REPORT

At 2 p.m. on 11/18 (Tue.), the base snow depth at Sukayu in Aomori Prefecture reached 100 cm — the first location in Japan to hit that mark this season, and the first time in eight years that any site has recorded 100 cm or more in November. On the same day, Yubari in Hokkaido logged 50 cm of snow, the highest November total since records began. The following morning, 11/19 (Wed.), the HAKUBA VALLEY also received a significant snowfall, with 40 to 45 cm of snow piling up on the terrace at ALPS 360 (pictured).
[ALPS360]

Walking around the Panorama Course (pictured) and the upper section of Route 8, I found 50 to 60 cm of fresh snow in the deeper spots. “This is more than I expected. With one more good snowfall, we should be able to start grooming,” a staff member told me. Some tall grass was still poking through in places, but there was easily enough snow — and it was soft and fluffy enough — that if I’d brought my skis, I could have taken a few turns.
[Panorama Course]

Across the lower slopes — Soft Cream (pictured), Powder Snow, Merry Land, and Toomi — there was a light dusting of about 3 to 5 cm of slightly moist new snow. The ground temperature was still relatively high at this elevation, and wherever I stepped, moisture slowly seeped up through my footprints. On the Powder Snow Course, which will begin night-skiing operations for the first time this season, installation of the new LED lighting system is now complete.
[Soft Cream Course]

By around 9 a.m., the snowfall had tapered off at the base area and sunlight began to break through. The lower section of Hakuba 47’s Route 1 (pictured) also had about 3 cm of slightly moist new snow. A staff member working to get things ready for opening told me, “The snow reached all the way down to the bottom. Winter is finally here!”
[Lower Portion of Route 1]

　　
*The 2025–26 winter season at Hakuba Goryu & Hakuba 47 is scheduled to run from late November 2025 to 5/6/2026 (※Subject to snow conditions)

*Advance Discount Lift Tickets (*Available 9/1 to 12/19)
Adult 1-day pass JPY9,000 → JPY7,000!
Child 1-day pass JPY4,000 → JPY3,300!
(*A JPY500 deposit is added at purchase, ¥7,500 for adults, ¥3,800 for children, and refunded when the IC card is returned.)

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi