STEEP's first ever ski test event, "SKIDIG," is fast approaching on March 7th-8th.
The venue, Kashimayari Ski Resort, is characterized by its compact layout, offering everything from wide slopes suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers to technically challenging steep runs.
The "Central Plaza 1130" area, where the test rides are held, offers easy access to courses facing all directions—east, west, north, and south—making it an ideal location for ski testing.
While the recent warm weather has undeniably accelerated snowmelt, snowfall is forecast for Saturday the 7th, the day of the test ride event.
The slopes are also expected to improve somewhat, making it a good opportunity to try out new skis and demo boots.
Above all, it's not often you get the chance to try out 44 different brands of skis.
Walk-ins are welcome (please bring identification).
The inaugural "SKI DIG" ski test event will feature 44 brands | March 7th (Sat) - 8th (Sun), 2026
https://steep.jp/event/115818/
The STEEP editorial team, who regularly ski here, will introduce some recommended courses for testing out the performance of the new models
Case 1: The classic course. Ride Quad No. 1 and glide into the test ride venue
Quad 1, which can be accessed right from the test ride venue, is the perfect course to efficiently test ride skis
After getting off the lift, walk slowly up the gentle slope until you come to a fork in the road. If you go right, you will reach "Tomi Grand View A," and if you go left, you will reach "Tomi Grand View B & C."
"Tomi Grand View A" is a wide, single slope facing south. The skiers' left is ungroomed, but the right side is groomed and offers a pleasant slope for picking up speed. It's perfect for trying out your skis with larger turns while checking your surroundings.
Also, on the left side of the course leading to "Tomi Grand View A" after passing the fork, there is a line with a bit of undulation to enjoy.
The slopes at "Tomi Grand View B and C" also face southeast and are wide runs. The snow here is currently ungroomed. The snow, which had loosened due to the sun, has cooled and hardened, and after many people have skied, it hardens again, making for some very difficult conditions. There are also many areas with overgrown bushes, making this a less suitable place to test ride a motorcycle
Case 2: Take the No. 5 Pair Lift to the undulating terrain and rough slopes
The area with the No. 5 pair lift mainly consists of slopes facing north.
"5-C," which you can see immediately to your right after getting on the lift, is one of the steepest slopes in the ski resort, with a maximum gradient of 38 degrees. With gaps, sharp undulations, and a terrain that dips in the middle as you go down, it offers plenty of challenge, but unfortunately, the snow cover is currently low, making it difficult to try out demo skis.
Once you get off the lift, you have two options.
One is the skiers' left side. The ungroomed slope on the left side isn't too steep, so if the snow conditions allow, you'll want to pick up some speed and test the performance of
your skis. The other is the "5-A" course, where you can ski while overlooking Lake Aoki. The skiers' right side has a gentle wall-like terrain, so you should be able to hit some turns while avoiding the bushes. Also, on the left edge of the groomed course, moguls created by volunteers appear over time.
The section up to the fork in the road to "5-B" and "5-A" is one section, and from there you can choose between courses "5-B" and "5-A"
"5-B" has an average slope of 35°. The slope starts steeply but becomes gentler as you ski down.
The upper part on the skier's right side offers some terrain where you can jump or hit turns. The skier's right side is relatively less rough, with many large moguls in the middle. You can either ski over the moguls in the middle or carve turns to match the moguls. Or you can look for the edge on the right side and ski down vertically. It
's a good place to get a feel for the stability of your skis on a slightly rough slope.
"5-A" is an interesting spot with a gently rising terrain on the skier's right side of the slightly narrow slope. After that, a gentle slope continues towards the 5th Pair Lift
Because of the slope and the terrain, this area is often less crowded than areas with quad lifts. The slope faces north, so the snow quality is stable. It's ideal for checking out the ungroomed areas along the course or on slightly rough snow surfaces
Case 3: There were many other good points..
Kashimayari is an interesting ski resort with slopes that face in all directions, so the challenging spots change depending on the time of day and sunlight
Among them, the most recommended course is "Ippon Beech," which has had the bushes beating down this season, increasing the amount of skiable surface. Unfortunately, it is currently closed, but we hope you will try this course from next season onwards
The park that was in the Nakatsuna area has returned to the central slopes since March 7th, and has been relocated to the Maruyama slope course of the 7th pair lift. It would be a good idea to try out the kicker and get a feel for it
*Jib entry is prohibited when test riding skis
Information
HAKUBA VALLEY Kashimayari Ski Resort Family Park
Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture
Official Website:https://www.kashimayari.net/
Official Social Media:Instagram│Facebook│X,