How long was the approach before hiking proper?

Tsugaike offers easy access to a much wider backcountry area. You exit the upper resort via a snow covered summer road. One should be on that road for 20 minutes max (more like 10). At that point you are at a hub from which all sorts of terrain can be made an objective. In this particular tour we then had a km of so across a very flat area before starting the proper ascent. A total of 3 casual km's to the base of the objective terrain. Given this easy access, you want to avoid the crowds come March and go elsewhere.

We are lucky to have the local resorts, otherwise you would be caught having to hike all the way from the valley and then negotiate a long return to the valley across relatively meaningless terrain (depending on the area). If I were interested in an additional 10km approach sans resort facilities then by rights I should also be interested in leaving my car at home and hiking from my doorstep, rather than driving to the trail head.

In early spring I hike literally from the valley to our summits. There are few viable resort options to cut down the hike and access roads are not open. There is little need to do that kind of slog all season (it is possible to use some resorts to reduce the journey, but that leaves you bound by their opening times and a late in the day spring descent is dangerous).

Thanks.

Been hiking near the summer road before but have never been to the area where you rode. The crossing of the flats is not too bad after all and well worth the effort. I guess splits help ;-) .

Nothing like some nice powder on a blue-bird and some very cool pics.

Looks like you're having plenty of fun up there in this great weather. More snow on the way at the weekend by the looks of things. Any idea how much is forecast to fall? I'm tentatively planning a climb up Myoko-zan, but will skip it if it's going to dump down...

Hi Chris, thanks for the comment.

We had our final day of clear sunny weather here yesterday (4th). Today the forecast storm is rolling in. I'd expect/guess about 20-30cm at 2000m in the Hakuba area, but this will be variable with wind - it is going to be a windy one. It is also going to be the coldest storm we have had so far, perhaps overnight lows of -15C at 2000m (not so cold)