REPORT

While Yuzawa Nakazato is well known for its family and beginner-friendly slopes and facilities, it also boasts five steep, ungroomed runs — challenging enough to host events from the FREERIDE WORLD TOUR. On Monday, 2/9, with a heavy snow advisory in effect for the Minamiuonuma area, I ran into a local skier who was first on the No. 2 Lift. He told me, “The Kan-Etsu Expressway is closed because of heavy snow, and it looks like lifts at Kagura and GALA Yuzawa are shut down due to strong winds. On days like this, Yuzawa Nakazato is the place to be.”
[Training Course]

Those five ungroomed steep runs were loaded with an impressive 40 to 50 cm of fluffy new snow. In this zone, the Joyful Course and Training Course opened as soon as the No. 2 Lift began operating, followed by Extreme & Challenge, then Giant & Dynamic, once patrol checks were completed. Even on the ungroomed sections of the Panorama Course (pictured), 40 to 50 cm of fresh snow delivered outstanding float and a perfect powder sensation.
[Panorama Course]

Across the resort, groomed runs with 5 to 10 cm of fresh snow on top offered consistently soft powder conditions. At GROWTH PARK and in the FUN RIDE ZONE, both THE WAVY and THE BUMPY were buried under 40 to 45 cm of new snow. On THE PARK (pictured), wrapped in soft powder, riders were taking it slow and enjoying the features.
[THE PARK]

When the Giant Course (pictured) opened at 10:30 a.m., the depth of the 50 cm of fresh snow was enough to leave some skiers completely stuck. At the base of the same area, the Angel Slope (pictured, lower left) is a gentle 100 m run equipped with a snow escalator, making it ideal for first-timers. It can be used with a dedicated snow-escalator ticket (¥2,300 for all ages) or with a regular lift ticket.
[Dynamic Course]

　
＊Sunday, 2/15 — the third Sunday of the month — is “Kids’ Ski Day,” when elementary school students can ride with a free one-day lift pass.
＊My plan to introduce Nakazato’s “unique additional facilities and services” ended up getting pushed back (oops!).
　　
[Yuzawa Nakazato Details on 2/9 (Mon.)]
＊Fully OPEN (Except for No.6, N.6 Event)
＊Operating Lifts … No.1 Express (8:30～) and totally 4 lifts
＊Fees … 1-Day Pass Adult JPY6,400, 6 to 12 y/o JPY3,200
　
＊Request for the original data of our photographs
　
reported by Snownavi