Hakuba Now: Saturday 3rd January 2015
- Jan 3, 2015
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Hakuba region of Nagano
New snowfall at base 5cm
Snowfall at base this season 291cm
Posted on Saturday 3rd January 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Hakuba Now report can be found here.
Morning from Hakuba.
Cold day yesterday with spells of sunshine but lots of cloud remaining over the region.
It's a cold start to today as well, 5cm on the ground outside my place and more snow reported from resorts around the valley. (Well done Cortina on up to 40cm once again!)
It's windy out there this morning which is affecting some of the lifts at resorts. I have tried to add the latest as of 9:30am to the various resort info areas below.
Changing conditions are expected today as the snow eases off and perhaps the skies clear somewhat. Hopefully the wind will ease as well. Visibility still limited higher up but in lower areas and back from the mountains there's already some blue sky to see.
Sun likely tomorrow and Monday and it should not be as cold.
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Someone sent in a mail to SnowJapan asking about when the reports are posted. The answer to that is that they are posted as early as possible each day. Or should I say, as early as possible given the circumstances. Those circumstances being:
a) it takes quite a bit of time each morning to gather and check all of the information required
b) some of the required information is not posted early by the resorts themselves
and
c) I am human!
No doubt many who are actually in Hakuba and wanting an early start will be eagerly looking out of the window at 7am and be out on the lifts before the report is posted, which is fine. Better being on the mountain than in front of a computer! I don't know the full details but I believe that the considerable readership of the daily Now reports on SnowJapan come from all over the world. Think of them more as an ongoing commentary of the season than an early morning pre-ski report. I hope that explains it a bit, gambarimasu.
Actually writing that bit has delayed the report this morning... sorry!
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Official snow depth numbers and operations as of 3rd January 2015. Subject to change during the day:
Hakuba Goryu:
Reporting 10cm of new snowfall at Alps Daira.
Strong winds preventing top Alps Daira pair lifts from moving early on.
All courses open except Panorama Course and Adventure Course.
Night skiing at Toomi every day until 31st March.
Early morning skiing from 6:30am until 4th January (and then on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays).
- Alps Daira - 295cm
- Toomi - 175cm
- Iimori - 180cm
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Hakuba 47:
Reporting 15-20cm of fresh snowfall overnight.
Line C quad lift and Line E on hold due to windy conditions. Gondola is moving but may need to be stopped due to wind conditions.
All courses open.
Tree Riding Zone open.
- Upper - 285cm
- Lower - 160cm
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Happo-one:
Reporting 10cm of fresh snowfall.
Lower lifts opening was delayed but now open - upper parts of the mountain not open due to strong wind conditions.
Night skiing at Nakiyama every day until mid March.
Happo Banks The Snow Park yet to open.
- Usagidaira - 280cm
- Nakiyama - 160cm
- Sakka - 140cm
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Hakuba Cortina:
Reporting 30-40cm of new snowfall since yesterday.
Most of the resort is open. Itdadaira Ridge, Itadaira Forest, Giant closed.
Night skiing every day until 31st March.
- Upper - 350cm
- Lower - 250cm
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Tsugaike Kogen:
Next night skiing through 1st January in both Kane-no-naru-oka and Karamatsu-Shirakaba areas; after that mostly Saturdays.
- Tsuga-no-mori - 330cm
- Maruyama - 200cm
- Kane-no-naru-oka - 195cm
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Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field:
Reporting 10-15cm of fresh snowfall.
Most of Iwatake is open. View B closed due to avalanche danger.
- Upper - 255cm
- Lower - 165cm
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Hakuba Norikura Onsen:
Resort is mostly open.
- 250cm
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Kashimayari:
All areas now open.
Night skiing every day until 15th March.
- 210cm
Hakuba Now 2014-2015 season |
Data as of Saturday 3rd January 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 291cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 25 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th December) November 2014 snowfall 0cm December 2014 snowfall 276cm reported on 23 days January 2015 snowfall 15cm reported on 2 days |
All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Hakuba. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report.