Even the staff at Happo-One Ski Resort were surprised by the amount of snow. Let's visit Hakuba, which has a rare sight

2025/02/23

"I've never seen a wall of snow that high before."

This was explained to us by a staff member from Happo One Development, who said that even someone who has worked at the ski resort for nearly 30 years had never seen such a wall of snow nearly twice the height of a person at the Skyline boarding point

Not Tateyama's Snow Valley, but Skyline Valley

The snow wall cannot be piled any higher because it may collapse

Even if it gets warmer sooner from now on, I would still say that this season is a banner year for snow.
In the 2024-2025 season, snow fell consistently from December through January, steadily increasing the snow depth. This was due not only to many days with low temperatures, but also to less rainfall than in recent years, which has occurred frequently in January.

Ski resorts all over the country are now welcoming skiers in perfect conditions.

HAKUBA VALLEY is no exception, and since the start of February, the snow has piled up more than expected due to two cold fronts bringing heavy snowfall. At the aforementioned Happo-one Ridge, the official website says the snow depth at Kurobishi is 655cm. It seems like it may even be even more in some places

I can't remember a time in the last 20 years when Kurobishi's No. 3 Pair Lift was blocked. When the Kurobishi Pair Lift was in operation on a daily basis, snow removal was always carried out to ensure the lift could be operated whenever there was a heavy snowfall

Lift staff manually dig out carriages buried under the snow. If it snows again, it's all back to square one..

This season, for the first time in several years since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kurobishi No. 3 pair lift is operating daily. However, the amount of snowfall each day has been so heavy that it has quickly become buried before snow removal could even begin. In the past, they would have collected the chairlifts in one place and compacted the snow, but... I have the
utmost respect for the staff who are digging them out by hand.

The Kurobishi slope, with its average gradient of 27 degrees and moguls, looks incredibly easy to ski on. The trees on the right are the only visible part of the slope

In the past, the bushes that grew beside and at the bottom of the lifts on the Kurobishi slopes would almost completely disappear by February, leaving a pure white slope. The sight of a succession of large bumps was a seasonal feature of Kurobishi, along with the bumps at Usagidaira

Over the past 10 years or so, however, the bushes have grown into trees, and even in February, the tops of the trees can still be seen poking out from the bottom of Kurobishi. The trees have grown to a height of nearly 5m, but now the trees beside the lifts and at the bottom have all been buried, and only a handful remain. This season, it's even possible to make wide turns using Kurobishi's steep slopes

Similarly, in the Urakuro area, many bushes usually obstruct skiing, but this winter, they have almost all been buried, making for a comfortable skiing experience

In any case, because of the large amount of snowfall across the Happo Ridge, the terrain, which had many steep slopes, has changed to rounded, gentler terrain. And yet the snow is soft and very slippery

The lift to Usagidaira is also right on the snow surface. Red poles are set up to warn skiers not to collide with the lift

The popular Skyline course, with its wall on the skier's left side, also has a flat terrain overall

The skier's left slope at Omusubi is a very interesting stream-like slope, but the amount of snow makes it flat. The bushes on the Panorama Forest Road in front are almost hidden, making it slippery

As you can see in the picture, Grat Quad provides access to the top of the ski resort. In some places, the support poles are almost buried. As expected, snow removal is carried out using snow rollers rather than by hand

A gondola station at the foot of the mountain. The roof is covered in so much snow that the advertising panels are no longer visible. Due to the risk of falling snow, people are lining up away from the building

Happo-one has struggled with a lack of snow in recent years, but this season the situation is the complete opposite

"This year, there were lots of smiles from our guests, and it felt calm and peaceful."

said the aforementioned staff member at Happo-One Ski Resort

Although there are many challenges in running a ski resort, such as carriers getting buried in snow, Hakuba is visited by guests from all over the world for its quantity of snow, quality of snow, and frequent resets. A large amount of snow directly translates into high satisfaction

Furthermore, daily life is fraught with worries, such as frequent snow removal, fallen trees, and resulting power outages.
However, this is precisely the time when we can see, touch, and experience many things. It's the perfect opportunity to embrace the unpredictable nature of the season and transform it into something enjoyable.

Lake Nakatsuna, located at the foot of the Kashimayari Ski Resort. The lake has completely frozen over for the first time since 2023, creating a snowy landscape. Unfortunately, smelt fishing is not permitted

North of Lake Nakatsuna, a part of Lake Aoki also freezes over, and although not entirely, the lake freezes over, creating a mystical sight

Mash, a common sight in the forest, appears all over the plains

The entrance to "THE NORTH FACE GRAVITY Hakuba," located next to Hakuba Station, has also been transformed into a fantastical entrance with a wall of snow

Come see Hakuba, which has taken on a completely different appearance from the familiar scenery due to the abundant snowfall

■Hakuba Happo-one Ski Resort　https://www.happo-one.jp/