Joetsu Kokusai (Minamiuonuma, Niigata) - 11th March 2014

I woke up with a bit of a headache this morning and as the weather looked decent and with the fresh snow we have had, I thought I needed to get out in the fresh air.

As Mt Granview isn't open today, it unfortunately had to be somewhere else.

Nearby Joetsu Kokusai it was!

I made the decision not to take my camera/bag as the weather didn't look that good, and I just wanted to enjoy the skiing. But I quickly really regretted that decision, as it was looking beautiful up there - a good mix of blue skies and cloud, fresh snow, snow on the trees....so I had to make do with my phone, todays snaps come courtesy of iPhone. I really wish I had taken the camera though, it was good conditions for some real crackers today I reckon.

That top quad panorama lift through/by all those trees, it really is very pretty indeed.

This is the 4th time I have been to JK this season and I must say I am enjoying it more than I have before. I think the trick is to just concentrate on one area and not spend much of the day on 'connecting' lifts between the different parts. It's one of those skijo that need a bit of planning to get right and can be frustrating. But none of that today.

Today I spend most of my time on the top/back area and a lot of fun it was too. Very nice snow - better than the other times I have been to JK this season. We are doing well for approaching mid March. Fair few people about - Joetsu Kokusai does seem to be quite popular - but the runs I were on were not too busy.