The 2024-2025 season was a stark contrast to last season, with a winter blessed with abundant snow. I'm sure many of you reading this article have thoroughly enjoyed it, or are still enjoying it
This time, we will report on our participation in the "YUKIGOI Mountain Clean," an initiative to clean up the slopes with our own hands, as a way of expressing our gratitude to the ski resort that allowed us to enjoy the winter. The event took place at Maiko Snow Resort in Niigata Prefecture
What is "Mountain Clean"?
"Mountain Clean" is an event where people pick up trash on slopes after skiing and snowboarding season has ended, protecting nature and connecting it to the next season. This year marks the fourth time that Maiko Snow Resort, which we participated in, has held its "YUKIGOI Mountain Clean
This type of initiative is spreading to ski resorts all over the country, including Hakuba's "Slope Clean Act." and Tokyu Snow Resort's "Mountain Clean."
Click here for last year's report
On the first day of Golden Week, the snow-free slopes were refreshing
The event took place on Saturday, April 26th, the first day of Golden Week. It was a bit chilly in the morning, but the sky was clear and sunny. As someone who normally lives in Tokyo, I don't often get to go to a slope without snow. I arrived at the site feeling a bit nervous
I've been to Maiko Snow Resort many times this season. Its appeal lies in its slopes, which can be enjoyed by individuals or in groups, with long runs that can be enjoyed using the gondola, off-piste zones, and snow parks.
The sight of Maiko's slopes without snow was refreshing, and although I was a little taken aback by the unusual appearance, I waited for the mountain clean to begin.
"Snow & Green Morning Yoga" under the blue sky
Before the event, a yoga class was held by two local instructors, Takko and Shuri. For about an hour, participants experienced a mysterious sensation of becoming one with the abundant nature that unfolded before their eyes. It was a precious experience that could only be experienced outdoors
Cleaning began in the Maiko area
A total of 28 people participated. After the opening remarks, everyone boarded a minibus and headed to the top of the slope. Unlike previous years, there was still a lot of snow around the gondola summit station, so the route was changed for safety reasons. The route was changed to two locations: from along the Maiko Center Quad in the Maiko area to the Maiko Kogen Hotel, and from the top of Nagamine No. 1 Quad in the Nagamine area to the Day Trip Ski Center. This is where the approximately two-hour mountain clean began
We started off in the Maiko area. We carefully checked, paying particular attention to the litter that is said to be abundant under the lifts. There were small items that looked like they had fallen out of pockets, and cigarette butts that had clearly been thrown out intentionally. It's unfortunate that even though there are designated smoking areas, there are adults who don't follow the rules
We also found several lift tickets lying around. We thought they might have been accidentally dropped, but then we heard from a participant that "if you have two IC card lift tickets, the gates won't respond, so sometimes people intentionally throw away the expired lift ticket," which left us with mixed feelings
The second half of the tour will move to the Nagamine area
About an hour after we started, we boarded the minibus again and headed to the Nagamine area. With the Day Trip Ski Center visible from the window on our right, we passed through a tunnel that anyone who has skied at Maiko will surely remember, and arrived at the lift station
There was more snow remaining here than in the Maiko area, and the temperature was slightly lower. Some participants couldn't help but say, "I should have brought my skis..." It was a moment that made me realize that although skiing wasn't the goal, the people gathered here truly loved the snowy mountains
As we descended from the starting point onto the slope, we came to the junction of the "Speed Course" and the "Off-Piste Zone." We saw parents and children checking out the snow-free terrain. "When there's no snow, the undulations of the terrain are more clearly visible, which seems interesting," they said. I was drawn in and checked out the slopes as well. I'm looking forward to next year
We picked up a lot of trash here too. We collected a variety of trash, big and small, including a single pole, a goggle sponge, and an empty plastic bottle, before arriving at the finish line, the Day Trip Ski Center. This marked the end of the mountain cleanup. The trash we collected that day was enough to fill the bed of a pickup truck
After about two hours of mountain cleanup, it's time for the long-awaited lunch!
The staff at Maiko Snow Resort had cooked Minamiuonuma koshihikari rice in a large 3.8-liter pot using rice husks as fuel, and had prepared the local dish "Kirizai" (spicy rice), the classic Nozawana (green mustard greens), flavorful seaweed salt, and a pork miso soup with plenty of ingredients to go with the rice. After working hard for nearly two hours, I ate the delicious food with gratitude, munching it down
Even small pieces of trash do not return to nature
What I felt when I participated in the YUKIGOI Mountain Cleanup was that there was a huge amount of small trash. There were a lot of small items that would be easily overlooked if they were buried in the snow, such as cigarette butts, tissue paper, and gum wrappers
Perhaps people think, "It's okay to throw away this much..." However, trash that doesn't return to nature "remains," no matter how small it is. This trash will surely pollute the fields we ski on and there is a high possibility that it will be accidentally eaten by the wild animals that live on this mountain
Skiing and snowboarding can only be enjoyed because of nature. Polluting the environment is tantamount to giving up the enjoyment of it all. This mountain clean-up was a valuable day that reminded us of this simple fact
YUKIGOI OUTDOOR MARKET will be held again this year!
YUKIGOI OUTDOOR MARKET, one of Japan's largest outdoor market events, will be held again this year, aimed at skiers and snowboarders looking forward to the winter season. This year marks the sixth time the event has been held, and it is packed with content, including a "Snow Prayer" where people pray for good snow this year, as well as a "Brand Mall" with a lineup of famous brands, "Fireworks," and "Jib Battle."
This year, the event is scheduled to be held over two days, from October 18th (Sat) to 19th (Sun). More details will be announced at a later date, so please check the official website and social media.
Information
Maiko Snow Resort
2056-108 Maiko, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture, 949-6423
Official website: https://www.maiko-resort.com/
Official SNS: Instagram | Facebook | X | LINE
YUKIGOI OUTDOOR MARKET
Official website: https://yukigoi-camp.com/Official
Instagram: yukigoi_camp