REPORT

I ran into the head of the grooming team this morning. He told me, “With the base down to 60 cm, it’s getting tough, but we’re doing everything we can to keep the slopes in great shape—so please come out and ski.” He also explained, “Hakuba Sanosaka’s slope surfaces are naturally quite flat, which allows us to lay down clean, consistent grooming even when the snowpack is thin.”
[Carving Slope]

It was a calm, lightly overcast morning, and being a weekday, visitors were slow to arrive. Skiing from Lake Down into Lake View (pictured), the freshly groomed corn snow surface had set up nicely. My skis ran well, and it was easy to link smooth, comfortable turns.
[Lake View]

Paradise (pictured) offered the same firm, groomed corn snow and was very easy to ski. New Paradise, which had its opening delayed due to poor surface conditions, opened at 10 a.m. Across the groomed runs, the surfaces began to soften within about an hour, and by around 9:30 a.m. Paradise Downhill had already turned a bit chunky.
[Paradise]

I also spoke with a British snowboarder who lives in Hakuba Village (pictured). He greeted me with the familiar phrase, “I always read your reports,” and added, “Snownavi is great! I’m a HAKUBA VALLEY season pass holder, and I come to Hakuba Sanosaka often on weekdays because it’s quieter and I can really enjoy the skiing. Powder is great, but the groomers here are excellent too.”
[Lake Down]

　
＊There is an area of thin snow coverage near the lower end of Paradise Downhill.
　
[Hakuba Sanosaka Details on 3/6 (Fri.)]
*Fully OPEN!
*Operating Lifts … No. 2 Quad (8:00～) and totally 4 lifts
*Fees … 1 Day Ticket Adult JPY5,400, Elementary School Students JPY1,000,

*Advance Discount Lift Tickets (*Available 12/1 to 3/22)
Adult 1-Day Pass JPY5,400 → JPY4,900!

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi