It is much colder this morning, and much more winter like. We have new snow too covering the roads and probably 10+cm on the slopes.

But, the strong winds that we had yesterday are still with us and are still affecting lifts around Shiga Kogen. As far as I can tell this morning it is all very limited out there - at the time of writing one lift each at the following resort areas moving - Kumanoyu, Okushiga Kogen, the Ichinose resorts, Mammoth and Sun Valley. Hopefully we might be rid of the really strong winds by tomorrow, though I recall thinking and maybe saying that yesterday as well.

There's a chance we will see snowfall continue on and off each day into the weekend. If that happens, it may well be a great first April weekend out on the slopes. As you can see from the lift schedules below, there's more open for the weekend as well.

Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 4th April 2012 AM:

Yokoteyama:
200cm
Kumanoyu:
190cm
Ichinose Family:
160cm
Yakebitaiyama:
220cm
Okushiga Kogen:
200cm

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Resort areas that are now closed for the season are Maruike, Hasuike, Giant, Bunadaira, Nishitateyama and Kidoike. The planned closing dates of other ski areas are as follows, subject to change:

Sun Valley:
No1 quad until 8th April
No3 lift until 4th April

Higashitateyama:
Closed at the moment. Re-open for April 7/8, 14/15, 21/22, 29th April - 6th May. Access to Terakoya still operating even when Higashitateyama closed.

Terakoya:
Closed at the moment. Re-open for April 7/8, 14/15, 21/22, 29th April - 6th May.

Mammoth:
Quad until 6th May. Triple until 8th April.

Tannenomori:
Until 6th May (but closed from 9th April until 28th April).

Ichinose Family:
Quad until 6th May. Pairs on April 7/8, 14/15, 21/22, 29th April - 6th May.

Ichinose Diamond:
Triple until 6th April. Quad open April 7/8, 14/15, 21/22, 29th April - 6th May.

Ichinose Yamanokami:
Until 8th April.

Yakebitaiyama:
No2 Gondola & No2 quad until 8th April and then April 14/15, 21/22, 29th April - 6th May.
No2 lift until 8th April and then April 14/15, 21/22, 29th April - 6th May.
No3 lift March 17/18, 20, 24/25, April 7/8
No4 pair open when No2 Gondola closed

Okushiga Kogen:
Gondola open until 9th April and then 14th-16th April, 21st-23rd April, 28th April until 6th May.
No1 pair until 8th April.
No2 and No3 pairs until 6th May.
No4 pair until 8th April and then 14th-15th April, 21st-22nd April, 28th April until 6th May.

Kumanoyu:
Some lifts open beyond 6th May (after that date the Shiga Kogen ticket not valid)

Yokoteyama:
Plans to be open until late May. Beyond 6th May, the joint Shiga Kogen ticket not valid.