It is a beautiful blue sky day here in Hakuba and the sun is shining brightly on the snowy peaks above the village. It looks like it is going to be a great day for early season sliding. Definitely wear your sunglasses/goggles and sun block if you are going to be out all day.

Conditions on Happo yesterday were powder and chopped powder in the morning, then firming up and getting a bit icier in the afternoon. It looks like from Friday the resorts should get some more snow with colder temperatures into the weekend and into next week so we are hopeful for more openings coming soon.

Conditions on the runs now are variable. The snow is shallow and there are lots of rocks, shrubs and things poking out - what looks like powder may not be that deep at all.

Currently open resorts are Goryu (just Alps Dai ichi pair lift), Hakuba 47 (line 8), Happo One (just the Kurobishi Quad and Usagidaira Pair Lift) and Tsugaike Resort (upper lift only). You will need to ride the gondola to access the open runs on all the resorts now.

The resorts are giving discounted tickets until the rest of the runs open.