Niseko Hanazono, Japan, Report: Light Snow Overnight, Holiday Crowds Arrive Report from December 31, 2023 I looked out my window this morning to finally see snow coming down. Typically a usual sight in Niseko, but any trace has been absent the past few days. Being New Year’s Eve, the crowds came. Lines aren’t often found in Japan, but since Niseko is rated as the #1 resort in the country, people […] Conditions Report Brett Ploss | December 31, 2023 0 Comments
Niseko, Japan, Report: Softer Snow with More on the Way Report from December 30, 2023 Drove over to Niseko Grand Hirafu this morning. The snow was better than at Annupuri due to having less sun exposure. Niseko United is the umbrella that combines four ski resorts which are inter-connected by lifts and all available on the IKON pass. From left to right in the above trail map are Annupuri, Niseko […] Conditions Report Brett Ploss | December 31, 2023 0 Comments
3 Pre Skiing Leg Workouts for Those of Us With Desk Jobs Have you ever found yourself unable to stand after your first day skiing? Let alone after the first few runs? Not everyone trains like an athlete. Some of us are not using our ski leg muscles during the off-season. If any of this applies to you, here are three quick workouts you can do at least a week before your […] Brett Ploss | December 30, 2023 0 Comments
Niseko, Japan Report: More Snow than Hakuba, Still a Few Lifts yet to Open Report from December 29, 2023 I flew from Tokyo to Sapporo last night. Tokyo is located on the main island of Honshu, while Sapporo is located on a smaller island in the north called Hokkaido. I rented a car at Sapporo and drove the roughly two hours from Chitose airport to Niseko. There was noticeably much more snow on Hokkaido […] Conditions Report Brett Ploss | December 30, 2023 0 Comments
Lotte Arai, Japan Report: Wet and Icy Down Low, Soft Snow Up Top Report from December 28, 2023 I drove two hours from Hakuba to Lotte Arai this morning. The drive snakes along Japan’s famous Jade Coast, named for the small pebbles of jade that can be found here. Pulling into Lotte Arai, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, which was quite the contrast from Hakuba yesterday. I took the gondola up, […] Conditions Report Brett Ploss | December 30, 2023 0 Comments
Hakuba, Japan Report: Warm and Cloudy Report from December 27, 2023 Landed in Tokyo last night and rented a car and drove five hours north to Hakuba. Woke up to warm temperatures and melting snow, however, there was still about a foot or two on the ground around town. Skied Hakuba 47 & Goryu and Happo One. Goryu was sunny above the clouds and had nice, […] Conditions Report Brett Ploss | December 29, 2023 0 Comments
Top 9 Ski Areas According to USA Today Readers Rankings are always exciting to see because humans love to rank things but we also know rankings are very subjective. There are tons of factors when comparing resorts such as their size, annual snowfall, vertical, etc. and everyone has a different opinion on qualitative factors or how to weigh the quantitative ones. At the end of the day, it all […] Industry News Brett Ploss | December 29, 2023 0 Comments
7 Essential Items to Pack For an International Ski Trip A U.S. TikTok influencer has been going viral for proving that some international skiing destinations may be much less expensive than staying in the country. So you’re convinced; you’ve booked your flights and the date is getting closer. Here’s a list of seven essentials not to forget if you’re going abroad this winter: #1 Your Ski Pass Ikon and Epic have […] Gear Review Brett Ploss | December 20, 2023 0 Comments
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