On April 29th, a spin-off event of the "Yukigoku CAMP" held at Maiko Resort every autumn, "Yukigoku CAMP Mountain Clean," was held at the resort. With the snow melting and the ski resorts closing soon after, Maiko Resort and the Yukigoku CAMP Management Office planned the event to let everyone come together and clean up the slopes where everyone had enjoyed skiing and playing all season!
This event is being held for the second time this year. It's so popular that it fills up within 5-6 hours of registration opening. Perhaps it's because of the high level of enthusiasm of the participants, or because the delicious food included. Or perhaps it's because people are interested in the perks of participating (a one-day lift pass for the 2023-2024 season!)..
Whatever the reason, for those of us who love winter and snow, there are things we can do to show our gratitude to ski resorts for the wonderful season. One such example is the Mountain Cleanup. On the first day of Golden Week, skiers from all over Japan came together to clean up the mountain, and the STEEP editorial staff also participated
What is Yukigoshi CAMP?
Yukigoku CAMP is a camping festival event that brings together skiers, snowboarders, and other people who love snowy mountains. For two days, participants literally pray for lots of snow this winter, enjoying camping, shopping, workshops, local food, and more. It is held every October at Maiko Resort.
For more details about the event, check out the Yukigoku CAMP official website and social media.
Yukigoku CAMP official website can be found here
The weather is clear! Perfect day for mountain cleanup
Under beautiful clear skies, 24 participants gathered at 9am. Last year's mountain clean-up was held in June, so ski resort staff had already picked up most of the trash, but this year's will be after this. Also, because the snow is melting earlier than usual, the route will involve climbing up to the gondola summit (approximately 800m above sea level), which can be accessed by car. "Hmm, maybe it's quite hard?" they thought, but their faces were full of motivation and they were full of enthusiasm
Once we were ready, we boarded the minibus and headed straight for the Sky Dome Restaurant. It was so pleasant in the mountains, where the budding season has arrived. The temperature had risen to nearly 25 degrees that day, warm enough to wear short sleeves. A pleasant breeze blew through the windows, and the sunlight was not too dazzling; this was the very definition of spring weather
Mountain cleanup begins!
At 10am, everyone grabbed tongs and trash bags and started the mountain cleanup. They walked down the course, finding trash at their feet. The slopes, uncovered by snow, were a refreshing sight, completely different from the winter atmosphere
A walking course where you can feel the coming of spring, including the streets of Minamiuonuma City and cherry blossoms
Right from the start, we picked up tissues, masks, hand warmers, and other items. Some of them were probably dropped by mistake, but there were also plastic bottles and empty cans thrown away after people had finished drinking. Even after the snow melts, the trash remains, of course. In order to protect the surrounding natural environment and maintain a comfortable slope, various efforts are needed even outside of winter
By the way, I also found my smartphone and lift ticket. "Maybe I lost them while skiing...?" I thought to myself, but I resolved to make sure I had zipped up the pockets of my gear before skiing
Meanwhile, big names were discovered one after another
Participants had scattered along the way, but they seemed to be gathering in the area below Nagamine No. 2 Quad Lift. When I asked them what was going on..
"These cigarette butts are amazing! I have to post this on social media!"
Perhaps they were tossed away during the ride. A pile of cigarette butts was found directly below the lift's upward track. You might think that cigarettes are made from paper and leaves, so they would eventually return to the soil, but in fact it's not that simple. Cigarettes contain highly toxic and harmful substances, including carcinogens, and can also cause soil pollution. What's more, the filter contains a substance called cellulose acetate, a type of plastic, which takes more than 10 years to decompose
Children are picking up trash that has been selfishly discarded by adults. Is it okay to show them this? It's not just about looking cool while skiing. Of course, the majority of smokers will follow the rules, but as people who love snow and mountains, I hope they will think twice before taking action
Mountain cleanup is over! Thank you for your hard work!
The trip started near the top of the gondola and took about two hours. The goal was the day trip ski center, which is the gondola's base station. The collected trash is shown in the photo below
Once the mountain clean is finished, it's time for the long-awaited lunch!
The Maiko Resort staff greeted us cheerfully, saying, "Thank you for your hard work!" Freshly cooked Minamiuonuma koshihikari rice and warm pork soup were waiting to soothe our tired bodies
Last year's Mountain Clean was a sell-out as well. This year's participants included repeat visitors who said, "I participated last year and had a great time, so I'm back!" as well as skiers who said, "I commute from the Kanto region to Yuzawa every weekend during the season," and "I decided to participate after trying snowboarding for the first time in Maiko this season."
The day was blessed with beautiful sunny weather, and the participants looked beaming with joy as they got off to a great start to their long weekend
We spoke to Tatsuya Ijima of Maiko Resort, the organizer of this year's mountain cleanup and the Yukigoshi CAMP, about his impressions of the event
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in our second annual "Mountain Clean-Up." We were honestly surprised by the success of the event, reaching capacity within hours of the call for participants. We're incredibly happy to see everyone's appreciation for the snowy mountains.
To ensure everyone had a great time on the day, our staff and I came up with the answer:
"Let's take you all the way to the summit!"
So, we took a 20-minute bus ride to the mountaintop, a place not easily accessible. We were delighted to see everyone's delight just arriving at the bare summit, completely free of snow.
While picking up trash amid the fresh greenery, we enjoyed chatting with the participants about the events of the season, and at the end, we all filled our stomachs with Minamiuonuma koshihikari rice, which the staff and I enjoyed together.This year, "Yukigori CAMP 2023 (tentative name)" will be held for two days from October 21st to 22nd.
We are planning new initiatives with the main theme of "protecting snow," so please look forward to it!
We look forward to seeing you there.
See you next time at the "Yukigori CAMP" in the fall!
"Yukigori CAMP 2023 (tentative title)" is scheduled to be held from Saturday, October 21st to Sunday, October 22nd. This year, in addition to the usual "snow-making" activities, the event will also focus on what can be done to protect snow and what we as ski and snowboard lovers can do, and visitor participation content is also being planned. More details will be released on the official website and social media in the near future. Be sure to check it out
Yukigoi CAMP official website: https://yukigoi-camp.com/