Some snowfall to report this morning - just a bit and depending on where you are in the valley either none on the ground or a slight dusting.

The Hakuba 47 resort is reporting 1-2cm at base and about 10cm of snowfall higher up.

After gathering some of the sprinkled snow earlier on, I was just about able to make myself a mini-snowman. He was really cute. But now that we have got that tradition out of the way, it's the serious business of decent snowfall and sliding on it that I really want to get to.

We're not there yet and with only 10cm or so higher up it's obviously not enough to get going yet.

Right now there are some breaks in the clouds over Hakuba and there's even some blue sky on show. Hopefully there will be more snow falling over the next 24 hours.

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Ski resort news that was originally posted yesterday (in case you didn't see it): Yanaba Snow Park is not going to be opening this season.

Yanaba is a smaller ski hill that is actually located by the side of Lake Aoki in Omachi city and just to the south of Hakuba village. Apparently, with the poor snowfall of last season Yanaba only managed to open for a total of about 40 days with less than 8,000 people actually using it. It may not be one of the major ski hills but it is always sad to hear these things.

Yanaba has had something of a troubled on-off run of seasons of late and there is no word as to what happens beyond the coming season, but I'll post any further news in a future report.

Perhaps a bumper season of heavy and consistent snowfall might help. Yes, please - we'll have some of that!

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Below are the official planned season opening dates for the ski and snowboard resorts in the Hakuba region. There are all subject to change depending on what happens weather-wise:

Hakuba Happo-one: as soon as there is enough snow
Hakuba 47: from late November
Hakuba Goryu: from late November
Tsugaike Kogen: from 28th November
Hakuba Cortina: from 10th December
Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field: from 16th December
Hakuba Norikura Onsen: from mid December
Hakuba Sanosaka: from mid December

Reports will be posted daily once the lifts get moving.