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With Minowa opening today, the 2013/2014 season has officially started in Fukushima.

And hence, time for this season's thread.

 

Previous season's threads:

2010/2011

2011/2012

2012/2013

 

 

Planned openings:

 

11.15

Minowa (B lift)

 

11.30

Grandeco

 

12.14

Adatara Kogen

Nekoma

 

12.15

Oze Hinoemata Onsen

 

12.19

Aizu Kogen Daikura

 

12.20

Grandsunpia Inawashiro Resort

Numajiri

 

12.21

Aizu Kogen Takatsue

Alts Bandai

Fairyland Kaneyama

Family Snow Park Bandai x2

Grandee Hatoriko

Inawashiro

Listel Ski Fantasia

Nihonmatsu Shiozawa

Tadami

Ten-Ei

Urabandai

 

12.22

Aizu Kogen Nango

Aizu Kogen Takahata

 

12.23

Yanaizu Onsen

 

From 14 Jan. to 31 March 2014, 21 resorts in Fukushima are offering free weekday skiing to 20-22 year-olds who register through the 雪マジ!ふくしま/Snow Magic Fukushima program. (Separate from, and in addition to, the nationwide 雪マジ!19 program for 19-year-olds.)

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I was surprised too. It's usually been end of November/beginning of December the past few years, though there was one year last decade that Grandeco opened even earlier in November, so I guess it is not completely unheard of.

 

Another surprise is that Minowa is planning to stay open through Golden Week, much longer than usual for them. Looks like they are being much more aggressive this year. They seem to have joined the same group that took over Inawashiro, so maybe some new strategy afoot. Numajiri joined too, and those three ski areas also now have a joint season ticket this year.

 

In other news, Alts is re-opening the left-hand third of their mountain this year -- for CAT skiing. 1,000 yen a pop.

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Minowa had to close today due to snow melting. Looks like they just started to get a new dusting on the webcam, but whether they will be able to reopen tomorrow will be announced at 7:00 AM.

--And they're open again, as of today.

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You need to go back and meet your friend in Zao, MO.

 

I'm still wondering whether to go to Zao again this season. Didn't go last year. While it's beautiful, not sure I haven't photo-d it all out. But would love to go, it's just a bit of a trek. (Compared to what I am used to of course).

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You need to go back and meet your friend in Zao, MO.

 

I'm still wondering whether to go to Zao again this season. Didn't go last year. While it's beautiful, not sure I haven't photo-d it all out. But would love to go, it's just a bit of a trek. (Compared to what I am used to of course).

 

I'd like to. Almost made it last year, but had to change plans at the last minute.

Once things settle down a bit.

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Interesting I wouldn't have thought with that location they would get lots of early snow

 

http://www.snowjapan...nowa/resort-map

 

But what do I know!

 

This early in the season, it is not all natural.

 

Though in general they do seem to be in a relatively fortunate position temperature- and snowfall-wise, relative to their neighbors. That whole region has fierce micro-climates, with a huge variation in snowfall between relatively nearby resorts. For example, they're diagonally across the valley from, and in line of sight of, Inawashiro, which has a much shorter season. (Nekoma/Alts is another, maybe even more extreme, example in nearby contrasts.)

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Nekoma gets much more, and better, snow than Alts, though they are only separated by 500 m.

It used to be a 3-way competition between Nekoma, Grandeco and Minowa to be the first in the region to open, though Nekoma has dropped out of that competition the last couple of years.

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I wonder if there's much of a 'prize' for winning? ;)

 

Ha ha, probably not much beyond bragging rights. Though, I suppose being known as a ski area that will work as hard as possible to extend the season should have some positive effect on season ticket sales the next year.

 

In other news, Grandeco, which opened on 11/30 with the #1 Quad lfit, will be starting gondola and Quad #2 operations tomorrow, 12/7.

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Minowa will be running all 3 lifts from tomorrow, with 80% of their courses open.

 

Grandeco will be running their #3 quad lift from tomorrow.

 

Adatara Kogen and Nekoma open tomorrow.

Nekoma will be running their Oguni #2, Oguni #1B, and Maruyama #2 lifts.

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