Base up top: 430 cm Temp Top; -2 Degrees Base at bottom; 210 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear A fine and clear day awaits those ready to ascend the hill this morning. Light winds, light crowds and there is still some good snow at the top. Today will be better earlier with temperatures forecast to quickly warm with the snow becoming slushy by around lunch time. Pack the sunscreen! Yesterday sensational conditions were found in the mountain resort of Nozawa Onsen. Cold temperatures persisted for longer than was originally forecast and as a result the powder from the previous days dump remain excellent in quality, especially on northern aspects. A perfect bluebird sky was […]
Another epic day ahead
Base up top: 440 cm Temp Top; -7 Degrees Base at bottom; 220 cm New Snow since close: 5 cm Weather; Clear We have awoken to a staggeringly beautiful morning. A brilliant warm alpenglow is shinning on the surrounding peaks while a clear blue sky looks down from above. With deep fresh powder and cold temperatures you could be forgiven for thinking it is still in mid winter, but of course it is late March. We are very lucky to have such conditions, especially considering how much of the northern hemisphere is suffering through a lacklustre snow season. Japan always delivers and today will be as good as it gets! Yesterday we had heavy snow fall most of […]
Wicked Wednesday
Base up top: 440 cm Temp Top; -7 Degrees Base at bottom; 195 cm New Snow since close: 30 cm Weather; Snow 30 cm of spring powder, tick. No one of the mountain, tick. The fact that today will be epic, guaranteed. Heavy but isolated snow showers have continued overnight adding no less than 20 cm of the fresh good stuff down in the village and a windblown 30 cm towards the summit of Nozawa Onsen. Break out the fat skis and powder boards once more its clear that spring just isn’t quite here.. Yesterday we had some sketchy conditions earlier in the day with a prominent uneven ice layer making itself known to those passing overhead. However […]
Spring Powder
Base up top: 390 cm Temp Top; -8 Degrees Base at bottom; 195 cm New Snow since close: 5 cm Weather; Snow Looks like we have some big flakes falling from the sky in Nozawa Onsen this morning. With temperatures slightly less than an average mid winter day and strong gusting winds it will be a cold day up on the mountain but the rewards of rapidly accumulating powder pockets will be great. With almost a complete lack of powder hounds in the village at the moment you can be sure that tracked out areas will be few and far between. A brief look at the forecast gives indicating towards steadily strengthening snowfalls today with high overnight accumulations […]
Perfect groomers
Base up top: 385 cm Temp Top; +1 Degrees Base at bottom; 200 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear A repetitive spring pattern has established itself over the past few days across the island of Honshu. Today we have pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday with an light overnight freeze that will soften in the morning in the warming sun, becoming slushy by the afternoon. Expect pretty epic groomers today based on what we had yesterday. Spring corn snow is beginning to form off piste. By later this afternoon a change will move through from the north west delivering cold temperatures and moderate snowfalls overnight into tomorrow. This extended period of cold weather with […]
A Springy Saturday
Base up top: 390 cm Temp Top; +1 Degrees Base at bottom; 200 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear Its an undeniably beautiful spring day in Nozawa Onsen. Clear skies, sunshine; great spring conditions all round. The snow yesterday turned out to be exceptional yesterday, very fast and slightly slushy; we should look forward to similar quality today. Groomed runs will be the pick all day with carving skis and boards remaining a good choice, although the park will also be very good. Look out for slope style training on the paradise course on an intriguing looking park. Hopefully it remains set up after the competition, set to kick off on Sunday. Looking at the […]
Improving Conditions
Base up top: 395 cm Temp Top; +2 Degrees Base at bottom; 205 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Partly cloudy Very interesting weather in Nozawa Onsen today. The rainfalls over the past 36 hours has created some steamy tropical valley fog which dissipates above 1200m. With clear and sunny skies up top that classic cloud sea is occurring when view from up high. Should be good photographic potential for anyone with a camera. The skiing today will probably be ok, far better than yesterday at least. Its possible that the groomers will be faster by comparison. Otherwise the snow is wet and heavy across the mountain. Conditions should improve as the freezing level gradually declines […]
Cruising in the sun
Base up top: 415 cm Temp Top; +5 Degrees Base at bottom; 220 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear Its possibly the warmest the warmest day of the season so far with the temperature earmarked to ascend upwards of 15C in the shade down at village level. Sunburn, goggle tans and t-shirt skiing weather is on the cards for today. Hard to imagine but exactly one week ago we awoke to 40cm of pow and extreme cold. Conditions can change fast at this time of the year in the Japanese high country. Nevertheless, many people are looking forward to a great day of skiing in the warm sun. The groomed runs will be the pick, […]
Spring has Sprung
Base up top: 420 cm Temp Top; +4 Degrees Base at bottom; 220 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear Its already a very warm sunny morning in the village of Nozawa Onsen. With a mid teen top temperature in the village later the feel of spring is well and truly here, temporarily at least. The skiing and boarding to day will be very slushy and hopefully not too sticky. Warm weather wax and sunscreen will be the choice items of the day. Yesterday we also had quite a warm sunny day. The skiing was ok, slushy and sticky in parts however the spectacular views and light crowds made it an enjoyable day all round. The […]
Spring Returns to Nozawa Onsen
Base up top: 430 cm Temp Top; 4 Degrees Base at bottom; 220 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear Looks like potentially one of the most epic weeks of the season has finally drawn to a close today. Not to worry as we are currently experiencing some beautiful spring weather, warm with beautiful sunshine and clear views. Of course, the snow is still here too however the quality could be best described slushy, not the dry powder we have recently been lucky enough to ride in. Fun skiing and boarding will be on offer on the groomed pistes of Nozawa Onsen today. Looking at the forecast we are due for an extended period of sunny warm weather […]