Muika Snow Resort, affectionately known as "Muika" by locals, is often thought of as a place for families and students to go for ski lessons. However, this is precisely why there are still many hidden powder spots hidden away. We will introduce you to a vast powder area in Muika that has been the talk of the town in recent years, but has remained hidden until now
Family ski resorts are where the hidden powder lies
Muika Snow Resort, located in Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture, is surrounded by ski resorts familiar to skiers, such as Ishiuchi Maruyama, Maiko, and Joetsu Kokusai. Many people have heard of Muika, but have never actually skied there. In recent years, major powder snow ski resorts have become highly competitive, with long wait times for lifts and sometimes not being able to ski to their satisfaction. As a result, many people are turning their attention to local ski resorts
Muika Snow Resort is attracting the attention of such people
Muika is conveniently located just a five-minute drive from Muikamachi IC on the Kanetsu Expressway, and offers ski-in and ski-out access to a hotel with natural hot springs. Its convenient location and wide range of gentle slopes make it a popular ski resort for families
However, the off-piste fields and mountain courses outside the managed area newly opened in 2021 have attracted the attention of hardcore skiers due to their intriguing slopes, snowfall amounts, and terrain changes. Above all, despite being located in a heavy snow area, there are few customers who come specifically for powder snow. There's no need to wait at the ski resort early in the morning (or late at night), line up for the lift, and dash for powder snow. This ski resort is perfect for those who are tired of all that competition
Off-piste skiing just like in the backcountry
As you can see from the map, Muika is a long, vertically long ski resort. The off-piste field mentioned above is located at the top of the mountain, after two lifts. After getting off the third pair lift, it's a 10-minute hike up to ski untracked slopes. There are few people skiing in the powder, and even fewer hiking up, so you'll have the resort almost to yourself. On snowy days, it's best to bring climbing skins and snowshoes. A good
daily routine is to warm up your feet on a few groomed runs on the slopes first thing in the morning, then hike up to ski the off-piste field. The off-piste field is divided into three runs: the Dynamic Run, the Condor Run, and the Eagle Run.
The Dynamic Course is a course that takes you straight down from the top of the off-piste field to the main slope, where you can enjoy powder on a varied slope. The Condor Course is a course where you can enjoy powder on a medium slope, allowing for traverses and a variety of lines. The Eagle Course is a course that descends from the outer edge of the off-piste field, with only one groomed lane. This is the approach to the non-managed mountain course, which we will introduce later
The Eagle Course is definitely worth checking out. It features steep slopes with a maximum gradient of 32 degrees, yet boasts a long run of 641m. Only in authentic backcountry skiing can you enjoy such free-flowing, sloping slopes. It's amazing that you can even do this within a ski resort. You'll be able to enjoy a few runs here stress-free and off-track
A little nervous at first? Let's take a mountain course outside the controlled area
Next, we headed to the mountain course outside the controlled area. For this course, you need to apply in advance at the ticket counter. You will receive an armband in exchange for a 1000 yen deposit and then put it on to ski. Once you've finished skiing, you can return the armband and get your 1000 yen back
The course runs along the ridge on the right side of the ski resort, hiking up the off-piste field past the Eagle Course. According to old documents from the ski resort, this is called the "MS Course," and this is the area that was the old course
The summit, beyond the hiking zone, is 748m above sea level, with an elevation difference of 400m from the base. If you ski nonstop from the summit on the mountain course that is not a managed area, you can enjoy an ultra-long run of 1500m in total. This is quite long compared to the lift-access backcountry areas of other ski resorts
The boundaries of the area are marked by poles and pink ribbons on both sides of the course, so be careful not to go beyond them
The distinctive feature of this area is its gentle slopes. It is not a place where you can do hard steep slopes or dense tree runs, but rather a field with vast, gentle slopes where you can enjoy cruising. Of course, there are some steep slopes, but they are not difficult. The slopes are natural terrain and there are few trees. It is a unique place where you can feel the atmosphere of a sparse forest, even though the altitude is not high
This is an easy area for those who are unsure about skiing in full-scale backcountry skiing or are inexperienced, making it a great place to start. After skiing down, you'll traverse a bit and emerge to the right of the ski resort base. Skiing from the top to the base of the ski resort is a very challenging experience. It takes a while to complete one run, so you probably won't be able to do multiple runs here. However, even skiing down one run will give you a real feel for the backcountry, and it's a long enough distance to experience the natural terrain and practice
A great environment for dining and lodging
After a long day of skiing, recharge your energy with the hotel's specialty, the "Kabituki Sauce Pork Cutlet Bowl." If you're looking to hit powder, make the most of the ski-in/ski-out Muika Onsen Hotel. The buffet-style restaurant serves a fusion of Japanese and Western cuisine using locally sourced ingredients that are in season, and the guest rooms, which were renovated last year, have a lovely atmosphere. Muikamachi Onsen, located within the hotel and designated as a national hot spring resort, is known for being colorless, odorless, and long-lasting, making it the perfect place to relax
■InformationMuika
Snow Resort
2910-114 Oguriyama, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture, 949-6636
Official website: https://www.muikamachi.com/ski/
Official social media: Instagram | Facebook | LINE