It is another cold and wintery morning in Zao, though there's some blue sky showing behind the fast-moving cloud up there at the moment. The top of the mountain is visible from base.

As I left this morning early on the thermometer was at -4 degrees and there was 2-3cm or so outside in the village. The top gondola station is reporting a temp. of -8 degrees, so there's no t-shirt skiing just as yet in Zao this spring!

Clearer conditions and warmer temperatures on the cards for the next few days.

From tomorrow, we take another step into spring ski territory with more lifts closing for the season. Details below.

-------

Official snow depths (8th April 12)
Utopia - 245cm
Chuo - 240cm
Paradise - 245cm
Uwanodai - 150cm

Operating lifts (8th April 12)
Open as planned.

-------

Current planned lift operations at Zao, as of 8th April - subject to change:

Uwanodai Area
Sky Cable (open all year, but closed from 7th May for maintenance)
Onsen No1 pair lift (until 8th April)
Onsen No2 quad lift (until 8th April)
Zao Ropeway (open all year, but closed for maintenance 9th-25th April except Saturdays and Sundays)

Chuo and Paradise Area
Chuo No1 pair lift (until 6th May, but only Sat/Sun from 9th April until 27th April)
Chuo No2 pair lift (until 6th May)
Katakai triple lift (until 6th May, but only Sat/Sun from 9th April until 27th April)
Paradise No1 pair lift (until 6th May (but only Sat/Sun from 9th April until 27th April)
Shobunuma No2 pair lift (until 8th April)

Yokokura and Utopia area
Zao Ropeway (open all year, closed for maintenance 7th-18th May)
Yokokura No1 pair lift (until 8th April)
Astraea No3 pair lift (until 8th April)
Utopia No2 pair lift (dependent on snow but latest until 6th May)

Omori and Kurohime Area
Kurohime No1 quad (no fixed closing date, dependent on snow)