REPORT

The Tsugaike Ropeway will start its early spring service on 4/1 (Sat.)! (*Adults: ¥1,390 round trip, ¥760 one way / Elementary School Students: ¥700 round trip, ¥380 one way). The ropeway will operate every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in April and daily from 5/1 (Sat.) to 5/7 (Sun.). In order to board the ropeway, you must present a ropeway ticket in addition to your lift ticket, and submit a mountaineering report.
[Tsuga-no-mori Slope]

The weather was been sunny and mild for 6 straight days now, since 3/3 (Fri.). My skis slid well on the Tsuga-no-mori Slope (first photo) and Gotemba Course (pictured), which both had moderately firm, groomed granular snow surfaces. The natural wave-like terrain of the Gotemba Course was fun, and addictive.
[Gotemba Course]

The area alongside the Han-no-ki High-Speed Pair Lift was groomed with a moderately packed, granular snow surface, and the steep slope in the middle of the run (pictured) had a groomed, coarse snow surface that was softening up in the sunlight. The further I skied down the slope, the thicker the loose top layer became, but I was still able to turn comfortably on the soft snow.
[Han-no-ki Slope]

I spoke with a couple from Nagano (pictured), who told me, “We often come to Tsugaike since it is a great place to use snowscoots.” The Kane-no-naru-oka Slope (pictured), with its super-wide groomed runs, had a soft, moist, granular snow surface, yet there were no noticeable areas of thin snow cover or exposed soil, and I was able to ski without any worries.
[Kane-no-naru-oka Slope]

　　
[Tsugaike Kogen Opening Information for 3/8 (Wed.)]
*Almost all course are Open！
*Available Lifts … Gondola (8:00 a.m.-),and totally 12 lifts
*Fees … Adult JPY5,900, 6-12 y/o JPY3,500, Over 60 y/o JPY4,300 (Until 3/12)
　
＊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