八海山スキー場 Hakkai-san ski resort

Yep, the same Hakkai-san that my school hikes up during the summer is a ski resort in winter. If you take the ropeway up to the middle of the mountain, there is a "Champion course" (advanced course) which lies at a 35 deg incline (that's steep!) and is 5.5km-long. No chairlifts for this course because it's too long and steep. In the gondola on the way up, no one could stop exclaiming at the gradient of the champion course.

Beautiful view from the ropeway station lookout point

(clockwise from bottom left): Kyoko, Manami, Seki-san, Hisashi, Taka, Takeshi and me at the ropeway lookout point
I stood at the start of the champion course......and my knees went weak. Sensibly decided to go down by ropeway instead of potentially rolling down the 5.5km route as a huge snowball.

In my group, only Seki-san (my ski instructor) dared to try the champion course. The others took another route which was slightly less steep, but still an advanced course.
Steeeeeep....really glad I decided to go down by ropeway as I saw many snowboarders and skiiers, including my friends, falling and tumbling along the way. Afterwards, most of my friends complained of pain in their wrists and shoulders from falling.

A few families set up tables and chairs and had a picnic at carpark by the base of the ski resort. One group of young boys (far left) started a fire and was having a cookout. Looked fun.