Wrapping up the season at Naeba

March is almost over, and it's nearly time to end the ski season.
For my final run, I chose the classic Naeba Ski Resort. I thought it might be a lost cause since it's been too warm lately, but with snow in the forecast for Saturday, a chance finally arrived.

The drive from Tsukiyono IC to Naeba Ski Resort was mostly dry, with only a few patches of snow remaining. I switched to 4WD just in case whenever I encountered them, and I arrived smoothly without any traffic. I bought my lift tickets for Naeba at a convenience store along the way; they are 7,200 yen at the regular price, which is quite a hike compared to the old days, but they were a bargain at 6,200 yen at the store (though still a pretty penny).

By the time I reached the parking lot, there was snow and wind... I couldn't even see Takenokoyama, and I felt a bit uneasy about whether they would even be operating. As I watched, I saw people heading toward the slopes one after another.

When I went up the lift, I was a bit disappointed to find that the Men's Riesen, Takenokoyama, and the forest courses were all closed.
The slopes that were open were quite icy, and I could hear the sound of people scraping across the ice all over the place.

By the afternoon, the weather had recovered significantly.

There was no wind toward the summit, but it was completely white.

Even though some courses were closed, I was able to enjoy the slopes enough.

And as always, Naeba was a lawless zone, with many skiers and snowboarders doing whatever they pleased in the off-limits areas.

See you again next season.