Shiga Kogen in April

[davidnoble 0]

Hi there,

 

will be in Shiga Kogen for 5 days in April - April 8th I think is our first day. Deliberately picked this resort because it's the highest and supposedly has the best late-season snow. Have booked to stay in Ichinose.

 

I am a pretty good skier but my kids have never skied before.

 

One of the tourist information people said most of the lifts will be closed - 2 out of 5 open at Ichinose. As for the whole resort, If 30 out of the 70 lifts are open that still makes for some pretty good skiing imho.

 

Can anyone tell me what to expect in terms of lifts being open, snow condition, restaurants/bars open etc. We can't change the dates because of the kids school holidays.

 

I guess for the first couple of days having only a handful of lifts open won't be an issue for them because they won't be up for more than the beginner slopes anyway. After that if there's a nice wide blue run for them to try out, that might be enough.

 

Practically can you still get around the place ?

 

Would be keen to hear from anyone who's skiied Shiga Kogen after March. Or in fact any Japanese resort that late.

[SnowJapan 178]

Hi David and welcome.

 

I have never been to Shiga Kogen myself at that time, but if you read through our archived reports from the last 4+ seasons you might get an idea of what is open

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/shiga-kogen-now-archive.php?month=04&year=2012

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/shiga-kogen-now-archive.php?month=04&year=2011

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/shiga-kogen-now-archive.php?month=04&year=2010

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/shiga-kogen-now-archive.php?month=04&year=2009

 

Have fun!

[Tubby Beaver 209]

well restaurants and bars open during peak season are almost non-existent in SK, mainly whatever your hotel has going on. Ichinose does have a fair cluster of hotels that you could try out each restaurant and there are a couple of restaurants BUT open at that time of year......I don't think so. That said, I'm just guessing. Maybe picking a resort that has more of a real village/town would be better....Nozawa Onsen, Hakuba...but you'd have to check to see what the recent years snow has been like

[panhead_pete 27]

As Tubby said, Shiga is really quiet even in the peak part of the season. There is a cool Izakaya just down the road from the big cluster of hotels at Ichinose which served cold beer and yummy food. Nothing else to really do either except ride/ski.

[davidnoble 0]

Thanks guys. Great feedback. Have been digesting the archived snow conditions from the last 4 years at Shiga and working out where is likely to be open when we are there.

 

Looks like Yakebitaiyama will be closed which is disappointing but Kumanoyou and Yokteyama should still be open until the first week in May. Other than the fact they are at the other side of the resort from where we are staying (Ichinose) that should keep me busy for a day or so when not with the kids on the beginners slopes.

 

The only other question I have is if there's another resort that does have most of its runs open in April and still has reliable snow.

 

David, would you be able to send me the links to snow reports for Nozawa and Hakuba?

[SnowJapan 178]

Hello David if you look top right you will see a link called Daily Reports.

You can find all the archives there.

[panhead_pete 27]

That early in April I would have thought most if not all the Hakuba resorts will still be open.

[davidnoble 0]

Thanks Panhead_Pete. From what I can gather they start closing down lifts from April 1st. The snow will not be a problem.

 

So Yakebitaiyama and most of the slopes in the central part of Shiga like Sun Valley will have all the lifts closed, but other parts of the resort are open (some right through to Golden week). So I'm asking for info from anyone who's been to Shiga Kogen in April to see if there would be enough to keep me busy for a couple of days (the rest will be spent teaching the kids I expect).

 

Or should we forget about Shiga Kogen and visit another resort completely like Nozawa Onsen?

[panhead_pete 27]

Dave at that time of year you wont have any hassles getting accomadation. If it was me I'd wait until the week before you get there to make a decision on where I'd be going.

[davidnoble 0]

Thanks Pete, take your point but booking early has other advantages - want to ship some gear there, book lessons for the kids (hopefully in english) etc. A, torn between Nozawa with probably more lifts open because it's busier and Shiga with probably better snow because it's higher.

 

Anyone verify me on that?

[iiyamadude 6]

In April you don't neeed to do anything in advance.

Every accommodation and company out there will be happy to take your business.

There is hardly anyone around.

There is absolutely no need to book so far in advance.

[panhead_pete 27]

Can you get English lessons in Shiga? Ski schools will be empty anyways.

 

Seriously you are over thinking it. Wait then strike By all means if you need to book things so you feel more comfortable, book your transport to Nagano - Shiga/Nozawa/Hakuba are out out of there.

[davidnoble 0]

I found one guy at Villa Alpen who has taught internationally.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

That late in the season u may struggle getting lessons in English.

[griller 9]

The will be more problem with places being closed than with places being full!

 

[davidnoble 0]

Yep, nothing's going to be full, but a lot of stuff closes down on 31st March. So no group lessons, only private. Still interested in anyone's experiences if they've skiied Shiga or Nozawa in April.

[panhead_pete 27]

David the varibility in the seasons from year to year, especially at that time of year will make any input like you are chasing at the best imperfect and most likely misleading for 2013. It could be all over by then or the best late season ever. As an example in early March I've been rained on and also had huge pow days all in the same week. Is March good - well if I'd only been there the 1st couple days of that week I'd have said no. Not sure about Shiga but Im guessing Nozawa at that time you may have guides going BC like they do at time of year at Hakuba but that's a whole differenr ball game. I realise you are looking for specific information but Im not sure that's available outside of the daily reports posted above, what I do know is that if I had a family I wouldnt go to Shiga, soley that there is so little to do when you arent riding/skiing, even in the peak season.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I agree. Last year I had one of the best pow days of the season around the 6th of April, but 2 weeks before had slushy spring snow.....it's at the mercy of the gods.

[davidnoble 0]

Thanks David and Tubby. It's not so much the snow conditions. It's more the practicality of getting around when much of the lift system is closed.

We're only there for 5 days and there's the snow monkeys and onsens if we need something to do after skiing.

[Moops 0]

i went to shiga last early april and it was great! yes quiet, but that's a good thing. of course last year was a bumper year for snow... but yes, that high up, you're right, the snow melts much slower and more likely to have some powder left. and always better chances for overnight snow at that altitude. should be enough slopes still going. i went to okushiga kogen last year (skiers only), but yakebi was still open as well. also snow condition tends to be better over there (oku & yakebi) as it's "out back". not sure about lessons, but i'd say shiga's a good bet for early april. but as they mentioned, never a bad idea to be flexible.

[Moops 0]

shiga is quiet, certainly not a party town like hakuba. but for me, shiga's the best in japan!

[ippy 66]

Just out of wild and pointless curiosity, but do you reckon you could ride the skier only lifts if you get on with your splitboard and climbing poles?

[panhead_pete 27]

Just out of wild and pointless curiosity, but do you reckon you could ride the skier only lifts if you get on with your splitboard and climbing poles?

 

Cunning plan Lord Blackadder

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I didn't see any onsen's other than the one in my hotel. The monkeys aren't exactly in resort, it's a bus ride away and best check that they still run those buses.....I dunno if they are a year round thing or seasonal.

[davidnoble 0]

That's great info Moops. When exactly did you go?