REPORT

The solid snowfall from yesterday, 12/18 (Thu.), pushed Kurobishi’s official base depth up to 145cm. This morning, with clear skies and calm winds, strong radiative cooling saw temperatures drop all the way down to –7°C around 7 a.m. according to a roadside display on Route 148, though it felt noticeably more comfortable by the 8 a.m. resort opening. Stepping off the gondola and walking across the snow, I was greeted by that crisp “squeak-squeak” sound unique to dry powder.
[Panorama Course]

The Panorama Course (pictured) had a firmly set groomed powder surface that delivered excellent glide and edge hold, making it exceptionally easy to ski. I ran into a skier who commented, “I always follow your reports. The groomers today are letting me nail every turn exactly how I want. They’re fantastic.” Later on, I headed to the second-floor restaurant at Sun Terrace Panorama, which was set to open at 10 a.m.
[Panorama Course]

The spacious, warm interior felt bright and inviting thanks to the large windows. A staff member recommended the Australian beef sirloin steak (※150g, ¥2,300 with rice and soup), along with their homemade sweets.
[Sun Terrace Panorama

The south-side route at Usagidaira (pictured) was also in great shape, with a moderately firm surface that made it easy to link smooth, enjoyable turns. Along the ungroomed sections beside the Alpen Quad, rolling features had formed in the well-set powder. An announcement earlier in the morning said the Kurobishi Quad would start later than scheduled, and instead the Kurobishi 3 Pair began operating at 10:30 a.m.
[Usagidaira Slope]

＊12/21 (Sun.) will be the first “Kids’ Ski Day” of the season, when one-day lift tickets are free for elementary school students.
　
[Happo-One Details on 12/19 (Fri.)]
*Avaiiable Courses … Kurobishi, Usagidaira, Panorama, Upper portion of Panorama Cat Track
*Available Lifts … Gondola (8:00～), Panorama Pair, Kokusai 3 Pair, Alpen Quad, Kurobishi Quad
*Fees … Off peak 1-Day Pass Adult JPY5,000, 6 to 17 y/o JPY1,700, Over 65 y/o JPY4,600

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi