Hakuba Snow Report December 15th

Nice crisp morning today with -3 degrees measured at 800m this morning and -5 at the top of Goryu. Blue skies and no wind to speak of means a great morning for carving it up.

The weekend was busy with a lot of people on the slopes and the little bit of snow meant some excited people and a huge lineup for the Happo Gondola this morning.

No snow predicted in the short term…resorts were shooting for the 20th for full lift operation but it doesn’t look like that’ll be happening unfortunately.

TEMPERATURE IN THE VILLAGE:

-3 degrees C.

TEMPERATURE AT TOP OF MOUNTAIN:

-5 degrees C.

WIND:

Light

VISIBILITY:

Good

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Goryu:

BASE DEPTH: 80 cm (at 1500m)

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LIFT OPERATION:

Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba 47, Happo-One, Tsugaike Kogen (all limited operation)

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BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL ADVISORY:

Sunday’s 5 cm of new snow at 1600 m will not yet have bonded well to the melt freeze crust underneath. The new snow fell as rain at lower elevations yet started as snow up high from Tree Line and up.This snow has had moderate North Westerly winds transporting it into leeward slopes and gullies. Watch for skier / snowboarder triggered slides with in the new snow on these lee slopes and on solar radiated slopes as today’s temperatures rise and solar radiation increases.
Caution around developing cornices.
Recent snows at higher elevations may produce loose slides with fluctuating temperatures and wind deposited pockets of snow.
Last nights surface hoar will remain on shaded slopes and may cause a week layer between any new snows over the next few days.