Tsugaike Kogen

From WikiSki

Overview 

Tsugaike is bit of resort for everyone. With in bounds areas catering 80% for beginner intermediates you'd think that the advanced skier/rider would have little to explore. This is only true if a) you have no hiking gear b) get exhausted from putting your boots on c) have no desire to ignore ropes and ski patrol. For the advanced free skier or boarder the terrain isn't all that challenging. Although there are some areas above the Gondola top station, accessible by rope way, heli, or snow shoe. Yes, they are additional costs not included in the average holidayer's snow experience, but it would make a special holiday that little more unforgettable.

Contents 1 Location 2 Pros 3 Cons 4 Contacts 5 Planning 5.1 Getting There 5.2 Accommodation 5.2.1 On Mountain 5.2.2 Off Mountain 5.3 Lift Tickets 5.4 Ski School 5.5 Equipment Hire 6 Resort Facilities 6.1 Getting Around 6.2 Parking 6.3 Activities 6.4 Dining 6.5 Bars & Entertainment 6.6 Shopping 6.7 Children 7 Ride Guide 7.1 Beginner Areas 7.2 Groomed Runs 7.3 Off Piste 7.4 Out of Bounds 7.5 Cross Country 7.6 Parks & Pipes 7.7 Bumps 7.8 Powder Zones 7.9 Sheltered Runs 7.10 Snowplay 8 Other 8.1 Weather 8.2 Geography 8.3 History 9 Resources 9.1 Maps

Location

Otari Mura, Nagano, Japan

Pros

Wide open beginner slopes. Great Hike-able Backcountry A Rope-way tram car operates to access high ground Heli Skiing towards the Spring months. Night skiing and boarding most Wednesdays and Staurdays and throughout the season 07 Dec - 08 Mar. Also Night skiing on one run almost every night of the entire season. Big well laid out park at the top. Can sometimes be closed due to weather. Smaller beginner park at the North end of the Resort.

Cons

Many Lifts access the same area. Not much challenging ski area within bounds.

Contacts

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Planning

Getting There

From Hakuba Train station there is a local bus which costs ¥540 and takes approx 50 minutes to get you to the main car park of the resort. Buses depart semi frequently throughout the day. There is also a Local Shuttle bus service ¥200 from the Gondola Car Park at Happo One which goes to Tsugaike via Iwatake departing twice daily in the morning and twice in the afternoon.

Accommodation

On Mountain

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Off Mountain

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Lift Tickets

Season Pass is ¥50,000 kids ¥30,000

Ski School

Two meeting areas for ski school 1/ In front of Skyliner Lift 2/ Behind Ticket Sales near the Gondola station

Equipment Hire

Various Rental companies at the village including Spicy Rentals, JAM,

Resort Facilities

Getting Around

Shuttle bus operates 4 times daily to and from Happo One stopping at Iwatake and Sierra Resort Hotel. Local Public buses operates on timetables to Hakuba Station, Minami Otari, and a few others

Parking

Small Parking lot right in front of Gondola station, rarely gets filled on weekdays.

Activities

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Dining

Lots of hotel/restaurants on the ski slope. Serving everything from Curry Rice, Ramen, Okonomiyaki, to Yakiniku. Very few options for western style food. Highlights - The crepe shop below the Cow Belle. Also the Kebab shop/trailer which is often seen parked outside Naughty.

Bars & Entertainment

Naughty - nightclub with dance floor and skate boarding quarter pipe. Mr. Jacks - Pool tables and karaoke room. Club dance floor on basement level only open for events. Inaba 178 - as close as you can get to a sports bar, big screen with fox sports, must try the fried potatoes, yum. (basket of french fries) Kurama - Izakaya Japanese style drinking, snack place.

Shopping

Convenience Store in town. JA Supermarket with a lot of empty shelves. Make a trip stop at Hakuba for your grocery needs.

Children

Well catered for with the ski school.

Ride Guide

Beginner Areas

Huge area for beginners nice and flat with runs about 6 lifts wide which all seem to service the same height. You'll find a lot of Japanese guys practicing their GURA-TORiCKU (ground tricks)

Groomed Runs

Most groomed areas are reasonably flat offering a good variety of medium speed runs. There are possibly 3 steeper sections where ski teams use to practice, get up early to beat the ski teams and you'll have smooth corduroy for an hour.

Off Piste

There are some spectacular off piste runs through some trees and under lifts where it is frowned upon by staff if they spot you.

Out of Bounds

Oddly enough if you hike and go out of bounds even while skiing down it is fine. (ex patrolled areas) If you go anywhere near the ropes you are shouted at to go back.

Cross Country

There's a cable car tramway at the top (extra cost) which accesses a good hiking area and some nice powder bowls there is also a trail which skiers can follow down or I've seen skiers trekking through. There is also a lower snow shoe area where beginners trek through some trees to get used to snow shoeing.

Parks & Pipes

The Terrain Park at the top Tsugaike Hit Park caters for all. Including some big kickers, 50ft + a vert wall, a couple longish rails and boxes. 3 smaller kickers, and a short lift ride to access it all.

The smaller park at the North end of the resort also features some nice size kickers, some more interesting rails, including a rainbow, c-box and s-rail. all fairly low to the ground. This park seems to be maintained a little less frequently.

Bumps

There are some at the top "Expert Run" which never get groomed, so they stay for pretty much the whole season. Fairly short run but challenging enough for the average punter. On the Champion Lift side there's a special bumps course set up for teams to practice aerials. There are also a few bumps at the top section of this run.

Powder Zones

The main intermediate run off the skiers right of the top Gondola station has some steeper sections good on Powder days, there's also a small area further right which doesn't get groomed. Hanoki 3rd Lift allows access to some nice runs on that side.

Sheltered Runs

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Snowplay

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Other

Weather

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Geography

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History

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Resources

Japanese only

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Maps

http://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/winter/gelande/gelande04.html