it back a day and will ski until 11:00 a.m.” The official 24-hour snowfall total of 47 cm had everyone full of anticipation. Looking up from the No. 2 Quad at the slopes of Hiedayama 2, Hiedayama 3 (pictured), and Itadaira, I was very excited to see the smooth slopes reset by all the new snow.
[Hiedayama Course 3]

A skier who was with me on the No. 4 Pair told me that he lined up for the No. 2 Quad before 7:00, and that it was very cold. I asked him where he was headed for his first run, and he responded, “Where I am I skiing for the first run?! That’s obvious! Hiedayama 2!” As for myself, I went to the Itadaira Course (pictured). The soft feeling of the 50 to 60 cm of fresh snow and the excellent floating sensation without hitting the bottom had me vocalizing my excitement with hoops and hollers (in true powder festival fashion.)
[Itadaira Course]

Many non-Japanese skiers and boarders were seen in the tree area (pictured), and cheers were heard from the lifts whenever a rooster tail of spray rose up behind someone dropping in. The snow surface of the Hiedayama Rinkan Course was composed of moderately firm, groomed powder snow, and my skis slid well despite the gentle slope angle.
[Self-Responsibility Area]

People who had completed their first run on other ungroomed slopes across the resort began to gather in preparation for the 10:00 opening of the No. 5 Pair Lift. The dry snow that began falling last night and continued through to the morning, stopped for a while around the start of business and blue skies appeared overhead, but by 9:30 a.m., snow began to flicker again on the upper portion of the mountain. The Ikenota Slope (pictured) and Ipponmatsu Course had moderately soft groomed snow, and I was able to set my edges and turn comfortably. (About half of the Ikenota Slope was left ungroomed.)
[Ikenota Slope]

　
[Hakuba Cortina Available Information on 2/2 (Thu.)]
*All courses are available! (Itadaira-one C)
*Available Lifts … No.2 Lift (8:30-) and totally 6 lifts.
*Lift Fees … Adult JPY5,000, 6-12 y/o JPY3,500, Over 60 y/o JPY4,500 (Until 3/19)
*Night Skiing … Saturday in January & February, 17:00-21:00, Ikenota G, Adult JPY1,500, 6-12 y/o JPY1,000
　
*Printable Rental Discount Coupons!
Adult One-Day Lift Ticket Pack with Lunch or Shop Voucher JPY1,200 coupon = JPY7,200 → JPY6,000
Child One-Day Lift Ticket Pack with Lunch or Shop Voucher JPY1,000 coupon = JPY5,000 → JPY4,300

*Click here to purchase photos found in this report

reported by Snownavi