REPORT

Since the forecast was calling for rain today across the country, I made my way to the Yokoteyama and Shibutoge Ski Areas, the highest-elevation ski resorts in Japan, to see how the conditions would be. It was drizzling lightly at the base area before the start of business, but not enough to bother me. The First Slope (pictured) was in good shape with decent visibility and a moderately loose, groomed granular snow surface that my skis slid well across.
[Yokoteyama・First Slope]

I emerged above the fog around the Junisawa Bridge in the car on my way to the resort but was right back in the thick of it while riding the Yokoteyama Second Sky Lift. The beginning of the Second Slope (pictured) was groomed with a moderately firm granular snow base, but the visibility was so poor due to the thick fog that I kept hearing people say things like, “Where am I? I can’t see the slope.”
[Yokoteyama・Second Slope]

I spoke with a group of three people from Mie Prefecture (pictured), who told me, “We are staying at Shiga Kogen tonight. We came to Yokoteyama expecting snow since it is at a higher elevation, but unfortunately, it’s raining. The forecast is for snow in the evening, so we’re looking forward to tomorrow. I finally broke through the fog after skiing down to the middle of the Second Slope.
[Yokoteyama Second Slope]

On the Shibutoge side, both the Waver (pictured) and Gemut courses had moderately firm, groomed granular snow surfaces. The slopes themselves were in good shape, but visibility was poor due to the thick fog. Rain was also falling at the top of Mt. Yokote (elevation 2,307m), and it intensified further around 10:00 a.m.
[Shibutoge・Waver Course]

　
＊On 2/25 (Sun.), the Morning Run / First Track event will be held at Yokoteyama and Shibutoge Ski Area!　
＊The snow depth listed at the top of this report is the highest reported throughout the Shiga Kogen area. Currently, that amount of 170 cm is at Okushiga Kogen.

　
[Availability Information on 2/21 (Wed.)]
*All Courses are available (Except for 9 courses)
*Available Lifts … Kumanoyu No.1 Pair (8:30 a.m.-) and totally 39 lifts
*Fees … 1 Day Ticket Adult JPY7,500, Middle & High school students, over 60 y/o JPY6,400, Under 12 y/o JPY3,700

*Request for the original data of our photographs
　
　
reported by Snownavi