REPORT

At 6:40 a.m., and with the temperature dipping below –10°C, I was setting up my camera in the dark on the road leading up toward Hakuba Highland Hotel when the summit of Mt. Shirouma—the highest peak of the Northern Alps’ Ushiro-Tateyama Range at 2,932m (pictured, far right)—began to glow red. In less than 20 minutes, the entire ridge line was wrapped in the colors of dawn, creating a stunning scene in combination with this year’s final full moon, the “Cold Moon.”
[Ski Area Overview]

On this second day of the season, visitors to Happo were welcomed with brilliant blue skies and calm, windless weather—perfect conditions for skiing. The opening ceremony for the Hakuba Happo-One Ski Resort was held in front of the gondola base station at 7:45 a.m., with the first 100 guests receiving Happo’s famous onsen manju. Since it was a weekend, many visitors greeted me saying, “We always follow your reports!” and “We’re looking forward to another great season!”
[Panorama Course]

Starting today, the south side of the Kokusai 3 Pair (pictured) has also been groomed, making it skiable just like the north side. The south side offered a moderately soft, powdery groomed surface, while the north side had slightly firmer groomed powder. There were still some natural undulations in the terrain, but no bushes or thin spots to worry about, allowing for smooth, fast, and enjoyable runs.
[Panorama Course]

As for the resort facilities, Yeti (8 a.m.), Sun Terrace Panorama (9 a.m.), and Adam Plaza are currently open. Yeti begins taking food orders from 10 a.m., and its popular “Sangen Pork Thick-Cut Katsu Curry” (¥1,800) is enriched with fond de veau and a has a mild level of spice, and comes paired with a 160g slowly-cooked cutlet — a perfectly balanced, highly satisfying dish.
[Panorama Course]

　　
[Happo-One Details on 12/6 (Fri.)]
*Avaiiable Courses … Panorama, Upper portion of Panorama Cat Track
*Available Lifts … Gondola (8:00～), Panorama Pair, Kokusai 3 Pair
*Fees … Special Price 1-Day Pass Adult JPY4,000, 6 to 17 y/o JPY1,000

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi