REPORT

With the year-end and New Year holiday period underway, visitors began to arrive very early. As of 7:30 a.m., Parking Lot 1A was already full, and B was nearly full as well. Riding up via the Nagasaka Gondola and then transferring to the Yamabiko No. 2 Four and Yamabiko Four, I dropped into the Yamabiko Slope A Course (pictured), which featured outstanding powder conditions!
[Yamabiko Slope・A Course]

Following the heavy snowfall on 12/26 (Fri.) & 12/27 (Sat.), it became possible to ski all the way down to both the Nagasaka and Hikage gondola base stations on 12/27 (Sat.). I skied the Uenotaira Slope to the Paradise Slope, which featured moderately firm groomed powder surfaces, then carried speed straight into the Schneider Course (pictured). The groomed Challenge and Forest Courses featured moist, fast groomed snow where my skis ran smoothly.
[Schneider Course]

The Hikage Slope (pictured, center) opened on 12/27 (Sat.), was about two-thirds covered in well-packed, moist groomed snow with a light powdery feel. To reach the Nagasaka Gondola base station, there are currently two options: ski down via the Nagasaka Connector Course, or take the Hikage Triple and exit onto the Nagasaka Slope via the Kumataka Course. The forest-road-style Kumataka Course featured well-packed, moist groomed snow.
[Hikage Slope]

I ran into Mr. Kawaguchi from Compass House (pictured, second from the right), who told me, “I’m here skiing as part of a backcountry tour. You can see all the way to Mt. Hakkaisan today—what a view. I’d love for Snownavi readers to come and join one of our BC tours.” Under calm, clear blue skies, the Yamabiko Slope was buzzing with a lively mix of skiers and snowboarders.
[Yamabiko Slope・D Course]

＊On 12/30 (Tue.) and 12/31 (Wed.), all lifts and gondolas will begin operating 30 minutes earlier than usual.
　
[Nozawa Onsen Details on 12/29 (Mon.)]
*Most Courses are OPEN (Except for UTOPIA B, KANDAHAR WEST & EAST, SKYLINE, GRANDPRIX, JUMPING, HIKAGE A, MUKOBAYASHI, KARASAWA, HACHIMAN, KAMOSHIKA, TANUKI, USAGI)
*Available Lifts … Nagasaka Gondola (8:30～) and totally 13 lifts
*Fees … Adult JPY7,500, Under 15 y/o JPY4,500, Over 60 y/o JPY6,000
　　
＊Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi