Japan Topping World Snow Depth Tables For Start of 2025
Japan Topping World Snow Depth Tables For Start of 2025
Published : 30-Dec-2024 03:46
Japanese ski areas have leapfrogged North American and European ski resorts to move to the top of the world snow depth tables.
North American ski areas had been the first to post 2m+ depths a month ago after heavy snowfall in the Pacific Northwest corner of the continent credited to the La Nina weather system in the Pacific.
However huge snowfalls in the Western Alps, with up to 2 metres falling in the week up to Christmas on high slopes in the French Alps saw European centres briefly top the tables, with Flaine taking top spot on 2.7m.
But Japan's snowiest December in a decade has now seen several centres there post 4m+ snow depths up top in time for the start of the New Year.
The famous Japanese resort of Niseko is posting a 2.5m base and its slopes 100% open already.
This season the new "Ace Gondola" has become the main lift of Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, the main sector at the four that make up the ski area. Replacing the old Center Four lift, which ended its service at the end of last season, the new gondola increase transportation capacity on the route by 1.5 times and has eased congestion.
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu has also announced that despite the good conditions it will be closing early for the season on 31 March 2025 (it usually stays open to the start of May), due to the renewal of more facilities on the slopes.
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