Happo-o-ne Ski Resort

Happo-o-ne Ski Resort Review

Japan's first parallel jumping hills were constructed with critical points of 393 feet and 295 feet, and each has a scaffold structure for the in-run and landing slope. These ski jumps can also be used in spring and summer. The Champion and Panorama courses have starting points of an altitude of 5,510 feet, with separate courses for men (vertical drop 2,755 feet) and women (vertical drop 2,555 feet). The downhill course for super-giant slalom starts lower. This ridge stretches to the east from Mt. Karamatsu (8,843 feet), with breathtaking views if the mist doesn't roll in. Even in summer a sweater or light jacket may be needed. You can reach the first cairn via three connecting gondolas (five minutes to Happo Gondola Station, then eight minutes by gondola for Usagidaira, and an additional 10 minutes by alpine lift). From here the jewel-like Happo Pond is a 6-km (4-mi) hike. For more-ambitious hikers, three more hours gets you to the top of Mt. Karamatsu-dake. It's a five-minute, 3-km (2-mi) bus ride from Hakuba to Happo and then a 15-minute walk through the resort of Swiss-like chalets and hotels to the gondola station. The round-trip fare is ¥2,600, and the lower gondola operates from 8 am to 5 pm (from 7 am in July); the higher chairlift stops at 4:30 pm.