Kandatsu Kogen, Yuzawa - 8th February 2010

[muikabochi 208]

Last summer there were rumours about Kandatsu and the chances of it opening this season seemed slim for a while.

 

Just before the season started though news came through that someone had taken it over and it would go back to it's original name of Kandatsu Kogen. That's what it was called before it was Pine Ridge Resorts you see.

 

So today I decided to check it out.

 

I wish I hadn't.

 

I really do not like saying bad things about a place, but there's no choice here. It was only half open!

 

The last few years the far left quad lift that runs by the side of the Milky Way course has been closed but you could still access the very-fun Milky Way course via the 2nd quad lift. Not now. Not on every day of the week except Saturday anyway. Yes, they have closed up that lift as well and basically the only lifts moving mid-week are the main (useless) quad, one other quad and the pair lift going to the top point. All, it seems, at slow speed. So the entire left hand side of the resort is not accessible. That happened to be my favourite part as well.

 

Restaurants on the hill were closed and boarded up. One seems to have a part open as a Smoking Room. But the toilets were closed!

 

So really there is not much fun left. The snow was good but it would have been good anywhere today after the snow over the weekend.

 

It might be better on a Saturday - when it is actually open proper - but I would recommend people choose another mid-week Yuzawa resort.

 

It might not be dead, but it's hardly going to become a success like it used to be on this form.

 

 

I took some photos and will try to get some up later.

[joshnii 2]

Hmmmm cutting costs all over then?

How busy or not busy was it muikabochi?

[muikabochi 208]

Actually I was quite surprised. It wasn't busy but there were more people there than I expected. More than I think they deserved!

 

Here's some photos, I wasn't really in the mood as I was busy being angry at the resort.

 

That's Iwappara in the centre of the photo

 

 

 

Yuzawa town in the foreground, Minamiuonuma curving to the right in the background

 

 

Iwappara in the background

 

 

 

Sorry. Both lifts closed.

 

 

Nice powder unridden - at time of taking the photo

 

 

 

 

Sorry. Closed.

 

 

Sorry. Closed.

 

 

Sorry. Closed.

 

 

 

[Chips & Beer 0]

Brings back memories that was the first skijo I went to.

Sad to hear it going downhill, so to speak!

[mina2 6]

I think Kandatsu is really struggling. They had grand plans when Pine Ridge took over but that seemed to crash along with the numbers of people checking the place out.

 

[King Of Nails IV 0]

That was one place we were considering fo next week.

Good to know the info, thanks.

[BagOfCrisps 24]

Great photos again though muika,

[pie-eater 207]

That Milky Way course was the most funnest there. It's an outrage you can't ride it mid-week.

[thursday 1]

so are the tickets cutprice at weekdays?

[grungy-gonads 54]

Damn the milky way was good... the far left course right?

[resortguy 0]

Sad to hear it.

15 years ago, Kandatsu was a very popular resort and extremely busy place.

Great photos though!

[muikabochi 208]

Yes gg on the far left as you approache the resort.

[muikabochi 208]

Not exciting but just so people can see the place.

The 2 quads that are closed are the ones you can see in the first part.

I still can't work out why they don't just run the 2nd quad - that way people can still access Milky Way. I suppose they don't want to maintain that course.

 

[grungy-gonads 54]

On that still image before you click on the video to start, that run down from the top area lift to the bottom left not open I presume?

[muikabochi 208]

Closed. Of course!