This season has been blessed with stable snowfall that has rarely been seen in recent years, and ski resorts across the country have largely opened as scheduled. I felt frustrated as I watched my friends living in Hakuba and Hokkaido skiing for the first time on social media in early December, but I finally had a free schedule, so I went to work at the STEEP editorial department's Echigo Yuzawa/Minami Uonuma Police Station. , Onozuka went skiing at Kagura Ski Resort on December 13th.
Every year, I prepare for my first ski from the beginning of the morning in order to make it the best one.
At 6:30 in the morning, I left the house and headed to Kagura Ski Resort. This year's climate in Echigo Yuzawa and Minami Uonuma is that there is a lot of rain and sleet at the foot of the mountain, but it is snowing in the mountains, and the area is blessed with an abundant amount of snow. There is no snow on the roads, so driving is comfortable.
Board the ropeway departing at 8am and head to Izamitsumata.
The people who line up for the first weekday flight at this time of year are people who know Kagura and love skiing. I came alone, but somehow I felt a homely atmosphere, as if I was surrounded by friends. Of course, after this, there will be a fast track battle between the members here...
Currently, the Mitsumata slope can be skied comfortably. It's Kagura Ski Resort as usual. Thanks to the snowfall last night, the surrounding trees are covered with snow.
Transfer to Mitsumata 2nd high-speed lift and head to the gondola. As I skied the few hundred meters along the way, the snow quality was excellent. It was worth the effort to apply hot wax. Waxing is essential because you don't want to have the disappointment of not being able to run the board on your first ski.
When we arrived at the Kagura main slope, a corduroy barn shining silver in the morning sun was waiting for us. The majestic scenery will take your breath away. "This is it! This is what I wanted to see!" I was getting excited.
However, there is no time to admire it. While walking, I put on the boards and took photos of the slopes while sliding. There is no point in panicking and being told that it is not very popular. Non-stop to Kagura 1st high-speed lift. I'm about the 10th person at this point. I was able to break into the lead team. All that's left to do is enjoy the thrill of the first track. This is the moment when the hard work of getting up early pays off.
At first you have two choices. Do you want to ski the classic main course or the uncompacted giant course?
However, once I saw the corduroy and lightly piled powder of the main course from the top of the lift, I had no choice but to ski down there... Since it's my first time skiing, I decided to ski the main grooming course to get my feet used to it.
On the first run, I tried to stay cool and calm, but I was so excited that I couldn't help but speed up. There is no time to be conscious of technical matters. He just skates regardless of his pretense. The slope is beautiful thanks to the snow compaction truck coming in early in the morning. You can also enjoy the light amount of fresh snow that has fallen. It's a great first slip that lets you enjoy grooming and a light powder in one bottle.
Although there is more snow than usual, there may not be enough snow for the time of year, so enjoy the powder while paying close attention to the uneven ground beneath the fresh snow.
I finished the slide in no time. I am immersed in joy as I look at my own ski pool left on the slopes. “It’s the best!” I mutter to myself as I get back on the lift.
Next, we headed to the Giant Course with uncompacted snow.
Many of the other customers seemed to be skating towards us, and there were already several trucks following us. It looks like 20-30cm of snow has fallen since last night. Even the leftover powder on the edges was more than enough for me, as it was my first time skiing. I was grateful for the gift, but since it was still the beginning of the season, I worked hard to slide down the slope, which had many undulations in the terrain. On my second ski run, I was able to ski a long uncompacted snow run on the Giant Course, which has a total length of 611 meters and a maximum slope of 27 degrees. I didn't know who I was thanking, but the words "thank you" naturally spilled out of my mouth.
As I warmed up on the uneven, free-riding terrain of some of the Giant courses, a group appeared who were good at skating without any noticeable changes. I wondered who they were, and as I approached them, I realized they were members of the Japan Freestyle Ski Team.
That's why he's so good on the street. Apparently it was the second day of the training camp at Kagura. I decided to take a moment to observe the practice. In their competitions, they usually skate on well-maintained slopestyle courses or in big air, but these days there are many kickers that imitate natural jumps at competitions, so skiing on uneven terrain is also a good practice.
The accompanying coach was Simon Fujita, who himself once competed internationally as a member of the Japanese national team. ``Kagura has a lot of terrain and plenty of snow, making it a great place to practice.'' Ito, a native of Hakuba, has a long history with the Japanese national team and is the oldest person on the team at 20 years old.Ruya (Luka)The player said, ``It's my first time coming to Kagura, but there's a lot of snow and it's fun.The snow park has also taken our opinions into account and has made the practice environment a little better.This year, we hope to advance to the finals of the World Cup. I will do my best with the aim of being on the podium in the Continental Cup."
After watching the Japanese team's amazing skating and jumping, we took a short break. Since I hadn't had breakfast, I had brunch at a restaurant.
After filling our bellies, we skied a few runs on the Kagura Main Course to practice. Also check out the snow park. Several members of the Japanese national team were practicing in the park.
I've now finished skiing. Approximately 3 hours in total. It's about right for the first ski. My thighs were starting to feel stiff from time to time, probably because I skied so many uncompacted snow courses. I decided to finish my first run around noon.
The season has just begun. It's better later on if you don't feel completely burnt out on the first day and go home with a feeling of being a little disappointed.
Now I can easily ski the route to Mitsumata and it feels good. The surrounding scenery was covered in snow, the same amount as in the high season. Seeing how well the ski resort is doing is heart-wrenching, as it's a cornerstone of the industry. Overall, I would like to sum up my first experience with Kagura by saying, "As you can see, it was great!"
Starting this week, ski resorts will open one after another across the country. I'm already excited about where I'll go this year. The season is finally in full swing. I want to skate as much as I can without worrying about snow and worrying about my knees.
Everyone, take care of yourself and have a great season!
■Information
Kagura Ski Resort /Mitsumata Station
742 Mitsumata, Yuzawa-cho, Minamiuonuma-gun, Niigata 949-6211
Official website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/Official
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