THERE’S a lot more to skiing than just base depth, but it’s a good place to start. Here’s the base depth at some powder resorts around the world as I type: Squaw Valley: 30cm, Park City: 51cm, Vail: 56cm… Niseko: 330cm. Not that Niseko visitors will be surprised, but many lured elsewhere by cut price deals are wishing that they’d chosen here!
We’re having a classic Niseko season: great snow and lots of it. At times over the last week the snowfall has been so good that your tracks are almost filled in after each lap with Niseko’s famed champagne powder.
One local resort manager was telling me how difficult snow clearing is… but as North America is learning, it’s harder still to manage a ski resort without snow! – by Chris Chan