Ogna Hotaka Terrain

There’s nothing too remarkable about Ogna Hotaka Ski Resort. It’s a quintessential Japanese ski resort and for powder hounds it’s OK without being phenomenal, but it is worthy of at least a one day visit on your road trip of the Gunma ski resorts. We haven’t rated it particularly highly overall on the ski resort ratings but where it comes up trumps is the ability to easily score fresh tracks.

Unlike the classic Japan ski resort shape where it gets progressively steeper further up the hill, the top two lifts at Ogna Hotaka service reasonably mellow piste terrain. 

Lifts

Like a classic Japan ski resort, there aren’t many more trails than there are lifts which is such an inefficient use of lifts. An as example, the top lift services just one run. Meanwhile the second top lift (#5) is stuck in a silly spot and is just a waste of time.

The lifts at Ogna Hotaka Ski Resort are not particularly impressive. It looks like there are some old lift stations that might have housed a quad chair, but now there are just 6 pair chair lifts that that are all fixed grip and rather slow. There is also a small surface lift at the base for the kids’ park.

Lift Tickets

Like the other Katashina ski resorts, lift tickets are discounted on weekdays and rather inexpensive, and seniors only have to be 55 years old to get further discounts. Family passes are also really good value.

Ogna Hotaka Snow and Weather

Like the other ski resorts around Katashina, Oguna Hotaka typically gets modest amounts of snow that is often dry powder. The top elevation of Oguna Hotaka is decent and the upper slopes have a mostly ENE aspect, but the SE aspect of the lower part of the ski area can be detrimental to snow maintenance. Usually Ogna Hotaka has a snow base of about 130-230cm in the peak of the season.

Ogna Hotaka Skiing for the Beginner

Beginners have adequate terrain to play with and two of the lifts have only green trails. Trail #13 is also rated as green, although you’d have to ski on an intermediate trail to access it.

For the Intermediate

Intermediates only have a handful of trails, which is pretty typical for a lot of Japanese ski areas, so intermediates may get bored rather quickly. With the exception of the top run, at least the runs have a bit of pitch for some speedy fun.

Terrain Parks

Ogna Hotaka has a few tiny little parks that might have a couple of features if you’re lucky.

Advanced Skiing On-Piste

There are only 3 black runs at Ogna Hotaka and none of them are particularly steep, with the #4 trail providing the most pitch. The #6 course feels pretty much the same as the red run next door so I’m not sure how it got a black rating, but this is Japan, so it’s best just not to ask!

Off Piste Skiing and Riding

You could probably forget the trees in the lower half of the Ogna Hotaka Ski Resort due to lots of shrubbery unless there’s a superb base, and many of the trees seem to have low branches making it rather tricky to ride. Pending snow conditions, you could possible ride the trees off lift #4.

Lift 7 offers short lines of nice trees, so long as you avoid the former cut blocks that now have lots of annoying little trees. The downside of this area is that it’s not easy to hide, so you’ll need to play it by ear as to whether off-piste skiing is tolerated. Skiers’ right of the lift is where some of the best tree skiing is and you can enter off trail #11 or drop in higher off trail #12. Lines terminate in a gully which usually isn’t too treacherous.

Backcountry

Like the other Mt Hotaka ski resorts, Oguna Hotaka is used for access to the backcountry and guiding services are available to take you up Mt Maehotaka. Unlike backcountry touring from Minakami Houdaigi, the snow quality may not be as primo on this side of the mountain.