REPORT

The upper area of the Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort is so vast that if you’re visiting for the first time, it’s hard to imagine until you see it for yourself. Two signature gentle slopes that really showcase this scale are the Uenotaira Slope and the Paradise Slope, which opened today (pictured). On this grand opening day for Nozawa, three additional lifts began operating: the Hikage Gondola, the Paradise Four (pictured, background), and the Skyline Connector Pair.
[Paradise Slope]

With warm air moving in and temperatures nationwide reaching October-like levels this morning, it was a mild day in Nozawa Onsen. The Paradise Slope (pictured), was groomed edge to edge across its full 220 m width, and measuring 1,200 m in length with a maximum gradient of 12 degrees and an average of 8 degrees, offered well-packed, moist groomed snow throughout. As the surface began to soften, my edges bit in firmly, making both long, fast turns and short, controlled turns easy and enjoyable.
[Paradise Slope]

I ran into a group of nine visitors from the Kanto region who said, “We always read your reports! The early-morning grooming on the Yamabiko Slope was firm and very easy to ski—it was so smooth that it made us feel like we had suddenly gotten better.” Meanwhile, a snowboarder from Chiba Prefecture told me, “I just rode the Kokenashi Slope, and the snow felt almost like spring conditions.”
[Paradise Slope]

The Uenotaira Slope (pictured), where the groomed, moist snow was already softening from the start and easy to ride, saw the opening of a snow park featuring two items today: a 4 m box and a narrow box. By the way, clouds, snow, and rain usually move in from the west—and so, while the HAKUBA VALLEY was already covered by clouds early this morning, Nozawa enjoyed clear blue skies.
[Uenotaira Slope]

＊An ARMADA demo event is being held in front of the Nagasaka Gondola top station. A COMPASS HOUSE staff member told me, “We’re running demo days on 12/20 (Sat.) and 12/21 (Sun.). If you bring a photo ID, you can try out skis for free. Please feel free to stop by.”
＊The currently open slopes are accessed via the Nagasaka Gondola or the Hikage Gondola.
＊12/21 (Sun.) is this season’s first “Kids’ Ski Day,” with free one-day lift tickets for junior high school students and younger at Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort!
＊On 12/24 (Wed.) and 12/25 (Thu.), the “Find Santa at Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort!” event is set to take place.
　
[Nozawa Onsen Details on 12/20 (Sat.)]
*Avaiiable Courses … Yamabiko Area A, C, D, E, Kokenashi A & B, Uenodaira, Uenodaira Family, Paradise
*Available Lifts … Nagasaka Gondola (8:30～), Yamabiko No.2 Four(8:40～), Yamabiko Four(8:45～), Skyline Double, Uenotaira Quad, Paradise Quad
*Fees … Adult JPY7,500, Under 15 y/o JPY4,500, Over 60 y/o JPY6,000
　　
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reported by Snownavi