"Spacious, fast, and quiet" - We tried the new gondola at Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort

2020/12/18

Winter has been hitting hard over the past few days, but the STEEP editorial team had the opportunity to visit Nozawa Onsen, which opened last weekend

This is undoubtedly the highlight of Nozawa Onsen this season

Shin-Nagasaka Gondola Lift

Nagasaka Center House renovation (currently underway)

Introducing the latest snow machines

The Shin-Nagasaka Gondola Lift has the triple threat of being "wide, fast, and quiet"

I've condensed about 8 minutes of gondola footage into a minute.
Please forgive the cloudy skies along the way. As of December 18th, the entire landscape should be covered in snow.

The Shin-Nagasaka Gondola Lift previously accessed the Yamabiko area via the intermediate station at Yunomine. However, the route has now been changed to a straight line from the Nagasaka area at the foot of the mountain to the Yamabiko area. The one-way trip takes about eight minutes to reach the top

The new gondola lift is spacious, fast, and quiet, making it extremely comfortable. As you can see in the video, the 10-person cabin is entirely made of glass, except for the floor (a special cabin with a skeleton design is available during the summer season), so you can enjoy a 360-degree view

The cabin is bright and spacious with clear visibility

Even if there is snow on it, it's no problem if you just brush it off with your hand

The previous gondola was a standing type, but the new one offers more seating. Each leather seat is 46cm wide, soft and extremely comfortable. It's also highly waterproof and clean. You don't really feel the impact when the gondola goes over the support pillars, and it's quiet, so it moves smoothly and before you know it, you've arrived at the summit station. I was there on a Sunday, and there were many times when I was surrounded by fog, which made it difficult to enjoy the scenery, which may have made it feel even more like that

And it's spacious. Even Kenji Kono, who is 183cm tall, can stand up and spread his arms wide enough. It's about 2.3m high and 2.6m wide. It's perfect for getting ready to slide

There was a long line when the gondolas began to board, but the constantly rotating cabins quickly sucked the line into the station

On December 12th, the RIDING ACADEMY OPENING CAMP was also held by VECTOR GLIDE. Kenji Kono and Masayuki Akiba were also seen getting on the gondola

Yamabiko Station, the former summit station of the gondola. Until last season, this was the route to the Kaminodaira slope, but it has been remodeled into a spacious rest area

The new Yamabiko Station is about 100m above the old Yamabiko Station, so you can slide right into the Yamabiko area after getting off the gondola. I'm glad there's no need to walk a little

This is Nagasaka Gondola Summit Station. If you exit the station and glide straight ahead, you will reach the Yamabiko area, and if you go left, you will reach Kaminodaira

The new "Nagasaka Center House" is currently under development

With the launch of the New Nagasaka Gondola, the former gondola station has been renovated into the Nagasaka Center House, a comprehensive information facility. Construction is currently underway on some of the facilities, and the completed facility, connected to the New Gondola Foothill Station, is expected to be completed in the 2021-2022 season.

The Nagasaka Center House includes an information center, a shared space for resting, and a Salomon station with a full range of rental equipment. Ishii Sports operates a ski resort shop, its second after Lake Tazawa Ski Resort in Akita.

Proper infection control measures are in place, such as the use of splash guards and masks and shields by staff

We also have a large stock of the black edition of the beloved Temres

They sell clothing and mid-layers from brands like Salomon, Millet, Mountain Hardwear, Ice Peak, and Peak Performance, as well as a wide range of accessories you'll need while skiing, such as goggles and neck warmers

Kuneuchi-san is working at the store, working both at the Nagano store and the store. Not only does it stock a wide range of accessories, but it also carefully explains what you need in the field depending on the situation, making it a powerful ally when you're in trouble. It seems they are also considering having local staff work in the store, and are planning various easy-to-use services

Perfect conditions from the start of the season, regardless of weather conditions

The reason we were able to open on the scheduled date of December 12th was thanks to the installation of 22 state-of-the-art snow machines over a total run of 3,250m from Yamabiko D Course in the summit area to Kaminodaira slope. The course, located at an altitude of about 1,400m, is a mix of natural and artificial snow, and offers ample distances for skiing

Last Sunday, December 13th, there was still little snow in various areas, so many skiers visited Nozawa Onsen, where they could ski this distance and wide area. They really took full advantage of the snow machines. It looks like they're off to a solid start and will be open until Golden Week

This weekend's cold wave will likely see ski resorts across the country close to full operation. The new gondolas are simply "wide, fast, and quiet." Once fully open, skiing long distances using the gondola will be smoother than ever. We have a feeling that a new Nozawa Onsen routine will emerge, with long runs with varied terrain repeated over and over again. Why not head out and get your skiing muscles in order while the conditions are still in place this year?

MOUNTAIN STATUS