Hakuba Norikura is a medium sized resort that is often overlooked by foreign visitors due to the popularity of adjoining Cortina. You can either buy lift passes just for Cortina, or you can buy a joint pass that will do both. It may not have the tree runs or the steeps at Cortina does, but is perhaps better suited for beginners and intermediates and is a lot less busy than Cortina. The resort is spread out across the mountain rather than up it, so most courses are a little on the short side.

The resort in detail BEGINNER RUNS Beginners will want to head to the “Hakunori Family” course conveniently located next to the car park and ticket office. Once you can string a few turns together you can head over to the the “Wakaguri Forest” course, or the “Satomi Central” course. Having said that though, most of the runs tend to be fairly flat at the bottom. INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED AND POWDER None of the courses should hold any fear for Intermediate skiers/riders. For a great groomer the Satomi Ridge Course” is highly recommended. Best powder is to be had at the Skyview course on the far lookers right but the “Snake course” and “Expert course” both off the No. 3 pair lift are also great choices. Of course if powder is your thing then you will just catch either pair lift No. 8 or no. 10 over to Cortina.

Facilities There is a free kids area at the bottom of the main slope outside the Alps Hotel. There is no terrain park as such but there is a series of rolling jumps alongside pair lift no. 5 suitable for park beginners. There are plenty of places to eat lunch at the bottom of the slopes with a typical lunch menu for about 1,000. There is a nice onsen inside the Alps hotel with both an inside and outside bath ( 800).

Highway Course/Rabbit Course Wakaguri Central slope