Muika Snow Resort, affectionately known as ``Muika'' by locals, has a strong image of being visited by families and students for ski lessons. However, that is why there are still many unknown powder spots. Let's take a look at Muika's vast powder area, which has been hidden until now and has become a hot topic in recent years.
Family ski resorts are where unknown 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. I've heard of Muika, but I've never actually skated on it. There are probably many people like that. In recent years, the competition at major ski resorts for powder snow is fierce, and the waits for lifts are long, making it difficult to ski to your satisfaction. Therefore, many people turn to local ski resorts.
Muika Snow Resort is attracting a lot of attention from these people.
Muika is conveniently located 5 minutes by car from Muikamachi IC on the Kanetsu Expressway, and is a ski-in/ski-out hotel with a natural hot spring. It is a popular ski resort for families due to its convenience and many gentle slopes.
However, the off-piste field and mountain course outside the management area that were newly established in 2021 attracted the attention of core skiers due to the interesting slope, snowfall, and topographical changes. Best of all, even though it is located in an area that experiences heavy snowfall, there are very few customers who come here to try the powder powder. There is no need to be on standby at the ski resort early in the morning (or late at night), line up at the lift, and dash to ski powder. This is the perfect ski resort for people who are tired of such competition.
Go to an off-piste field just like the backcountry
As you can see from the map, Muika is a vertically long ski resort. The off-piste field mentioned earlier is located at the top of the mountain after two lifts. After getting off the third pair of lifts, you can hike up for about 10 minutes and ski down the no-track slope. If there are fewer people skiing on the powder, there will be even fewer people hiking up, so you can almost rent it out. On days with a lot of snow, it's safer to bring climbing skins or snowshoes.
As for the daily routine, first thing in the morning I try to get my feet used to the grooming runs on the slopes, then hike up and ski off-piste fields. The off-piste field is divided into three parts: Dynamic Course, Condor Course, and Eagle Course.
The dynamic course is a course that goes straight down from the top of the off-piste field to the main slope, allowing you to enjoy the powder on the varying slopes. The Condor Course is a course where you can enjoy powder on a medium slope. Traverse and a variety of lines are possible. The Eagle Course is a course that descends from the outer edge of an off-piste field, and only one lane has compacted snow. Click here to approach the mountain course outside the management area, which will be introduced later.
What I want to focus on is the Eagle Course. You can enjoy a long run with a distance of 641m, although there are some steep slopes with a maximum slope of 32 degrees. Only in the full-fledged backcountry can you enjoy so much freedom on the slopes. I'm surprised that this can be done inside a ski resort. You should be able to enjoy a few races here without any stress.
Are you nervous at first? Go to the mountain course outside the management area
Next, we headed to the mountain course that is outside the management area. You must apply in advance at the ticket counter here. Skiers wear armbands that they receive in exchange for a 1,000 yen deposit. When you finish skating, you can return your armband and receive 1,000 yen back.
The course is along the ridge on the right side of the ski resort, hiking up an off-piste field to the end of the Eagle Course. According to old materials from the ski resort, it is called the "MS Course" and is the area that used to be the old course.
The summit at the end of the hike-up zone is 748m above sea level, with an elevation difference of 400m from the base. If you ski non-stop from the mountaintop on a mountain course that is outside the management area, you can do an extremely long run with a total length of 1,500m. This is one of the longest stretches compared to lift-access backcountry areas at other ski resorts.
The area boundaries are marked with poles and pink ribbons on both sides of the course, so be careful not to go beyond that.
The feature of this area is that the slope is gentle. It is not a place where you can have hard steep slopes or dense tree runs, but rather a field with vast and gentle slopes that you can enjoy cruising. Of course, there are some steep slopes, but it's not a difficult slope. The slope has a natural topography and there are few trees. Although it is not at a high altitude, it is a unique place where you can feel the atmosphere of an open forest area.
This area is easy to come by even for those who are unsure or inexperienced about skiing in the full-scale backcountry, making it a perfect area to get started. Once you finish skiing, you will emerge on the right side of the ski resort base after some traverse. You ski from the top of the ski resort to the base, so it's quite a challenge. It takes a while to complete one slide, so it's unlikely that you'll be able to do many runs. However, just one run is enough to get a feel of the backcountry, experience the natural terrain, and be a good distance to practice.
A perfect environment for gourmet food and stay
After skiing a lot, recharge your energy with the famous Kaburitsuki Tare Katsudon at the hotel restaurant. If you want to definitely aim for powder, make sure to take full advantage of the ski-in/ski-out Muika Onsen Hotel. At the buffet-style restaurant, you can enjoy a fusion of Japanese and Western cuisine made with locally produced and locally consumed ingredients using seasonal ingredients.The interior of the guest rooms, which were renovated last year, has a pleasant atmosphere. Himachi Onsen has a reputation for being colorless and odorless, making it the perfect place to soothe your body.
■Information
Muika Snow Resort
2910-114 Oguriyama, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture 949-6636
Official website: https://www.muikamachi.com/ski/Official
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