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This weekend, the slopes are already in the peak of the season with an incredible amount of snow! STEEP correspondent reports on the scene in Naeba, Kagura, and Maiko

STEEP Editorial Department
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The heaviest snowfall in recorded history has occurred in various areas!
It keeps falling and piling up, and in no time it has reached over 2m in Kagura!
The slopes are covered in deep powder.

The snow that has been falling since the 14th, mainly along the Sea of ​​Japan coast, has not subsided, bringing heavy snowfall to northern Japan.
Records of the heaviest snowfall in recorded history have been recorded in various areas, and heavy snow warnings have been issued from Hokuriku to northern Japan through tomorrow, the 20th (Sunday).
In response to the news of this snow, a STEEP correspondent visited the Yuzawa area and will be sharing photos of the situation on the ground.

 

The snow walls near Route 17 and Yuzawa Town are already this high! (They piled up this high in an instant.)

Ski resorts in the Yuzawa area from Thursday the 17th to Saturday the 19th

December 17th (Thursday) evening at Naeba Ski Resort
　▲ It's snowing hard!
▲Whister Cafe, located next to the second gondola station, needs to prepare for its opening on Saturday the 19th, but it's buried under this amount of snow..
The morning of Friday, December 18th, around 8:30 am at Kagura-Mitsumata Ski Resort. The next morning... it was sunny! Before we knew it, 220 cm of snow had accumulated!　
Here are some photos of the state of Yuzawa Kagura Ski Resort on the 18th.
The morning temperature was -5°C, and -1°C during the day.
The heavy snowfall from last night has subsided, making for perfect skiing weather. There was so much snow on the slopes that only two lifts and gondolas were operating at Mitsumaga and one at Kagura. The upper slopes at Kagura were closed because the high-speed quad lift was out of service.
The difference between the packed and ungroomed snow was about 70cm. The snow was a little heavy but felt good. The skis also ran well.
▲ The Mitsumata slopes are already in their prime
▲ The upper part of Kagura slope was closed

▲ The snowfall in Kagura reached a whopping 220 cm! This concentrated snowfall is the heaviest in recorded history

 

This is what Kagura's main slope looks like. There are few people. You can also see the mini park at Jibrane
▲ Wadagoya, a popular accommodation and lunch spot where you can stay halfway up the mountain and have the powder snow all to yourself first thing in the morning, is also open!
▲ This is what the backcountry ridge of Kagura looks like from the slopes

In the afternoon, the temperature rose and the snow flew up, feeling a bit heavy but pleasant

 

▲ The bridge that collapsed last year has been restored. The descent course will likely be open this season!

 

▲ Kagura Parking Lot: A car that was apparently left abandoned ended up like this... You can really get a sense of how much snow fell

 

▲ A powder station in the parking lot. With so much snow piling up, snow removal just can't keep up

　Kagura Ski Resort live camera is here

 

From Kagura to Mitsumata Ski Resort... Around 8:30 am, the snow depth was 140 cm
▲ The snow depth at Mitsumata is 140cm. This is the difference between the ungroomed snow and the area behind the skiers
December 19th (Saturday) Back to Naeba Ski Resort. Heavy snow again from the morning. Around 10:00 am　　
Today (12/19) Saturday, there was heavy snow again from the morning. The conditions were tough with poor visibility at the base of Naeba
Maiko Resort opened today, Saturday, December 19th! The snow on the summit was 250cm! Around 11:50am

 As of 7:30 Weather: Snow Temperature: -4℃ Wind speed: 6m/s

 

▲ There was plenty of snow on the Maiko
▲ The advanced course at Okuzoechi Bowl. It's almost hard to find someone skiing there. You can ski as much as you want on the powder snow..
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