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We had planned to go to Grandeco for the first outing of the season, but the weather forecast was looking way too blustery there. Grandee Hatoriko looked more reasonable, so off we went, for the first time in almost 4 years (http://www.snowjapan...shima-201019-10).

 

Heading into the tunnel that separates Ibaraki and Tochigi on the Kita Kanto Expressway, still Autumn colors in Ibaraki:

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Emerging into Tochigi, winter in the distance:

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Shirakawa is the first exit off the Tohoku Expressway after the Tochigi/Fukushima border. From Shirakawa, you can see Mt. Jeans (center), and if you look closely, Nasu Onsen Family Ski Area (center left):

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Just to the right of Mt. Jeans are the remains of the former Akazurayama/Shirakawa Kogen ski area (the border between Tochigi and Fukushima prefectures goes right between the defunct ski area and Mt. Jeans):

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Grandee Hatoriko is about a 45 minute drive from the expressway. Coming into view:

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The base area:

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The weather was a good call. Sunny all morning, good visibility:

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Snow was packed powder, nice and dry, with side stashes.

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The lake in the distance is Hatoriko:

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To the left of that is Hatoriko Kogen, a highland populated with hotels and besso (kind of like neighboring Nasu, I guess):

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Looking further left, the windfarm atop Aizununobikiyama can be seen, which lies about halfway between Grandee Hatoriko and Lake Inawashiro:

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Some more photos:

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The kid was trying out a new snowboard.

As before, when the kid was still a skier, the favorite course was the Border Valley course, a natural halfpipe:

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(To be continued.)

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Course map seen at the top of the high-speed quad. It looks like there was once a plan to expand a bit higher and to the left of the current ski area (area marked "計画中"):

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At lunch time had some Brewery Inawashiro local beer:

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The Golden Angel was on tap that day. Pretty good.

 

After lunch, the wind kicked up a bit. A good time to take a short nap in the on-hill cafe (at top of Family Course):

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Actually, the kitchen in the cafe is boarded up now, so it is really just a heated resting place with vending machines now:

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These are the remains of a former pair lift that used to go from the top of the Family Course (near the "cafe"), to the top of the ski area. It was made redundant by the installation of the high-speed quad some years ago:

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Other pics:

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The secondary base station at skier's far left of the resort is closed this year, and the #2 parking lot is not open. A couple of lifts are idled that were running the last time we were there. However, due to the way the ski area is laid out, those idled lifts make no difference in ability to get around freely. They would really only be needed if it gets more crowded.

 

The place did not feel crowded at all -- just the right amount of people there to make it seem lively without getting in the way. Staff and everyone were very friendly there. Actually remembered what a pleasant little place it is. The kid declared it second-favorite ski area (after Grandeco), and I think we may actually start hitting it a little more frequently from now on.

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Nice pics. Pie Eater will have to go with his protractor to check out the Center Dome.

 

Beer looks good. As does the course with the banks. My son would be all over them too.

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Thanks, folks.

 

DiGriz, I did some searching, and I think the Mampei is now called the Hatoriko Ski Lodge. The one at the base, right?

It is still open, and does seem to offer some good deals, though I have never stayed there. We did stay at the Grand Xiv in Shirakawa before, using their ski package deal (nice room, multi-course French dinner, onsen -- all much nicer than expected for the price), though it is not slopeside. (If I were to stay again, I'd probably prefer to be on-hill, though the kid would probably insist on the fancier place.)

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Are those plans to expand something left over from another time or actually something they still plan on?

 

Don't know for sure, but would guess it is probably something they are not actively pursuing at present.

Would be nice if they could, though -- looks like there would be some nice, steep terrain in that area.

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