frannyo 2 Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 OK, I have read lots of the reviews on the site for this place, and it seems to invite extreme views - with people either loving it or hating it. Never been myself, so for those that have been - is it a great place or just the opposite? Link to post Share on other sites
oo 1 Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I generally like it frannyo. Got a great feel to the place. Reasons people don't - usually the weather and a bit of trekking. Link to post Share on other sites
danz 0 Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 yo frannyo... i was not so impressed...for the distance you need to travel, you can do better...there just are not that many trails, and its not that challenging a mtn...not to mention that it is VERY poorly designed...go to nozawa or hakuba instdead... danz Link to post Share on other sites
Eggelb 0 Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I'm not too into that place either. I read it somewhere on skijapanguide, but it is owned by loads of different people - so thats why it seems so disjointed. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 Maa-maa. Not too good if you are looking for a biiig challenge. If you are a beginner though, its a different story. Link to post Share on other sites
helen 0 Posted March 17, 2002 Share Posted March 17, 2002 I like Zao. Why? Well, maybe the atmoshpere, the good snow, the snow monsters, the onsen. Thumbs up from me Link to post Share on other sites
eeel 0 Posted March 18, 2002 Share Posted March 18, 2002 I'm not too keen on the place myself. Just went once and the weather was lousy, so that definitely put a damper on it. Link to post Share on other sites
flip 0 Posted March 19, 2002 Share Posted March 19, 2002 I like it. Me and the wife had a great time there late February. We hit on good weather and it wasn't crowded. Was great snow too. All round good time for us. Link to post Share on other sites
ballz 0 Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Love the place...well suited to my skills and a great place to go. Link to post Share on other sites
ivo 0 Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 i like the windlip by the snow monsters on top of zao (the picture should be developed soon...) Link to post Share on other sites
blinkin'ek 0 Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Interesting how this resort seems to get either really good or really bad reviews. Hmmmm, Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 26, 2002 Share Posted March 26, 2002 MY Chinese friends went to Japan for 7 days in February and spent a few days at yamagata Zaoonsen and they really liked the place. Their favorite few days of fun. Said it was really big and good runs for them (they are beginner/inter skill level). Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 26, 2002 Share Posted March 26, 2002 Big distance to travel - lots of high speed driving to get there.......lots of slow speed walking once you're there, but lots of snow (at least when I was there....) I like it, especially the ramen shop near the gondola station. For sure, one to check out and make your own opinion. Link to post Share on other sites
garynyberg 0 Posted March 26, 2002 Share Posted March 26, 2002 OK, if you go on a nice day. But you can never count on the weather being nice at Zao Onsen. Lots of flat terrain where different runs connect. Not a lot of method to the madness, but still an interesting place to ski. If you like snow monsters, this is the best place to see them in Japan, but not the only place as Shiga Kogen Yokote-yama has some excellent snow monsters. But Yokote-yama has to be the most inconvenient place I have ever skiied in Japan (the lifts suck). But then again the view from the top is the best in Japan at almost 2500 meters Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 I have been up there about 5 times over the last 12 years, and although I like it, there are many ways in which it could be improved. Link to post Share on other sites
orenji 0 Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 Anyone know what the weather was generally like this last season up at Zao. It seems to have a rep as a place that gets very cold icy weather in February, just wondering if this season was normal or maybe a bit warmer than usual? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 21, 2002 Share Posted May 21, 2002 If you like cross countrying. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 27, 2002 Share Posted May 27, 2002 I think Zao is a wonderful place and one of my top favorite resorts in the world. Agreed with some of the points brought up by other readers and in the reviews section, but the good points far outweigh the bad. I am a lower intermediate skier, by the way. Link to post Share on other sites
Jinja 0 Posted May 27, 2002 Share Posted May 27, 2002 I don't like Zao, no challenging terrain / really badly laid out. Good though if you're there with the GF/wife/kids/beginners Link to post Share on other sites
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