REPORT

Today, the “THIS IS LIVING FIRST TRACKS ‘Cheers to NOZAPOW!’ supported by CORONA CERO” event was held. I know it’s a long title, so to sum things up, it was a special First Tracks day today. Boarding the Nagasaka Gondola at 7:15 a.m., I headed up to the Yamabiko Slope. Since I was starting around an hour earlier than usual, the extremely cold early morning air instantly chased away any lingering sleepiness.
[Nagasaka Gondola]

On the Yamabiko Slope D Course (pictured), the perfectly pressed powder groomers let my edges bite in as if they were being pulled to the snow like metal to a magnet. I spoke with a skier from Hakuba Village (pictured) who later told me, “The conditions are smooth and the runs feel great. By the way, I’m the reporter who covered ski resorts in New Zealand for Snownavi back in 2016.”
[Yamabiko Slope・D Course]

The powder groomers on the Yamabiko E Course felt even firmer than those on the D Course. One of the overseas participants (pictured, back row, third from the left) in the First Tracks event told me, “This is fun!” Meanwhile, Mr. Mori, Chairman of the Nozawa Onsen Ski Club, and the proprietress of Ryokan Sakaya commented, “Thank you as always for your support. A portion of the participation fee for these First Tracks events goes toward athlete development and training. There are seven more sessions planned, so we hope everyone who reads Snownavi will come and join us.”
[Yamabiko Slope・D Course]

“The ¥5,000 participation fee includes a drink ticket for a free CORONA CERO. Since it’s non-alcoholic, it’s ok to drink even if you’re driving,” explained a staff member from the CORONA Hikage POP UP BAR. After bibs are collected at the Nagasaka Gondola top station at 8:30 a.m., participants are free to continue skiing, giving them early access to every slope–a major perk. I headed straight for the Skyline Course (pictured), where the groomed powder was firm and fast.
[Skyline Course]

＊Night skiing will be offered on the Nagasaka Slope on 1/10 (Sat.) & 1/11 (Sun.), and all lifts and gondolas will begin operating 30 minutes earlier than usual on 1/11 (Sun.) & 1/12 (Mon., holiday), .
＊“THIS IS LIVING FIRST TRACKS” events will also be held on 1/18 (Sun.), 1/21 (Wed.), 2/11 (Wed.), 2/15 (Sun.), 2/19 (Thu.), 3/4 (Wed.), and 3/8 (Sun.).
　
[Nozawa Onsen Details on 1/7 (Wed.)]
*Fully OPEN (Except for KANDAHAR WEST & EAST, MUKOBAYASHI, KARASAWA, HACHIMAN)
*Available Lifts … Nagasaka Gondola (8:30～) and totally 12 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