REPORT

The forecast is calling for things to warm up over the weekend, but up on the Mountain Side, the rime ice that formed on the trees the night before last was still holding firm. With sunshine filtering through the clouds and comfortable, overcast skies, the resort felt busier as it builds toward the National Student Ski Competition Iwatake. This morning, visitors showed up early again, in particular, officials connected to the Hakuba Junior Ski Championships and international guests.
[Sunny Valley Course]

Up top on Sunny Valley and on the South Slope, the snow was moderately firm groomed moist snow with a powdery feel. Lower down on Sunny Valley, the surface transitioned to well-compacted groomed moist snow. I noticed a few small snow clumps near the bottom (pictured), but they didn’t affect skiing, and I was able to link comfortable turns all the way from the gondola summit station down to the base.
[Sunny Valley Course]

I met a girl from Miyata Village in Nagano (pictured, foreground) who told me, “Snowboarding is so much fun—I want to keep doing it forever!” The Hakuba Iwatake Snowboard School, which has won the All-Japan Snowboard Technical Championships school team division six times—including four consecutive titles—has introduced a new junior group lesson this season called “Jr. STEP3.”
[South Slope]

Jr. STEP3 is a step-up program for elementary school students who can link turns without falling. Across nine sessions from December through March, participants learn the fundamentals of riding, basics of ground tricks and gate training, and how to use natural terrain. The program runs with as few as one participant per session, with a maximum of 15 students. Remaining dates this season are 2/22 (Sun.), 3/8 (Sun.), and 3/22 (Sun.) at ¥11,000 per day.
[South Slope]

　
＊2/15 (Sun.) is “Ski Kids’ Day,” when elementary school students ride the lifts free of charge.
　　　
[Hakuba Iwatake Details on 2/12 (Thu.)]
*Fully OPEN (Except North, Sonezawa)
*Operating Lifts … Gondola (8:00～) and totally 7 lifts.
*Fees … 1-Day Pass Adult JPY6,300, 6-12 y/o JPY3,900, A preschooler will be free per adult

*Printable Rental Discount Coupons!
Carving Ski・Snowboard 1-Day Rental Set JPY3,500 / Outerwear JPY2,500!
Carving Ski・Snowboard High Performance Model Rental JPY500 OFF!
Kid’s Ski・Snowboard 1-Day Rental Set JPY2,500 / Outerwear JPY1,500!

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi