Mick Rich 78 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Here's an abridged version of the Nagano trip report appearing in my blog. I'll also upload some seperate resort reviews via Insider. Last week I spent a few days up in Nagano, visiting a friend in Hakuba and then checking out Ryuoo Ski Park. Being mid-March, I wasn’t expecting the snow to be great but the forecast looked good and sure enough, by the time I arrived at Kamishiro station, winter had returned to Hakuba! Apparently it had been snowing all day and more was due overnight! Early doors on Tuesday and the snow gods had delivered! Porridge quickly downed, we walked up to the Goryu base center and whilst waiting for the Goryu Express to open, headed over to the Iimori zone and played in and around the trees over there. View from Iimori across the Hakuba valley With the gondolas now running, we headed up to the top of the resort. Although the main runs had been groomed, there was up to a foot of powder off the sides and in the trees, so we spent the rest of the day playing in that, and had such a blast that we didn’t make it over to 47 as planned. There was no new snow overnight but we awoke on Weds to find blue skies and beautiful views! The snow in the trees was still in good condition but the groomed runs were great! Having neglected it the previous day, we decided to head over to 47 and did a top-to-bottom run on Route 1. It was a bit of a leg-burner but the snow was lovely all the way down - the best groomed run I'd had all season. The rest of the day was spent playing both on the groomers and in the trees, where there was still some great lines to be had. All in all, a top day, in fact, a top 2 daysl My next port of call was Ryuoo Ski Park, having won a free ticket in a SnowJapan Giveaway - thanks guys! From Kamishiro, I got myself to Nagano station, where I thought I would have the choice of a train or bus connection but then found out that the latter only runs on weekends and holidays. I therefore took the Nagano Private Railway to Yudanaka, which has a free shuttle bus service to the resort. There is another shuttle bus from Shinshunakano station but that’s not free, though I guess you could offset the cost of that against the extra train fare to Yudanaka! The train from Nagano to Yudanaka costs 1,130Yen (+100Yen if it’s the express) and takes between 45 and 70 minutes depending on what train you get. Try to time your connection carefully because the Yudanaka shuttle bus only runs 3 times a day (09.05, 10.15 and 11.45 to the resort and 09.30, 11.00 and 16.00 back to the station). I arrived at Yudanaka at 10.49 and therefore had to wait for the 11.45 shuttle. My original plan was to ride in the afternoon and again in the morning, thereby necessitating an overnight stay. Following Ippy’s advice, I spoke to the guy on the 2nd floor of the bus terminal building and managed to negotiate a room in a place at the resort base for 4,200Yen with no meals, which I thought was quite a good deal. I then changed into my gear and headed up the mountain – my target:- the Kiotoshi course “b” - having read the glowing reviews posted by Ippy, Dyna and Black Mountain. The resort is, as they and others have described, divided into 3 distinct sections according to ability and preference, namely the beginner-friendly bottom “Valley” section, the intermediate-to-advanced middle “Kiotoshi” section and the top, very pretty but flat “Sky Land” section. Looking back down to the base from the bottom lift, with the neighbouring resort in the background Looking up the mountain with snow clouds moving in After a few leg warmers on the Valley runs, I joined the queue for the single ropeway and then headed up into the clouds. From the top of the ropeway I decided to do a quick lap of Sky Land and yes, it’s flat. Pretty, but flat! There were some trees to be explored, but at a mellow pace and although there was quite a lot of snow around, it was very heavy, so I soon gave up on the idea and headed back to the ropeway station. More specifically, I headed straight for kiotoshi course "b" though by that time visibility was getting quite bad, so I headed straight into the trees to the skier’s left, where both snow and visibility was better. It looked like Ryuoo had received a similar amount of snowfall as Hakuba, but sadly that snow was now either heavy, crusty or sugary, depending where you were. I was probably only able to put half a dozen good lines in the trees which was a crying shame because those tree sections heading down to the natural halfpipe looked great! The "pipe" itself looked fun but was hard work so I made my way back onto the groomers and had a few more blasts down those before deciding to call an early end to proceedings. Definitely a case of what might have been and hopefully will be, when I return there next season! Thanks SJ and Ryuoo Ski Park for the opportunity to check out this resort - I'll definitely be going back for those trees!! Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks Mick, you Cheesefan! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 honestly great stuff. Concise, balanced, and just the right size to be informative AND interesting Good work dude. Pity about the trees though, theyre freaking awesome. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Like the look of the base area at Ryuoo. I think it's on my short list of places to visit next year, due to your and others' reports. What is the neighboring resort in the background? Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 I tried to remember it's name when the shuttle bus drove past the entrance sign but it got lost in the cobwebs! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 judging by teh steep on it, i think it might be x-jam. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 dunno if it is the one in the photo, but Togari Onsen and Nozawa Onsen aren't far away Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Yeah, I saw some signs for X-Jam but also for another resort (with a Japanese name), but that might have been the resort you can see from the train, which you then drive towards on the shuttle bus from Yudanaka station before it veers off towards Ryuoo. Damn it, I'll have to go back to check! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Yomase? I know near ryuoo is this crazy resort thats basically one massive steep and a flat bit, it always looked really fun (though terrifying the first time i saw it coming back from togari on around day 4 lifetime). It might not be the one, but it deserves a mention anyway just for its ridiculousness. X-jam is one part of mt Kosha. It might just be that to be honest. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Nice one Mick. Yomase is what is on that photo above. I think you are referring to Kijimadaira, not Yomase. Yomase is on the side of Yamanouchi town. Kijimadaira is the one you can see from Togari and Nozawa. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 This country has too many damn resorts!! Thanks for solving the mystery Muika! Link to post Share on other sites
@tokyo 14 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Sounds like decent timing, Mick, well at Hakks anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 & timed it well again today - report to follow tomorrow! & here it is:- http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/blog/17/entry-88-night-boat-to-cairo/ Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts