Happo-one / ◎240cm / Sunny2021.Jan.29
The veracity of the weather map forecasting the arrival of a strong low-pressure and stormy weather was seemingly confirmed by the lift staff’s warning to me of “strong winds” at the top of the resort. Hearing that I expected the operation of the gondola to be delayed, and instead made my way up to Usagidaira via the Nakiyama No. 3 Triple to Happo Riesen Quad. A steady fall of dry snow was being blown around by the strong, cold northwesterly winds (pictured), and my fingers quickly grew numb with the cold as I handled my camera.
[Riesen Slalom Course]
The tightly packed groomed, granular surface of the Riesen Slalom Course was covered in a thin layer of 3 to 5cm of fresh snow. The new snow felt fluffy underfoot and made it possible to gain and comfortably maintain speed on the descent. Some sections at the tail end of the Riesen Slalom Course were hardened over.
[Riesen Slalom Course]
I ended up finding out that despite the winds, both the gondola and the Alpen Quad Lift started right on time. Poor visibility and driving snow made it difficult to distinguish details of the snow surface on the slopes above Usagidaira. The groomed aspect of the Usagidaira course was on the harder end of the spectrum, but the 5cm of fresh snow covering did add some welcome cushioning and made it reasonably easy to ski.
[Usagidaira Slope]
Grooming on the Panorama Course kept the large, coarse grains of surface snow firmly in place, and the extra 5cm of new accumulation on top made for great conditions. The steep, ungroomed sections of slope along the Alpen Quad Lift and Kurobishi No. 3 Pair were layered in between 15 and 20cm of new snow. The groomed portions of the Central Course (pictured), as well as the Shirakaba and Nakiyama Slopes were in good condition with the tightly packed base covered in 3 to 5cm of new snow. By the way, ID One and HEAD will be holding a test-ride event on Saturday and Sunday this weekend on the Nakiyama Slope.
[Central Course]
[Availability Information for Jan. 29]
* All Areas Available (Except for OMUSUBI, Olympic Course Ⅰ, Kokusai, Kitaone No.3)
* Available Lifts … Gondola (8:00 a.m.–), totally 9 lifts
* Lift Price … Adult: JPY5,500, Child under 12: JPY3,200, Senior : JPY5,000
*Request for the original data of our photographs
