REPORT

Skiing all the way down to the gondola base station has been possible at Tsugaike since 12/6 (Sat.)! At this time of year, being able to cruise along the 5 km downhill route—descending 800 vertical meters from Tsuga-no-mori through Han-no-ki and on to Karamatsu—is a rare treat. However, with no significant snowfall since 12/6 (Sat.), the stretch from the middle of Han-no-ki (pictured) down to the gondola mid-station was entirely ungroomed this morning, making for some wild conditions.
[Han-no-ki Slope]

Even so, conditions were better than expected on the upper slopes, specifically Tsuga-no-mori and the area along the Han-no-ki High-Speed Pair (pictured), where snowmaking was running full tilt. A light dusting of just under 5 cm of fresh snow that fell the night before last also helped, resulting in pleasantly smooth conditions. The well-groomed runs featured firm, well-set snow with a powder-like feel despite the moisture, making for a very enjoyable ride.
[Han-no-ki Slope]

As a result, the vast majority of visitors were lapping Tsuga-no-mori and the area along the Han-no-ki High-Speed Pair. There were no protruding bushes or thin spots of snow and the skiing was smooth and reliable. Since this time of year typically sees operations limited to these two slopes anyway, it’s best to think of the mid to lower section of the Han-no-ki Slope simply as a route for simply returning back to the base.
[Han-no-ki Slope]

With almost no wind, the light, dry snow that had been falling early in the morning tapered off, and patches of blue sky began to appear. Meanwhile, on 12/8 (Mon.), Burger King opened for the season in the Yuki-no-hiroba area at the gondola mid-station. This year, the Smoky Fried Chicken Burger is making its winter-season debut!
[Tsuga-no-mori Slope]

　　
[Tsugaike Kogen Details on 12/10 (Wed.)]
*OPEN Courses … Tsuga-no-mori, Han-no-ki, Cat Track, Shirakaba, Karamatsu
*Available Lifts … Gondola (9:00～), Tsuga 2, Han-no-ki High-Speed Pair
*Fees … Off Peak 1-Day Ticket Adult JPY6,100, 6 to 12 y/o JPY3,800 (Until 12/12)
　　
*Early-bird Lift Tickets (Sales period: 9/12 to 12/21)
Adult 1-day pass JPY8,200 → JPY5,900!
Child (elementary) 1-day pass JPY4,900 → JPY3,800!
Adult 1-day pass + JPY1,200 lunch voucher= JPY9,400 → JPY6,700!
Child 1-day pass + JPY1,200 lunch voucher= JPY6,100 → JPY4,600!
　
*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi