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Ryuoo Ski Park (Yamanouchi, Nagano) - 12th March 2014


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Ryuo Ski Park has been on my list for a while now and I was always leaving it to go there on a fine and clear day. I had some time that I could use today and so looking at the forecasts last night I thought the day for Ryuo had arrived – forecasts were for clear weather and sunny warm temps. Better go now before spring really takes hold, was part of the thinking too.

 

So left home just before 7am and it was sunny here, so hopeful that I’d get a really nice clear one over there. Come round the corner from Nozawa on Route 117 to check out Kijimadaira…. where is it?!? Oh dear, lost in thick haze. Had to laugh, I really could barely make out the outline of the Kijimadaira mountain. Off to the right Madarao was lost in the haze. Seeing that the whole region was covered in this thick ‘haze’ which made it terrible conditions for good contrast pics, I kind of gave up on this being a pics day and just decided that I’d have to enjoy exploring the new place.

 

So arrived just before 8:30am so about 90 minutes drive.

 

First thing I notice after getting my ticket…what’s with the crowds?! It was really busy. Like weekend at really popular place busy. The busiest I have seen anywhere this season…on a Wednesday? Queueing for lifts? What’s with that then?! Need to wait for the second Ropeway because there’s too many for the first one? Objection!!

 

Second thing I notice…is this a snowboarders only resort? It took me a while to find another skier out there. No kidding, it must have been more than 95% boarders. I felt like I had busted in on a boarders party or something. Any particular reason for that? ‘Ryou Ski Park’ as a name seems a bit strange!

 

I thought I’d get to the top first for the views (haha) and also to escape all the crowds as more buses were piling in by the minute. So up on the Ropeway. Here’s the view from the top looking towards Kosha-related skijo (Yomase on the left and X Jam):

 

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:doh:

 

Oh dear. Lovely view of Myoko? Not a chance!

 

Epic fail!

 

:lol:

 

The top area basically has one quad lift. (There’s also a 160m pair lift but that just brings you back up to where you need to be). The quad lift is over 1km long, but it doesn’t really go ‘up’ much, more like ‘across’. It goes through lots of lovely trees and the courses that zig-zag down through all of the trees are very…pleasant. But it’s all very flat. I had to push myself along in a few places. I may not have told people but I do really love trees, but these trees didn’t really do much for me. It was all a bit same-y, flat and…well, I had enough after 4 runs up there. Compared with the similarly lined up trees at Joetsu Kokusai where I was yesterday - the trees at Joetsu Kokusai are more interesting/photogenic.

 

At least there was a bit of blue sky at the top area.

 

Pleasant:

 

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Pleasant:

 

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Pleasant:

 

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Pleasant:

 

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Pleasant:

 

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So on to the ‘main bit’ which are the steep ungroomed runs down from the top of the Ropeway. It warns you before you enter that it’s only for advanced skilled people. So obviously lots of near beginners totally ignore that and the fairly narrow course is littered with boarders - I say boarders only because there really were no skiers! - sitting down, falling over, crashing and shouting ‘yabai’. It was quite funny actually in a way after the initial irritation. It’s quite steep, not very wide but I see there’s lots of tree potential. No doubt that is why ippy loves it here. (Correct me if I am wrong!) I must admit it was a bit much for me as well at the moment because my knee is a bit weak. Lots of fun there though for sure.

 

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Gnarly:

 

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Gnarly:

 

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Gnarly:

 

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Gnarly:

 

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But the problem I see with that area, apart from all of the people falling over and stranded is that you need to get that Ropeway back up. And you need to wait for the Ropeway etc. Not into Ropeways myself, I much prefer a fast quad whizzing up. So with the crowds today, there really was no quick way up. Example when I came down it was 5 minutes before the next Ropeway, but that filled up, so had to wait for the next one after that. That was 25 minutes just standing around. If I had gone off to ski another lift, the queue would have grown again so didn't feel I had much choice if I wanted to go back up.

 

I didn’t spend much time in the base area, but it seemed like the usual mix of pair/quad lifts and courses. Crazy busy.

 

I’m sure I would have been happier if the weather had been clear allowing me to take good pics, but I don’t think Ryuoo is really my bag.

 

It obviously is lots of people’s bag though, with all the crowds.

 

Still can’t quite believe how busy it was. Why?! (Yeah, yeah, I know Mt Granview is closed today).

 

 

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Lovely temple near Kijimadaira on the way home

 

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ippy's ethereal shot

 

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Interesting muika. About the Ropeway situation, could you not have stipped off and hiked naked up there?

 

Regarding the busy situation, you probably answered the question yourself!

 

(Yeah, yeah, I know Mt Granview is closed today)
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It's too bad it was so hazy. The views were really nice when I went last year. I think I'm going to go this Saturday. Reading about the queue for the ropeway has me a bit worried though. I was hoping to spend the day riding down from the top of the ropeway. Probably still will but looks like I will be doing some waiting. Despite the haze you got some nice pics!

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Thanks GB. I still do want to go again for the proper views. Big fail today in that respect!

 

On today's evidence though, I would totally stay well clear from Ryuoo on a holiday.

 

I'm just not used to queues at all. Ropeway queues are the worst kind too, not moving for 20 minutes, miss that one wait another 20 minutes, just standing there like a lemon. Shock to the system.

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Presumably - surely - on holidays they have the Ropeway going pretty much constantly - anyone confirm?

 

Today it was 00:20:40 so miss one and it's 20 minutes wait. Get on the 3rd one and you have been stood around 40+ mins.

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Thanks GB.

On today's evidence though, I would stay well clear on a holiday.

I'm just not used to queues at all. Ropeway queues are the worst kind too, not moving for 20 minutes, miss that one wait another 20 minutes, just standing there like a lemon.

Shock to the system.

Unfortunately I'm committed to going this Saturday (hotel reservation, happy to get out of the house wife etc.) I'll maybe try to eat around 10 am and ride during everyones lunch. I think the ropeway is always every 20 but I hope I'm wrong :sadface:

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Took a look at the Ryuo official blog to see if they had an explanation for the crowds, and it looks like they were quite surprised, too.

They even mentioned the hordes lined up on the Kiotoshi course that you mentioned.

 

(Think I risked diabetes reading it, though. Enough sugary emoticons?)

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Took a look at the Ryuo official blog to see if they had an explanation for the crowds, and it looks like they were quite surprised, too.

They even mentioned the hordes lined up on the Kiotoshi course that you mentioned.

 

(Think I risked diabetes reading it, though. Enough sugary emoticons?)

This makes me hopeful for next Saturday. Thank you for the hard work ;) Maybe it was just a fluke.

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1. Why does ippy love it?

- dude, the trees are amazing fun! So yep yep. Brilliant ride.

2. Why are there crowds?

- probably the black box i reckons. Its maybe finally paying off. Every time ive been there ive had a massive room to myself. So good to see the black box works. Heres to more ski jos using it.

3. Any ropeway info/tips?

- Ropeway is every 20 minutes. If youre outside the building when its due, chances are you aint getting that one up. I put it around 5 to 10 meters from the shelter part gives you a slim to middling chance of making it. If i remember as well its 8 minutes to get you up there, so youve got 12 minutes to clip in and storm it. Its doable of course, but youre kinda missing the adventure. Line b is just awesome fun to cruise on anyway in around the trees and up and down the pipe. Then when you hit the resort, just burn up some walls and muck about with ground tricks. Maybe hit another lift on the way down or play on the air bag. No point being sat in a ropeway station for lnger than 20 minutes. Just watch the times, accept its a joy to cruise it rather than bomb it (also a joy, but your cutting it fine for the next bucket up), and be there on time for the next one.

4. Anything else?

- I ****ING HATE ROPEWAYS!!!

5. Ah, ryuoo is awesome, eh?

- I Love Ryuoo. <3 If its dumped, be prepared for spectacular fun tree riding. Also, dont ride down that bit they cut for the ropeway apparently. Done it loads of times, but its definite slideable.

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I would say most people were day trippers lots in groups - personally, doubt it's much to do with accommodation.

 

It was Ladies Day, don't know how much that affected things. More blokes than ladies though. Perhaps all went to see the ladies! ;)

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Gozaimaas how did you find the riding at Ryuoo was going to trip it over there from Noz this year but didnt go due to snow conditions. Worth it for a few days or only a day trip?

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