Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 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.) Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 Kind of surprised a place in Fukushima opens so early.... Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 For CAT skiing?! I can't remember it looking that good..... Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 Snow looks a bit wet there. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 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. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Into the car!!! Have you ever been to Minowa, MO? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Haven't been yet. Would like to try it mid-season some time, when I hear they get snow monsters. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Cool, Zao style? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Cool, Zao style? I think so, though presumably on a smaller scale. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 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). Link to post Share on other sites
nagpants 1 Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 Interesting I wouldn't have thought with that location they would get lots of early snow http://www.snowjapan.com/japan-ski-resorts/fukushima/inawashiro/minowa/resort-map But what do I know! Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 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.) Link to post Share on other sites
SheldonB 0 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Does Nekoma get more? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 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. Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I wonder if there's much of a 'prize' for winning? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 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. Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Looks like it it will be season on for quite a few more places from this weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 You going to be able to get out soon, Metabo? Link to post Share on other sites
fruity-sachi 1 Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Thanks Metabo. I hope to get over there again this season. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 Brewery Inawashiro beer: Found and enjoyed at Grandee Hatoriko ski area: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/23526-grandee-hatoriko-fukushima-20131230/ Link to post Share on other sites
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