The snow continued dumping down as I turned, at last, off the cleared cat track into the trees and into the deepest softest powder I’d ridden since leaving Colorado. Two turns in and a, “yahoo!” burst unbidden from my mouth. Another turn across a rolling pillow of snow plunged me into the white room for the first time in so many years. Knee deep powder kept my turns smooth and floaty all the way back down to the lift for another go. Barely ten minutes had elapsed by the time I made it back for a second go through the trees but the falling snow had already erased my line. Thusly was I introduced to snowboarding at Hakuba Cortina Ski Area.
The powder-stashes that the locals of any ski area covet and guard jealously are nearly always tucked away in the woods between the trails somewhere. Unfortunately, the trees at many of Japan’s ski areas are off limits to skiers and riders, but not at Cortina. Here “timber bashing” is not only allowed but encouraged, just be aware that you are responsible for your own safety, the ski patrol does not patrol the trees. At first I was skeptical of Cortina’s small size (just 8 lifts and 17 named courses) and lack of a terrain park, but the lure of timber bashing and 30cm of fresh snow and the promise of more the morning of my visit won out and rightfully so. Who needs a terrain park when there’s 30cm of powder? And apart from the initial rush to get up the mountain first thing in the morning, and the milling of beginners riding the main quad lift, crowds at Cortina were minimal to non-existent. Take as many laps as you want, or as many your legs can handle. And if all that powder hasn’t stopped that park rat in your group from pining for jump, never fear, Hakuba Norikura Ski Area is here! It’s connected to Cortina and available for you to use with a "kyotsu" lift ticket (¥4000). Access it via the Alps No. 9 pair lift.
When all this snowboarding (or skiing) makes you hungry, as it inevitably will, you have a few choices for food. There’s a burger restaurant near the lift ticket office, and several more restaurants in the Hakuba Green Plaza Hotel, the gorgeous Victorian style hotel at the base of Cortina. I elected to go to for the Japanese style tabehodai (all-you-can-eat) restaurant in the basement of the hotel. At ¥1300 it’s the most filling and inexpensive meal I’ve ever had on a ski trip. Want another money saving tip? Go to the Cortina website, download and print out the One Day Pack coupon (日帰り1日券パック - higaeri ichinichi ken pakku). A lift ticket to Cortina Ski Area (Norikura is not included with this pass), ¥1000 food voucher good at any restaurant at Cortina, and passes to the onsen at the Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba are all yours for just ¥3500! What are you still sitting there for? Get out and shred the gnar! Happy Travels!
